Winter Small Fly, Fishing

Late Season, Small Flies

The leaves left on the trees were mainly oak, and the rest of the leaves are gone, just like most of the fall hatches.  Robb made a cast upstream in a small run.  There was an unseen deep spot in the dark water.  Most people wouldn’t notice it, but the trout hold there.  There is just enough depth to hide them from peering eyes of anglers and birds of prey.  Robb was fishing a nymph rig, but instead of the common hare’s ear or prince nymph, there were a pair of size 22 midge pupa patterns.  The small indicator twitched.  Robb swung the rod tip downstream and the line went tight.  Then it moved.  A large brown screamed downstream peeling line off the reel.  The trout turned upstream and Robb began reeling him in.  After two more long runs, the brown was in the net.  Big trout will eat small flies and this 20+ inch brown was caught on a size 22 fly.  

Many fly anglers put the fly rod up this time of year, start tying flies and dreaming of spring fishing.  However, good fishing is still around.  Late season fly fishing opportunities are still there if you are willing to try some small flies.  Late season usually means low clear water, sunny days and small flies.  One advantage to late season is the crowds, or lack of them.  Most people have left the river waiting for warmer days.  This gives you the opportunity to move around more and find the feeding fish.  The clear water makes finding fish easier, especially when they rise, leaving that distinctive ring on the water.  

Insects and flies

Late season is typically dominated by midges and blue wing olives.  Midges are small flies with two short visible wings.  Midges hold their wings flat against the body, but out to the sides like a fighter jet.  Their life cycle is similar to caddis.  They have a larva, pupa and adult stage.  However, most anglers only fish the pupa and adult stage.  This is when the trout have the most access to the insect.  

The most common fly to imitate midges is a Zebra midge, however I will fish pupa patterns, looped wing emergers and post dries as well.  The Zebra midge is a simple fly consisting of a bead, thread and wire for ribbing.  I also fish a lot of pupa patterns.  These flies are thread bodies with a rib, but have a dubbed thorax instead of a bead and are an effective winter pattern in black and grey.    

Surface midge patterns vary.  Flies can be tied down wing like a caddis, paradun style or loop winged.  A black midge paradun pattern tied with grizzly hackle on an orange post can be an effective top water pattern.  I have also fished a CDC down wing black caddis with success.  One favorite is the loop wing emerger.  This pattern I tie with a quill or turkey biot in grey with a CDC loop wing over the thorax.  Trout seem to love this pattern this time of year.  

BWO are also abundant on our rivers.  These ting mayflies have an upright grey wing and a body that is olive to olive brown.  Most sizes this time of year are 20-24.  One of my favorite patterns is the BWO paradun.  I use a quill body with a Turkey base feather for the post.  On smaller hooks, I will use CDC or poly yarn for a post.  In the fall use darker colors with more brown in BWO patterns.  Keep an eye out for BWO hatches, trout seem to prefer them.  

Equipment

When fishing small flies, one will still need to fish from bottom to top.  Although the techniques for nymph fishing and dry fly fishing are the same for larger flies, it helps to have some additional tackle.  When fishing deep, it helps for an angler to have small split shot.  I will use #8’s and #6’s.  

For dry fly fishing, I will carry some powder floatant.  Many of the best floating patterns will have CDC feathers and gel floatants will mat the fibers which ruins the fly.  Dusting the fly with a powder floatant will keep the feather fibers flowing.  

Lastly, I carry some Mucilin.  This product is design to float lines and leaders.  I find it necessary for small fly fishing in clear water.  Most use it for dry fly fishing to coat their leaders.  It will keep the leader floating, reduce drag on the fly and make pickups smoother.  However, I use it nymphing as well.  I just coat the portion of the leader above the strike indicator.  Again, this makes pickups easier and helps prevent leaders from splashing and spooking trout.  Mucilin is also an essential item for film fishing.  

Stealthy, drag free presentations are critical when small fly fishing and the leader directly affect your presentation.  When fishing small flies, size 18 or smaller, one will be using lighter tippets and longer leaders.  I am typically using 6x or 7x tippet.  I have used 8x and 9x before, but if I use around 3+ feet of 7x tippet I can get the drift needed to fool the trout.  Most anglers use tippet that is either too short and/or too stiff to get a good drift.  With small flies, the tippet section of the leader needs to be very supple for a natural drift.  I also use longer leaders, up to 12’.  This time of year, the water is clear, too clear and the longer leader with thin tippets reduces the chance of spooking trout.  

With light weight tippets, rod selection can help with hooking and landing trout.  One will benefit from using a rod with more flex in the upper section.  This would include most medium action rods in the 3 to 4 wt.  Two reasons for choosing a medium action rod are when setting the hook and playing the trout.  With small flies, it doesn’t take much force to get the point of the hook to penetrate.  The wire is thin and goes in easily.  However, small hooks don’t go in deeply and one can easily pull the hook out of the trout with a stiff rod.  When setting the hook, think “lift the rod” rather than “set” the hook.  Once I see the strike, I think; one…two…three…lift the rod.  All I want to do is tighten the line and this forces me to slow down and not pull too hard.  However, one will have to manage slack effectively to accomplish this.  Too often anglers having too much slack in the system and compensate by wildly jerking the rod to set the hook.  One may get away with this with heavier tippets, but not with light tackle.

Once on the line, a trout may react quickly, some times faster than you can.  A rod with more flex will absorb the forces of lunging fish which protects the tippet from breaking or the hook pulling out, and gives you more time to react.  One will still need to use the rod and reel correctly.  Keep the rod tip up with the line coming off the rod at 90°.  This allows the flex of the rod to absorb the lunges of the trout.  Avoid pointing the rod at the fish, this puts all the pressure on the tippet.  If the fish starts to run, let out line.  A reel with a drag should be set low.  Just enough drag to prevent back spooling, but with little resistance.  One can add resistance by palming the reel rim when needed.

Thomas and Thomas make rods that fit the bill.  The Paradigm 8’ 2” 3wt is a great dry fly rod, but works just fine on small flies with light tippets.  It will straighten out a 12’ leader, protect a 7x tippet and still has enough back bone to make a longer cast.  Another option is the T&T Lotic.  It is a glass rod, which will have more feel and protect tippets extremely well.  There are other glass and graphite rod options that will work.  Also keep in mind trout won’t move far for small flies and one should focus on accuracy.   Most of your fishing will be short to medium distances.   Long casts are less accurate, so high line speed rods are not as helpful.  

Techniques

Once the water has cooled, trout will move to the slower pools and runs.  An anglers first task is to locate trout.  Most of the small fly fishing will be concentrated in slower areas that see BWO and midge hatches.  Move along the river looking for actively feeding trout.  They will be easy to spot.  Trout will be higher in the water column, sometimes just a few inches below the surface.  You will see slow boils or sipping rise forms.  Or maybe trout darting side to side.  Any of this behavior indicates feeding trout.  For small fly fishing, this is what you should focus on and look for in the calmer waters.  

Finding trout can be easy, approaching trout can be difficult.  In clear water conditions, trout can see exceptionally well.  If you can see them, they can see you.  Keep low on your approach, this can put you under their sight line.  Don’t make waves, move slowly and try to keep a rock between you and the trout to buffer any mistakes.  Also, don’t cast the line over the trout, it can spook them.  Finally, attempt to position yourself so that you get a fly first presentation.  The first thing you want the trout to see is your fly, not your leader.