Week of January 12th 2025: Midges & Nymphs

Week of January 12th

Winter fishing is good and, if nothing else, steady. 

Find the seams and fish slow, deliberate drifts.  Take care to get your fly or flies down to where the fish are - which is hugging the bottom.  Trout use the deeper parts of the river bed and find hydro cushions to save energy.  They may not move, unless they are sure it is worth the effort.

Can you find the trout in this photo?

Work rocky riffles and runs with special attention around large rocks and boulders.  Single nymphs, traditional patterns like, hare’s ear, pheasant tails, copper johns, and prince nymphs work great.  Hot spot and blow torch patterns on jig hooks with heavy beads are getting it done. The fish move into shallower water to feed.  Midges and caddis worms caught fish this week.  The dirty carrot (a Waltz’ worm variation) did, too.

Small streamers are fun to drift and run through pools and tail outs, especially around dawn and then again once the sun has warmed things up. Personally, once things get chilly again, after around three, I find things slow down again - but that is just me. Hopefully other folks’ luck lasts all day.  

Unfortunately, the water levels are on the low end, again.  Hopefully we will get some weather soon.  

Enjoy the blue-bird days and be very careful wading!

See you out there. Roy B.