Fly fishing in the winter brings solitude, and an angler is rewarded not only with the chance to make a prized catch while meeting the challenge of fishing for trout in extreme conditions, but also with the opportunity to experience the quiet beauty of a winter landscape. Winter fishing differs from fishing in the warmer seasons because the pace at which one fishes slows down, just as the trout themselves do in the colder water. Winter fly fishing also offers a way to keep your on-the-water skills up to par during the off-season, when there is less pressure on the fish. Air temperatures can vary from balmy to near zero degrees, but with enough planning and preparation, your day on the water in snow-laden environments can be quite gratifying. Your outing can be a quick local trip or a longer one that requires more preparation and additional gear.
Depending on the snowpack, location, and the severity of the storm cycles, reaching your winter angling destination can be easy or complex. For those new to such excursions, planning a simple and easily accessible first-time experience with a few good friends is best. However, while safety is of great concern while fishing in winter environments, a solo quest for adventure into the unknown, with its uncertainties, can be a great teacher of life skills — an encounter with yourself, your state of mind, and your ability to adapt to adverse conditions. Either way, you need to be prepared with the gear, ways to rig it, f lies, and angling techniques that match winter conditions.
Fly Gear
Most of your winter fishing will be subsurface, be it Euro-style or indicator nymphing or hurling streamers. As you may be aware, rods designed for Euro nymphing are specialized, with a soft, sensitive tip and longer length. This same style of rod could be easily be used with an indicator rig, as well. A 3-weight to 5-weight rod with a length of 10 to 101/2 feet allows the angler to reach farther out and sustain a longer drag-free drift while presenting subsurface flies.
A nymphing rod with these characteristics could also be used as a dry-fly rod in a pinch. The opportunity to present dry flies will most definitely be available when winter conditions align to favor insect hatches.
To fish streamers, you need a beefier, fast-action 6-weight to 7-weight rod that can cast big, heavy flies. Of course, you can nymph and fish dries and streamers with just one rod, but carrying multiple rods already rigged up and ready to go has the advantages of saving time and ensuring you have the optimal tool available for the technique you’re fishing. Most of the time, I carry a Euro nymphing rod and a dry-fly rod.
A few items that are incredibly inexpensive can make a big difference on the water during the winter. Chapstick smeared on your guides will help keep them from icing up. (Jay Fair had rods built with oversized-diameter guides to prevent them from closing up solid with ice.) A microfleece polyester towel to dry your hands after releasing a fish or whenever your cold hands get wet is also indispensable.
Apparel
I’ve learned over three decades of fishing in extremely cold temperatures that the clothes you wear can make or break the day. Dressing in layers is smart, because you can add or subtract layers, depending on the outside temperature or activity level. If you’re hiking long distances, breathable waders are a must. Your layering underneath them should consist of a base layer of polyester and different thicknesses of fleece. Five-millimeter neoprene waders are a better choice if you are not hiking far and will be standing in the same place for long periods of time. Duck-hunting waders were designed for such occasions. I still have a pair for late-season conditions at Eagle Lake that has built-in 1000-gram Thinsulate boots, and I’ve never been cold in those.
Your boots should fit a little loosely so your feet can circulate blood to stay warm, and thinner wool or synthetic socks actually are warmer than thicker ones for the same reason. Felt soles are not advised, because they pick up snow, which clumps up on the bottom of your boots, making then useless to walk in. Rubber-soled boots are a must. You’ll need gloves, too. They can be cumbersome to fish with, but once you get used to them, they’re not so bad. I like the thinner fleece gloves when actually fishing. They keep my hands warm when wet. (Be sure to take your gloves off when handling fish, as gloves can remove the protective slime that covers their body, making them more susceptible to diseases like saprolegniasis, also known as “winter fungus.”) I also carry a thicker pair, which I keep dry for when I just want to warm my hands or when hiking. A Gore-Tex bomber-style hat or fleece beanie prevents 70 percent of the heat loss from the top of your head. Never use cotton clothing while recreating in adverse winter conditions, because it can’t keep you warm and insulated when wet. In the winter sports community it is commonly known as “the cloth of death.” I always inform my clients before a trip, no matter what time of year, to plan and dress for that day’s conditions, whether freezing or blistering hot.
