Late fall/winter fishing

[axle27]

I'm considering a bit more fishing after deer season, providing the weather is somewhat stable. Later in December and thru the new year. My "home" waters is a small creek not far from here. I will probably use midge patterns almost exclusively.

Anyone have any opinions on late fall/winter fishing?

[MoscaPescador]

Originally Posted by axle27

I'm considering a bit more fishing after deer season, providing the weather is somewhat stable. Later in December and thru the new year. My "home" waters is a small creek not far from here. I will probably use midge patterns almost exclusively.

Anyone have any opinions on late fall/winter fishing?

It's my favorite time of year. On the mid to high elevation streams with winter regs, many people just don't fish. In the valley rivers, all I have is one word: Steelhead.

Back to those small streams. Small is the key. I'm not sure what hatches around you, but generally midges (20 to ubertiny) and smaller Blue Wing Olives (18-22) are usually the key bugs. Keep an eye out for other bugs, too. Throughout North America, there is a tiny black winter stonefly (size 16-18).

Enjoy your fishing time.

MP

[TB3]

It can be a lot of fun, the streams are a lot less crowded and there seems to be a lot more wildlife- deer, coyotes, mink, otters, and others, and I'm often fishing with eagles spending the winter here.

Same ticket goes here as elsewhere- small midges, as well as caddis larvae and scuds seem to make up the bulk of fish food that time of year.

[chasazfish]

Hi

I am not sure where you are from but there is a stream in Norhern AZ(my home state), called Silver Creek. Starting Oct 3rd thru March they turn it into a C/R only Stream and Stock it with Lunkers!! It has primarly Rainbows and our native AZ trout Apaches.. All 18 - 30+ inches... I went last month a caught a nice 18 Rainbow that was like a Football!! He fought me good on a 7 foot 3wt Cortland ProCast Rod ... I had lots of fun the whole day.... Nice area and Great Fish... PM if you like more details...

Good Luck and Have fun!!

Charlie

[Hardyreels]

Axle,

I used to fish all winter long, season never ended because of the spring creeks where I grew up. Now I fish all winter at the vise and in my head but the water here at home gets pretty hard this time of year.

I know you have some pretty mild weather there where you're at but don't over look the downstream approach with streamer flies at this time of year. I was always able to sort out some nice fish during the winter using a brook trout minnow or a nine three in size #6 & #8. When the rains come bump up to a #4.

Have you ever fished the Dan River over above Danville? There's always the spring creeks over below Harrisonburg too.

Ard

[axle27]

Thanx, guys.

Ard,

I don't know if the downstream method would work at this particular place. It's real small. Most places, I could jump over. There are some decent pools and runs, but I've caught 8-10" stocked rainbows out of there. Unfortunately, the state posts when it's stocked so every Tom, Dick and Harry is out there with their corn/spinner rods. It's usually stripped clean within a day or two. I did manage to catch a nice 10" the last time I was there (no one else was), which surprised me.

[Rip Tide]

Originally Posted by axle27

I don't know if the downstream method would work at this particular place. It's real small. Most places, I could jump over.

That's the kind of place where the method Ard speaks about works best for me.
It's possible to slip a small streamer or wet fly down current into those tiny pools and undercuts that you can't get close enough to cast to without being seen
Great tactic for sweepers and other places where there's too much cover to do anything else.
Just slip the fly down 6-8 inches at a time and let it wiggle around in the current until you provoke a strike

[axle27]

Riptide,

Come to think of it, that is exactly how I caught the 10 incher last time there. I was using a green Midge (with foam wings). I slipped it into a riffle and let it run down into a pool. He hit it right as it plunged into it.

[jpbfly]

I'm lucky for I can flyfish all year long in my corner of the world...I love fishing in winter ....I never see anyone on the river...most flyfishermen think only browns are worth fishing and worthy of their high technique...so when the season is over they tidy their gear.They will never know how captivating and subtle it is to fish for dace and chub....too bad for them

[webrx]

I fish all year here in Reno, and don't for one minute think that browns won't hit a fly in the winter. My buddy and I fished the Truckee last year and nailed a few browns and bows. We fish wooly buggers. leaches, and a wooley sculpin (a fly I cooked up one day), kind of a bugger with rabbit wings, and we did pretty well all winter. We don't catch a lot of fish in the winter, but if you fish the deep slow pools (the truckee gets fast and dirty sometimes) you can do ok and catch some nice sized fish.

I don't fish small streams much, so no real advice for you there, though I have been thinking more and more that I might like to give it a try next spring when the sierras open back up.

Dave