12-09-2004, 01:58 PM
Even in the summertime, most of the fish are feeding under the water. Nymphs like a hairs ear, pheasant tail, prince nymph, and even a woolly bugger will work best in the winter. There are several more nymphs that work as well but dry flies in the winter are used only on special conditions, when there is a hatch going on. The use of a strike indicator when nymphing will increase your catch rate. The fish will often take the fly very soft and you will not feel it. Watching the indicator for a hesitation or a change in drift direction. This will often let you know of a hit.Also you must mend your fly line so as to create a dead drift, meaning that your line is not pulling the fly through the water. Use only as much weight as you need to keep the fly down at the bottom of the stream.
This is all very basic information and you need to just go out and learn as you go. The trout are generally in slower and deeper current in the winter if they are not spawning. Remember that the spawn just ended for the browns, so don't walk on the gravel areas or the spawning reds as they are called.
You can have great success fly fishing in the winter and not be over crowded with other anglers. The biggest problem that I have, is keeping the ice off of my eyelets when the temp. is below freezing. Have fun DKS.
[signature]
This is all very basic information and you need to just go out and learn as you go. The trout are generally in slower and deeper current in the winter if they are not spawning. Remember that the spawn just ended for the browns, so don't walk on the gravel areas or the spawning reds as they are called.
You can have great success fly fishing in the winter and not be over crowded with other anglers. The biggest problem that I have, is keeping the ice off of my eyelets when the temp. is below freezing. Have fun DKS.
[signature]