Rigging
Although, the way to rig rods for the winter season is basically the same as for other seasons of the year, there are a few differences during the frigid months. Most freestone rivers and tailwaters are usually low and clear, which call for lighter tippets (5X and 6X) for nymphing and dry-fly setups. When a river of warm atmospheric moisture slams the Sierra, though, bringing runoff and off-colored water, the conditions require heavier tippets, from 4X to 2X, and bigger flies. The specific rigging and leader suggestions offered here are for typical low and clear winter flows in a mountain setting, be it a freestone river or a tailwater. However, by adjusting the tippet size and the length of your leader, all styles can be used during all types of conditions.
Rigging for Euro Nymphing
My Euro-nymphing rig has been evolving for a quite some time now. I’ve finally developed a base setting that I like. With this rig, I can fish big rivers such as the lower Yuba, where I need to cast 40 feet and farther, as well as intimate tailwaters such as the Little Truckee, where shorter and more precise presentations are needed. To the competition Euro-nymphing f ly line, depending on f lows and water clarity, I attach with a smooth Barrel Knot 30 feet of 12-pound to 20-pound Amnesia lime green monofilament, then attach a 2-millimeter tippet ring to its end using a Clinch Knot. Next, I add 2 feet of 10-pound multicolored sighter monofilament that retains the tag ends of the sighter’s Blood Knot to enhance strike detection. At the end of the sighter, I place another 2-millimeter tippet ring. Then, with a Clinch Knot on the tippet ring, I’ll add 3 to 5 feet of 4X or 5X fluorocarbon tippet, with length and diameter depending on the depth and clarity of the water. Last, I add 18 inches of fluorocarbon tippet with a Triple Surgeon’s Knot, leaving a 4-inch tag, to which I tie a smaller fly and on the bottom a bigger and heavier point fly.
Fishing not just small, but tiny flies, from sizes 18 to 24, varies the rig a bit. At the end of the 3 to 5 feet of the tippet section, which I’ve now dropped down to 5X or 6X, I add another 2-millimeter tippet ring, then 10 to 12 inches of fluorocarbon tippet to my first fly. At the eye of its hook, I add another 12 inches of tippet and then the bottom fly. I do this when I’m imitating a food item that usually swirls in the drift. For example, if the first fly is a San Juan Worm, I tie the tippet to the point fly off the eye of the worm, because I want the worm to drift in an irregular manner, just as it would naturally. An advantage of this positioning is that the hook on the first fly faces outward, away from the tippet, which can improve hookups.
When fishing a mayfly or midge pattern, I tie the dropper off the bend of the hook, because I want this top fly to ride head up, to appear to be emerging. Since there is only so much weight you can add to smaller fly patterns (namely, 1.5-millimeter or 2.0-millimeter tungsten beads), split shot must be added 10 inches up from the last tippet ring. The tippet ring ensures your split shot will never slide down to your first fly on the rig.
If Euro nymphing is not your style, and you have more confidence presenting nymphs with indicators, my advice is to keep your rig simple. (Of course, an indicator can be added to a Euro-nymphing rig at the end of the sighter.) A simple traditional indicator rig consists of a regular 9-foot leader tapered to 5X as a base to the first fly, followed by a point fly tied off of the eye of the first one or off the bend of the hook, depending on the pattern as mentioned above. For weight, start on the lighter side, and if you feel you are not getting down deep enough, add more split shot in small increments.
The most important element of this rig is the indicator. A very small and easily movable indicator for different depths is best, because the takes in the winter will be very light. If your flies are not that heavy, consider using a New Zealand– style indicator. These commercially available indicators are made of polypropylene yarn entrapped in a small, clear tube that fits over your leader. An angler can manually adjust the amount of indicator material to be used, based on the weight of flies being presented. Also, the color of the yarn can be changed for varying light conditions — bright orange when vision is challenging, black when there’s a glare and the water surface turns silver/gray, white to camouflage the indicator as foam floating on the surface of the water.
