Fly Fishing Tips To Catch More Winter Trout
Fly fishing tips to catch more winter trout in Bryson City, NC Smokies! There are many benefits to pursuing trout in cold winter waters. As the water temperature drops, trout tend to favor new holding water. Structure and slower water currents rule when determining where they will be resting. Look for water type with flow rates around two feet per second and a minimum depth of two to five feet. This water type tends to hold the majority of trout through the winter season.
Winter flies tend to be smaller (18-24) with predominantly BWOs and midges. Stomach samples will teach you this quickly during winter. Don't neglect fishing the film during winter, especially if you can see trout activity near the surface feeding! It's long been one of my favorite aspects of the year. Marking active fish and covering the rise forms is technical fishing, so the challenges increase accordingly.
Long leaders will make this task easier for achieving drifts and help minimize spooking wary fish. Leader length is relative to your casting abilities, so this will vary. I've been using a 10'6" fly rod with a #3 weight line the past few winters with a leader around 30 feet in length. This increased stealth helps minimize spooking wary fish. Since water levels tend to be lower in winter, stealth becomes even more important. Wear drab clothing that blends in with your surroundings. The Delayed Harvest waters of the Tuckasegee River in Bryson City can be epic over the winter months!
SLOW DOWN During Winter Fly Fishing
Slowing down is really one of the biggest lessons you'll learn from fly fishing in the colder months. Active fish feeding in the film tend to be on "high alert" mode most of the time. When you land a fish, take a few minutes to observe the other rise forms. The more you observe and cast less, the better your overall results will become during the winter months.
Tippet sizes are smaller and will vary depending on water type. It's common to use 6-8X fluorocarbon throughout the winter. Use regular nylon in 6-8X for fishing higher in the film. Also have some "mud" (aids in sinking tippet) and some Mucilin (tippet grease to float) to make fine adjustments.
The three-fly rig is my preferred method because it enables me to grid off sections of water in less time. Fly patterns include tiny CDC Puff Dries, parachute dries, wets for emergers, pheasant tails, ju-ju's, Egan's Rainbow Warrior, Iron Lotus, and dozens more. The most important thing is to keep them SMALL!
Winter trout fishing will assist with your water-reading skills as well. Right now we've had a week of single-digit temps here in Bryson City. All the rivers have ice features in the water. The slower currents tend to freeze over while the faster currents move with floating ice chunks. If you live close to trout water, take some pictures! These can be great learning tools for discerning the currents.
There are many underwater springs in the Smokies that provide warmer water temps for trout to feed. Look for these by watching for fog near the banks for clues. The last tip is this: after a long cold snap when the weather warms up—GET OUT THERE! These times tend to produce the best winter fishing of the season. Think of it as fish being in survival mode during the lethargic 33-35 degree water temps. Once the temps bump up a few degrees, it's usually "GAME ON."
Tight lines, Mac