Bass Pro Shops Denver, CO

In order to catch a trout during the winter you must abide by all the Winter Fly Fishing Rules. Unfortunately the rules were not established by humans. Rather they were established by the trout. Seems unfair and I understand that, but rules are rules as they say. 

Recently I discussed the locations to fish in the winter and also those to avoid. To summarize the earlier account let me just say that you should fish for trout below dams where the water is released from the bottom of the lake. Water from the bottom of the lake is much warmer than the air temperature and remains in its fluid state for several miles before it cools enough to change state. Please look for my recent blog focusing on “locations” if you missed it as I identified more than two dozen awesome fly fishing locations within driving range of the metro Denver area.

After determining and arriving at a suitable location, one that is not choked with ice, you will want to be very observant by looking for any hatches that may be happening. Even if a hatch is going on the trout may not be paying any attention to the airborne adult midges or Blue Winged Olives that are present. If trout are not surfacing it is still important for your bug selection process to know what insects may be active under the surface. It will help you determine what nymphs to rig up if you can match your selection closely to larva and nymph stages of the flying insects.  A quick seine of the water column with an aquarium net may produce a bug larva or two for you to use as you try to match what the trout may be eating. Don’t rig up until you observe trout activity. 

Next you will have to find a trout. As you start your search please do so with a solid understanding that the trout are NOT randomly distributed in the river. It is common to find really good looking holding spots that just don’t have any trout in them. I know and I feel your pain. Just move on and keep looking. Trout may be congregated together in the deepest water behind large boulders. Look for them along the edges of deep pools and undercut banks. Of course they will be under limbs, behind logs and in slack water if it is just right for them.  Normally they will be in deeper water than what they hang out in during the warmer months.   A resting trout may be found hanging out in a couple inches of skinny water, but you will find that those trout are easily frightened and generally make a mad dash for deeper cover at exactly the same time as you spot them. Oh, if only I had stepped softer and been more observant is a common thought for winter fly fishers. Winter trout are not normally in fast water, it just uses up far too much energy for them to hold in the fast current, but they will be near those seams in the slack water. They will also be hanging out on the bottom behind the smallest rock or in a tiny depression. 

Other rules established by the trout include the fact that they become highly selective in their feeding strategy, scarcely moving to intercept insect larva as they pass by. Sometimes it requires a drift so perfect that the presented fly actually has to hit the fish right on the lips before it is sucked in. Then you must be really quick with the set as the trout will quickly feel the steel and out it comes, sometimes long before any indicator can spill the beans about the take. Sight fishing becomes the norm including setting the hook on the movement of the trout’s lips. To summarize the trout actions:  selectively feed, do not feed aggressively, will not move, seem lazy, appear lethargic, and they just may be feeding in a determined rhythm. If in a rhythm then match it even if it is a period of 5 minutes.

You will need small Midge and Blue Wing Olive patterns. Just yesterday I received two separate reports of success on the Colorado and Blue Rivers where nice sized Rainbow and Brown Trout took four different flies: Crystal Black Beauty Emerger #22, Crystal Red Beauty Emerger #22, Blue Man Midge Emerger #22 and #16 Hot Pink San Juan Worm.  Other flies to use include: WD-40 and RS-2 in #22-24, Parachute Adams #20-22 along with #22 Adult Midge or Wisco Midge flies fished on the surface are also bringing success if you dare to switch to a tiny dry fly.

The midge train pictured above depicts several progressive stages of midge development with the left fly representing the larva. Thence the pupa, emerger, emerger stuck-in-the-shuck and what I call a pre-adult. Note these flies are all tied on a pupa style curved hook which brings good hook setting success probably due to the open gape.  The Hot Pink San Juan Worm below is also a hot winter pattern.

I will continue next time with more details about spotting fish and winter hatches. See you then.

Blaine Haskell/Denver Store