Rigging for Dry Flies
Opportunities for fishing dry f lies occur in the winter on mountain streams if the right air and water temperatures come together. The best opportunity to target surface feeders comes during the warmest time of the day, when water temperatures rise minutely. A rise of one to two degrees can trigger a hatch. Solar radiation prompts aquatic insect activity, and even on a balmy cloudy day, the warmer air can be enough to provoke a Blue-Winged Olive emergence. This type of day usually offers the best dry-fly fishing, and if there is a light rain, it can be even better, because the cloud cover provides the trout with more security, newly hatched duns cannot dry their wings as quickly as on a dry, sunny day, and their extended float with the current gives surface feeders more time to inspect and consume. Don’t expect these hatches to last a long time. They will turn on and fade away within an hour or so. That’s why I carry a dry-fly rod, ready to go at any given notice.
The rising trout you encounter will often be situated in the slow, deep tailouts of runs and pools, clear, calm water where the fish will be wary and every flaw in your presentation will be exposed and amplified. A longer leader of 12 feet will definitely help, as will a tippet section that is of made of a supple material for a more natural drift. Your choices for rigging can be a single dry fly or a two-fly offering with a slightly larger fly in front and the smaller fly 12 to 18 inches behind. There is no need to overcomplicate your dry-fly rig. A drag-free presentation in the right feeding lane is much more important to overall success.
Rigging for Streamers
There are two basic ways to rig a streamer setup, regardless of the season. The first is to use a short, stout leader 4 to 7 feet long with a fly that is weighted by incorporating multiple wraps of lead wire, tungsten beads, or a conehead. The second is my personal choice: using streamers of different weights with mini sink tips in an array of different sink rates from 1.5 to 7 inches per second. The different sink tips make it easy to dial in the right sink rate for the particular feeding zone of a run, depending on the flow and depth of the water. One aspect of this rig is that you are just adding 3 to 4 feet of level tippet from the end of the sink tip to your fly. Grabs on a streamer usually involve larger trout, so don’t use too light a tippet, or you will surely break off. Generally speaking, I use 8-pound 3X fluorocarbon at minimum while stripping and swinging streamers.
Flies and Entomology
Aquatic insect hatches in the winter are fairly sparse and simple to identify. During the winter, most trout transition to consistently feeding on the food source that is most abundant and that requires the least amount of energy to consume: midges and Blue-Winged Olive mayflies (which tend to hatch sparsely).
The colder the water, the slower a trout’s metabolism and the fewer calories it needs to consume daily to survive. Very large trout need a sizable meal such as a sculpin only once every few days. Smaller mature trout rely on aquatic bugs in the drift. These bugs are much smaller than predatory food items and provide much less in food value. Drift feeders must consume more midge pupae and tiny mayfly nymphs for a longer period of time to justify their calorie intake for the energy expended. Because midges do not have much caloric value, a drift-feeding trout will always be looking to meet daily food requirements. However, to conserve energy during the winter, trout avoid strong currents and make fewer bold feeding excursions.
Nymph Patterns
Because winter hatches are not diverse, for subsurface f lies that imitate natural aquatic insects in the drift, you can narrow fly selection down to half a dozen or so patterns with a proven track record. These should be in smaller sizes, from size 16 to a size 22, though also carry some larger flies, such as stonefly and mayfly nymphs, to offer the temptation of a larger food source to opportunistic trout. My go-to flies for the winter include Black Beauties, black or gray Zebra Midges, WD-40s (black, gray, and dark olive), subsurface RS2s in the same colors, and one of my personal favorites, Hogan’s S&M Mayfly Nymph in olive or brown. These flies should be tied on heavy scud or pupa hooks with or without tungsten beads, depending on the intended use, whether in swifter or slower-moving water and in depths from shallow to deep.
Dry-Fly Patterns
Winter dry-fly selection also is fairly simple for the same reason. Most of the time, good presentations in the right feeding lane are much more important than the pattern. For midges, the Griffiths Gnat and other midge cluster patterns that represent multiple midges locked together are really all you need. Black, cream, and gray are best for your midge dry flies. Parachute-style patterns for small Blue-Winged Olive mayflies have always been a favorite of mine, though I’ve learned in the past that sometimes going old school with traditional Catskill ties often yields better results. I like a floating CDC RS2 Blue-Winged Olive pattern, as well. Size first, then profile, and finally color are what matter for selecting the right dry fly for that day’s hatch.
