Top Winter Trout Patterns

[branden_fritzemeier_67 0]

Im just curious to know what your guy's favorite winter trout patterns are.

[Adam Saarinen 0]

Pink ones!

[Bruce Norikane 0]

midges, midges, midges (+ worms & eggs)

 

Nymphs: Zebra Midge, Poison Tung, Yong Special (sewing thread midge), any red midge, Jujube Midge, San Juan worms, eggs, foam wing RS2

Dry: Griffith's Gnat, Mole Fly, Stuck in Shuck midge, AK Bests Midge Emerger, Hills Still Born Emerger, tiny Klinkhamer or Sprout Midge

Colors: mostly black, red or tan, but sometimes blue, purple or pink seem to work better than anything else

 

I'd love to simplify to a few patterns and just change sizes, but sometimes a small change seems to make a big difference.

 

I tend to listen to the local experts like Ed Engle and Pat Dorsey. Here's an article by Dorsey:

http://www.flyfisherman.com/fly-tying/fly-fishing-midges-top-to-bottom/

[utyer 0]

I find that midge larvae (bright ones,) are very good for winter fishing. They are among the last insects hatching, and are also among the first hatches in the later part of the winter. I have fished adult midge patterns as late as December, and as early as February. Warm (for the season,) sunny days will often bring midge hatches.

 

Here are a few recent larvae patterns.

 

These are about the only adult patterns I use for midges.

 

The Brassie is one of my go to midge larvae patterns.

 

 

 

 

[BattenkillBum 0]

Big streamers....

[Kimo 0]

Small black stoneflies and mysis shrimp.

Kimo

[branden_fritzemeier_67 0]

Thanks for the input so far!

[branden_fritzemeier_67 0]

Im normally fishing an al's rat, zebra midges, rainbow warriors, smoke jumpers, and other midge patterns with the occasional egg or worm pattern thrown in there

[Dave G. 0]

Mostly pond fishing here for me ( when it's open water like this year anyway). And some salt estuaries but I haven't fished those in years.

So ponds, trout fishing:

1. red with peacock collar thread body midge larva about size 16- 14.

2. size 14 woolly worm or bugger, scarlet red body and tail with grizzly hackle

3. Size 8 woolly bugger, brown chenille, olive tail, black hackle and a strip of crystal flash on each side ( specific to one pond).

4. Big Black woolly bugger ( for big browns)

5. Big peacock herl body with grizzly hackle and black tail woolly bugger. ( for big browns)

 

In March add small ( tiny, 18's and 20's) Hairs Ear nymphs and peacock with natural hen soft hackles in about size 10 or 12. And Leach pattern of one sort or another.

[Philly 0]

I don't do to much winter fishing, usually I look for warm days when temps are in the 40's, try to find a sunny spot on the creek where midges are coming off and I can get some surface action. These are my two favorite midge patterns usually I tie them on 1XS or 2XS shrimp/Caddis pupae hooks size 20 to 24.

 

 

 

Subsurface I use mostly bead head soft hackle PT nymphs and Hare's Ear nymphs along with green weenies size 16 to 22. Small woolly buggers size 14 to 18. I'll also use the two dry midges as dropper flies behind the larger nymphs and buggers.

[whatfly 0]

Same as during the warmer months -- only smaller.

[SBPatt 0]

Won't be hitting the western tailwaters 'till later in the Winter, but it'll be standard stuff

 

 

Firebead Ray Charles Softhackle

 

 

Bloom's Weight Fly

 

 

Rainbow Warrior

 

 

pinks

 

 

Amex (Czech-like)

 

 

Zebras

 

 

 

 

Grape Slushies

 

 

Buzzballs if any sippers are up

 

 

 

 

 

Regards,

Scott

[ihang10 0]

Small stone flies and midge variations. Black or red.

 

Egg patterns.

 

Beaded pheasant tails and hares ears.

[Bruce Norikane 0]

Hi Scott,

 

Your photo piqued my interest in the Buzzball. I was intrigued when Gary LaFontaine touted it in his books, but I never heard much about it or saw one in Colorado, and I've never even seen any orange hackle. I've spent a lot of time casting to trout sipping midges in slow water. Sometimes I fool them, but this is one area where I'm constantly experimenting for better solutions. (Yes, I'm a pattern junkie.)

 

Do you use orange hackle? I have a bunch of big hackle left on my grizzly capes, so maybe I should try my first dye job. Maybe orange Koolaid, unless you have some suggestions.

 

Thanks for your terrific posts,

 

Bruce

 

Won't be hitting the western tailwaters 'till later in the Winter, but it'll be standard stuff




Buzzballs if any sippers are up




Regards,
Scott

 

[Guest]

Size 8 black wooly bugger (streamer hook) with pearl Krystal flash tied in, and size 2 Brown stonefly nymph.