Tactics for Winter Trout Streams

For the fly angler who prefers to fish the nymph, winter is an ideal time to get out and fish a body of moving water without running into other fishermen.  Since most winter fly fishing is a sub-surface activity, nymph fishermen or people wanting to learn how to nymph more effectively have an excellent opportunity to get out and perfect their skills.  Trickling snowmelt from the occasional warm days in between snow and below freezing temperatures will cause winter flows to roll up a lot of substrate, dislodging food items along the stream.  This provides excellent opportunities for a highly effective technique called dead-drift nymphing.  Winter fishing conditions are different, meaning the water will have slightly different characteristics.  The cold winter flows are notably slower and denser than warmer waters, making your leader much more affected by the flow.  To counter this, many fishermen will use a heavier split-shot and slightly finer leaders than they would in warmer water.  In order to cast the heavier rig, it may be necessary to put away the 1 and 2 weight light stream rods in favor of a heavier 4 or 5 weight for these conditions.

The majority of nymphing opportunities will come from the deeper, slower pools.  In recent years, these pools have provided the majority of the fish for me. Trout will often be found in the depths of the pool, especially in the deep curling eddies off the main flow.  Dead drifting nymphs through these slow pools, using a long leader (in the 10 – 14 foot range) and a split-shot heavy enough to get your fly down quickly, keep it down, and keep it traveling the same speed as the current, will usually be your most effective way of taking trout.  Since wintering trout use cover just like they do in warmer water, let your nymphs drift alongside brush, deadfalls, undercut banks, and all other fishy looking places.  Having only a short or minimal section of fly line out is essential for line control and detecting the light strikes of winter trout.

Destinations such as Oak Creek provide small winter stoneflies and emerging  midges.  On sunny days, the observant winter fly rodder will have opportunities  for both shallow nymphing and a little dry fly fishing.  A small #16 or #18 black Hare’s Ear (to imitate the stone flies), a Griffith’s Gnat, and a variety of midge emergers have worked well for me on Oak Creek on sunny winter days. Keep in mind that hatching winter aquatic insects are small, but even sluggish cold water trout find it hard to resist a big, easy meal.  As always, being very observant and noticing the few fluttering pests around you (as well as the surface activity) will clue you in to what the trout are feeding on.  Lifting a few rocks from the stream bottom and turning them over will help you decide what to pull out of the flybox.  Because of consistent year round water temperatures, tailwaters and spring creeks tend to provide the most consistent dry fly potential during the winter months. 

Winter stream fishing for trout tends to be a little more technical than at other times of the year.  Besides figuring out where the fish are holding, you will also have to contend with freezing air temperatures that will ice up your rod guides and give your floating fly line the characteristics of 14 gauge electrical wire.  Although the cold air temps are of minimal immediate concern to the trout, they are a force for anglers to deal with.  As long as the air temperature is above 32 degrees, your line will stay limp and ice cubes won’t form on your rod guides.  Bringing along a streamside thermometer to help you identify the warmer sections of water may also save you some time in figuring out where the fish may be holding. 

Being a little adventurous will be necessary for successful winter trout fishing.  Proper layering of clothing and being a little more cautious than usual are necessities for a successful day too.  On a recent trip, I wasn’t dressed properly and was more concerned with fidgeting around, blowing hot breath on my hands, and stomping my feet to get circulation, than I was with fishing.   Because I was pre-occupied and my mindset wasn’t right, I couldn’t concentrate on presentation and technique, therefore I didn’t pay much attention to my surroundings or what I was doing.  One of the great features about fishing in Arizona is that trout season is year round and there is a good chance that you will probably have the best holes all to yourself. 

Terry Chia

AZOD Fly Fishing Editor