Streamer Patterns
Winter streamer patterns vary only slightly from those we strip during the warmer months. They should be a bit smaller and also darker, though fishing dark flies on dark days and lighter flies on bright days is a good rule. Patterns that imitate juvenile trout have always produced the best for me in standard brown trout colors, brown and yellow, and rainbow trout colors, olive and white. During the winter, black can be tough to beat as an effective color, too. A sculpin imitation is always a good choice where populations of them abound, and not only in the winter, because sculpins are a staple in almost every trout’s diet. I like to start with a three-to-four-inch streamer, then downsize if I’m not getting any action. If you’re trophy hunting, go big and heavy, up to 10 inches with the same suggested patterns mentioned above.
Euro and Indicator Nymphing Presentation
No matter which style of nymphing you choose, obtaining a drag-free drift in the right type of water will dictate your chances of catching fish. In winter, focus on slower moving water where the riff les f latten out into the tailout of a run, slow-moving side water with some depth, or a lazy back eddy. Though, if water temperatures do indeed come up a few degrees, trout will move into faster, shallower water within the riffles. With an indicator rig, bump-feeding the fly downstream is extremely effective, providing a much longer drag-free drift than any other technique. Bump feeding is done with the rod tip at a lower level than the reel so gravity helps dispense line out of the tip. The angler moves the rod tip up and down in two-foot increments, and the surface tension of the water pulls the fly line out of the rod tip while the angler feeds the fly line out from the reel. There is a fine balance with this technique between having too much slack in the presentation, which can result in a missed strike, or too little, causing drag during the drift. Change the distance between the split shot and the indicator to reach the desired depth and add or subtract weight for each individual section of the river you intend to fish.
Dry-Fly Presentation
The most effective dry-fly presentation at any time of year to selective surface feeders also is fly first. Fly-first presentations can be a challenge to master, because there are so many interconnected actions happening nearly all at once — making an error-free cast at the right distance and downstream angle, and bump feeding without too much slack, but enough for a drag-free drift and in the correct feeding lane to deliver the fly to your target. When combined skillfully, though, the final product is success.
This style of a downstream presentation begins with a reach cast from upstream and slightly across from your intended target. Make a series of false casts, aiming slightly downstream toward the rising fish while gauging the correct distance needed. On the final forward cast, while the line is still in the air, move the tip of the rod upstream. This makes an aerial mend, and the fly lands downstream first with the leader and fly line trailing upstream of it. Once the fly, leader, and line make contact with the water, bring the rod tip back downstream and begin feeding out line using the bumpfeed technique until the fly arrives at the trout’s position. The angle, distance, and placement of the fly in the feeding lane must be perfect. If you do not have success after a couple of tries, rest the trout and change to a different pattern, then make another attempt.
Streamer Presentation
Fishing streamers requires a different technique during the winter, usually slower strips and less action. Focus on the slow tailouts of major pools. Most often, swinging the fly through this type of water with slight twitches seems to produce the best results. Other areas to probe are eddies, side channels, and slower runs, including the water next to the bank. Pause your retrieve often to allow a sluggish trout the chance to eat your fly. Short strikes on streamers occur more often in winter conditions with colder water temperatures. After a grab, trout tend to hang just below your fly, believing they have stunned or injured it.
Dead-drifting a streamer pattern on a tight line can be very effective and should always be considered if stripping does not get a trout’s attention. Often, this is the best technique. Locating larger, apex-predator trout that are keyed in on bigger meals requires an angler to move often. Trout, though, are typically loyal to a specific area as home base. It’s where they find comfort and security and hole up between feeding intervals. If you can identify these areas, cover them thoroughly before moving on, but do not remain locked into a particular spot for a long time. Move and cover plenty of water for increased opportunities.
Winter Perspectives
Winter tends to reduce things to their basic, elemental qualities. Wintertime on a river with a fly rod in your hand clarifies the popular saying that fly fishing is “the quiet sport.” You can feel like the last human on earth, with only the mountains viewing your actions. More than anything, it makes you realize the simple pleasures of life that are all too often forgotten. Sometimes we fly anglers need to slow down to the winter rhythms of a trout so we can truly appreciate the beauty of our natural world. Fly fishing during the snowy season does just that.
