Winter Dry Fly Fishing: Tactics, Flies and Rigging Tips
Winter dry fly fishing? Yes, it’s a thing. And yes, from now until spring, nymph rigs will be the norm, but who doesn’t love a dry fly eat. Without a doubt, the most effective way to catch fish in the winter is nymphing. But keep your eyes on the surface. While not frequent, there will be opportunities this winter to catch trout on dry flies. And in those brief windows, a break from indicators and split-shot to see a trout sip a dry fly is just like summer in your soul.
Don’t expect to be throwing big, bushy dries. And your biggest fish of the year may not come in the form of a January dry fly eat. Winter dry fly fishing opportunities don’t happen every day. The flies are small. And the fish eating them may not be the biggest ones in the river. But if you love seeing a trout break the surface to devour a fly, it’s certainly worth the effort.
When it comes to winter dry fly fishing here are a few ideas to keep in mind…
Be Ready for the Opportunities
Midge hatches can happen anytime throughout the winter and an occasional blue winged olive (BWO) hatch is possible as well. The window when trout are actively feeding on the surface will probably be short – an hour or two at most. It may be as little as ten minutes. So in order to take advantage of these opportunities, it helps to be ready.
When fishing tailwaters this winter, bring a second rod rigged specifically for dry flies. While the odds of hitting a hatch are slim, it might seem silly to carry around a dry fly rod. But being able to switch from one to the other in a moment’s notice can be the difference maker. One of the primary reasons anglers won’t take advantage of a sudden winter hatch, is the work it takes to cut off a nymph rig only to re-rig it a short time later. But if you already have a dry fly rod rigged and ready, it takes almost no extra time to switch.
Sure, chances are that dry fly rod won’t get used very often. But honestly, we’re used to carrying multiple rods anyway, right? Whether it’s nymphs, streamers or dries, having multiple rods rigged is something we do year-round. So this winter, give it a shot!
When to Fish Dry Flies in the Winter
The answer to this one is simple – fish dries when you see fish actively feeding on the surface. When will that happen? That’s the million dollar question, isn’t it? While midges can hatch anytime, BWOs tend to prefer water temperatures in the 40s (which is why we see them most often in the spring and fall). However, the crazy Colorado weather, sunshine, air temps, water temps and barometric pressure can do odd things. We’ve seen BWOs hatch on days with air temps in the teens on our South Platte tailwaters.
With no perfect formula for winter hatches, your best bet is to be ready for those opportunities when they happen, if they happen. Look for risers during the warmer parts of the day and when cloud cover gives trout a boost in confidence. Pay attention during the prime hours of 11am to 3pm. In the early morning, or right before dark, when the sun is low and the temperature plummets, the chances of dry fly action are virtually nil. Blind casting a dry fly in the winter would be a very low-odds game. Instead, stick with your nymph rig until you see fish rising. Look for those fish on flat water and in slow pools. And when casting to spooky fish in calm water, stealth is critical. In many situations, it helps to make downstream casts and then gently feed line out through the rod guides in order to put flies in front of unsuspecting trout.
Rigging and Flies
When rigging your dry fly rod for a day of winter fishing, Anglers All eCommerce manager, Blake Katchur, has some great advice:
“On tailwaters in the winter, it’s not uncommon to see fish chasing emergers to the surface,” he explained. “When you see trout coming up but not breaking the surface, just creating a swirl, that’s a sign you’ve got fish eating emergers.
“In these situations, I like to do one of two things,” Blake continued. “First, is tying on a small dry fly like a Parachute Adams. Behind the dry fly, use a length of tippet to trail an unweighted RS2 or a Batwing Emerger. That second fly will ride higher in the water column then a weighted nymph and hover near the surface. The second technique you might try, is to use a single, small dry fly with no floatant. After a couple of casts, it will begin to sink into the surface film, right where those fish are targeting emergers.”
When fishing very small dry flies, and especially when you’re letting those dries sink into the surface film, you won’t be able to see your fly throughout the drift. Instead, watch the area where you think your fly is, and watch for that boil when a fish takes it. Another good spot to focus on is the end of your colored fly line. Any little tick or movement can mean an eat.
“You will miss some hook sets, but that challenge is part of the fun,” Blake added. “When you see fish rising, take a break from your nymph rig and practice making delicate, light laydown casts. A dry fly with an orange post can be easier to see than one with a white post when it’s overcast or in low light conditions. But more often than not, you’re just watching for a swirl in the vicinity.”
Fly Selection
Dry fly selection in the winter is usually pretty simple. A handful of very small midge / BWO patterns is all you need. Great midge patterns include Garcia’s Mini Hot Mayfly in black and size 22, Parachute Adams in 22 or 24 or a Griffith’s Gnat in size 22 or 24. A few of our favorite BWO patterns are Christiaen’s GT Adult, Hi Vis Baetis and Parachute Adams.
As mentioned above, you may want to skip the dry fly floatant if you notice trout actively feeding on emergers. However, keep your floatant on hand for those times when they’re targeting adult bugs on the surface. When the weather is particularly cold, remember to stick your gel and liquid floatants in an inside pocket to keep them from freezing.
Fly Rods and Fly Lines
Winter dry fly fishing is going to require delicate presentations…we’re talking glassy water, spooky fish and very small flies. With that in mind, a good 4-weight or 5-weight fly rod paired with an appropriate fly line is going to make these situations a ton of fun.
A list of our go-to fly rods for finesse dry fly fishing would include the Sage Trout LL, The Winston Pure and the Scott G-Series. Each of these are medium-action fly rods, purpose built for soft presentations and light line situations.
Three fly lines that top our list for dry fly fishing and delicate presentations are the Scientific Anglers Amplitude Trout Fly Line, the Airflo Ridge 2.0 Superflo Tactical Fly Line and the Rio Elite Technical Trout Fly Line.
Leader and Tippet
Should you use nylon or fluorocarbon leaders and tippet for winter dry fly fishing? There are pros and cons to both. Nylon floats and is the traditional choice for dry fly fishing. Nylon is also more supple than fluorocarbon, an advantage when delicate presentations and natural drifts are critical. However, fluorocarbon is much less visible in the water. And its tendency to sink below the surface may provide some stealth when fishing to rising trout on flat water in wintery conditions.
Perhaps the best solution is in the best of both worlds. Start with a 9-foot, 6x Rio Suppleflex leader. Suppleflex leaders are built with a soft material that’s perfect for delicate presentations. On the end of that leader, consider adding about 12 inches of Scientific Anglers Absolute Fluorocarbon Tippet in 6x or 7x. SA’s Trout Supreme Fluorocarbon is more supple than many other fluoro options. This short section of fluorocarbon at the terminal end of your rig will disappear beneath the surface.
Contact Us With Questions
Have follow-up questions or need help? Please let us know! You can give us a call at 303-794-1104. If you’re in the Denver area, come visit us at the fly shop. We’re at 5211 S. Santa Fe Drive in Littleton. Don’t miss your chance to feed the dry fly addiction this winter. Be rigged and ready – and then let us know how it goes!
