trout food in cold winters

[jnadler139]

what do trout eat in very cold winters of the N.east ?
jnadler139

 

[sandfly]

the same as the rest of the year..nymphs, minnows,scuds..they just dont eat as much, remember their metobolism is slower now..one reason you fish slow and deep in the winter...

 

[tie one on]

You would be surprised how much aquatic life is
in cold water. Try using some of the basic flies :
Caddis, Hare's Ear Nymph, Sparrows & Jointed Hex
Nymph. Caught fish on all these flies all winter here
in Michigan. Fish them more towards the bottom.

Tie one on

 

[brandanrenner]

i have a lot of luck in the winter using streamers that resemble trout

 

[zerolimit]

midges are popular food when there are fewer hatches going off in the winter months. No matter what you throw at them, you typcially need to be more precise with your presentation as they don't tend to chase food as much at the lower metabolic rates.

 

[zerolimit]

i have a lot of luck in the winter using streamers that resemble trout

There goes my theory about winter trout not chasing a meal. :icon_excl

 

[nomad]

Nymphs,minnows, leeches, crayfish etc.....Thay dont eat much, but enough..You must fish with your nymphs, streamers near the bottom and wery, wery slowly..............:icon_excl
Nomad

 

[FoulHooked]

There goes my theory about winter trout not chasing a meal. :icon_excl

they're still likely to chase something worth their while...a big brown wont move far for a midge, but it might still dash a couple yards for a mouthful of meat. all around i'd expect them to be more selective or at least less aggressive though.

 

[MTskibum]

they're still likely to chase something worth their while...a big brown wont move far for a midge, but it might still dash a couple yards for a mouthful of meat. all around i'd expect them to be more selective or at least less aggressive though.

I agree, this winter about half the time i have been throwing double hooked flies much larger than what you can find in any store. I have a couple patterns to simulate brown trout, and a couple to simulate bows. With lots of weight to get them deep and so they drift slow. I havent been retrieving them really either, rather bringing them in slow with a series of twitches, trying to simulate a badley wounded trout. While i havent caught a ton of fish this winter, i have caught quite a few over 18". Not just big fish hit them either, i have caught smaller fish on them, including a brown that was all of 6" on a streamer that was 5"

I havent had much luck in winter with anything else, this is really the first winter i have fished(not counting ice fishing) more than once or twice( i have about 15 days on the water this winter)

 

[jnadler139]

hi guys,
thanks for all the good stuff-info about trout feeding habits in winter.
I'll be doing some fishing Feb-March at Connetquot river state park, in Oakdale, NY, about 60 miles east of NY City ( catch and release only )
I hope to catch some bows-browns and let them grow and get some after April 1st
Best wishes to all of you !
Jerry Nadler