Zebra Midges
Midges are the most abundant winter food source for trout in all cold tailwaters across the West. The Zebra Midge is a simple, yet effective subsurface midge pupa imitation. By changing the color of the bead and the ribbing, a tyer can create some really interesting combinations. Also, some of these patterns may cross over to imitate another species of aquatic insect — the Wendell Zebra may be taken for a Baetis nymph or Rhyacophila pupa. Here are some of my favorite Zebra Midge recipes. They work all year long. I coat these patterns with two layers of clear nail polish for durability and shininess.
Black and White Zebra
Hook: Togens Scud 3X Heavy or TMC 2457, size 18 to 22
Bead: Black 1.5-millimeter tungsten
Thread: Black 8/0 Uni-Thread
Rib: White small wire
Body: Black 8/0 Uni-Thread
Black and Gray Zebra
Hook: Togens Scud 3X Heavy or TMC 2457, size 18 to 22
Bead: Black 1.5-millimeter tungsten
Thread: Gray 8/0 Uni-Thread
Rib: Silver extra-small wire
Body: Gray 8/0 Uni-Thread
Wendell’s Zebra
Hook: Togens Scud 3X Heavy or TMC 2457, size 16 to 22
Thread: Black 8/0 Uni-Thread
Rib: Pearl Krystal Flash
Body: Olive 8/0 Uni-Thread
Thorax and head: Black or brown 8/0 Uni-Thread
Tying Zebra Midges couldn’t be easier. Mount the bead on the hook at the eye, lay down a base of thread part way down the bend, tie in the rib behind the eye and bind it down to the end of the body, build a tapered body with thread, wind the rib, tie it off and clip the excess. Build a thread dam behind the bead, fairing it into the body, whip finish, and you’re done.
For Wendell’s Zebra, I use thread wraps to build up a slightly longer and wider thorax and head, but then taper the head so that its width narrows toward the eye of the hook.
— Jon Baiocchi
For Longer Trips…
Good nutrition before and during your winter excursion is vital. It fuels the hike in, the fishing, and the hike out. When it is exceedingly cold, hot foods and drinks heat and recharge the body from the core out and lift your spirits at the same time. I sometimes pack a mountaineering stove, instant soups and backpacking meals, instant coffee, and mixes such as hot cocoa to keep me and my guests going through the bitter cold. High-energy snacks, cured meats, and cheeses have long been popular as on-the-trail foods, whether you are doing simple excursions or lengthy hikes. Quick and easy is the theme here. Electrolyte mixes in your water bottle keep you hydrated and thinking clearly for every situation on the water and while navigating difficult terrain.
For longer-distance excursions, you’ll need some specialized equipment to travel efficiently. Snowshoes insure you won’t be postholing while hiking, and trekking poles allow you to move along swiftly, with a balanced stride. Pulling a children’s snow sled behind you can accommodate your fishing equipment, extra clothing, and additional gear. Planning your route and the details of the journey is crucial, whatever the distance. Is the snow firm, or fresh powder? What is the parking situation, and how far from your vehicle is the entry of your hike? The more planning you do, the better the outcome will be.
Keep track of incoming low-pressure systems and day-to-day weather. I’m a weather junkie and also follow the flows in cubic feet per second of rivers and releases from dams. There are high-tech websites, real-time models, and apps that can aid you in planning your trip. Sometimes you must wait for a storm to pass and make a new plan for days or even weeks later. Timing is everything. My favorite weather and flow websites are Windy.com, https://www.windy.com; NOAA Weather, https://www.noaa.gov/weather; USGS river flows, https://waterdata. usgs.gov/ca/nwis/current?type=flow&group_key=basin_cd&search_site_no_station_nm=; and California Data Exchange — Weather, https://info.water.ca.gov/weather.html, and flows, http://cdec.water.ca.gov/river/rivcond.html.
“Safety first” must be you mantra when fishing during the winter. Whether you’re alone or with a few friends, leave a detailed itinerary with a responsible person. Return time, location, and vehicle license plates will aid search-and-rescue teams in the event they must look for you. Carry devices such as a GPS module, a satellite beacon, or, probably the most effective as long as you have coverage, a cell phone. A basic backcountry first-aid kit and a safety whistle are good ideas and take up little room in your day pack.
— Jon Baiocchi
