Written by: Noah Bagley from intheseamflymedia

Between the beautiful scenery, tranquil solitude, and large, relatively unpressured trout, winter can offer up some of the best fly fishing of the entire year. Some of the best fish of my life were caught in the winter months and I have easily experienced some of my greatest days out on the water amongst the snow and cold. Winter fishing is by no means a walk in the park, however, if it were easy, everyone would do it.

Beyond just the frostbite levels of cold, numb fingers, and freezing line, many anglers struggle to know just what flies will bring fish to the net. No other season will leave you questioning your fishing ability quite like those frigid days will and many are not up for the challenge.

The Big Ticket

Winter fly fishing by its very nature is unpredictable, unforgiving, and challenging. The myriad of difficulties associated with this season can be a barrier to some, but to me, it is what makes this time for fishing so appealing and ultimately rewarding.

When talking about winter flies, 90% of the time nymphs are the big ticket. Whether you’re euro nymphing, fishing with an indicator, or even jigging your flies, nymphs are your go-to if you have your heart set on hooking up with big winter trout. The name of the game in winter nymphing is small.

Midges are by far the most prolific hatches during the winter months and as their name implies, they are tiny. My favorite midge flies for the winter months are all in sizes 18-24 and they have produced some of the largest fish of my life.

Midges hatch by the thousands in freezing temperatures and the trout simply cannot get enough of them. Although trout gorge on these minuscule aquatic insects year-round, the bulk of a trout’s diet from November to February consists of almost solely midges.

As such, it is natural the majority of winter nymphs attempt to replicate this trout delicacy in some form or another. Here are my foolproof winter midge patterns:

7 Winter Nymphs That Just Work

Zebra Midge (Size 18-24)

The ol’ faithful. Zebra midges have been an absolute classic fly for decades, and for good reason. I like to fish the zebra in red or black during the winter and it flat out produces. If you have no idea where fish are in your river or what they want, tie on a zebra, and get after it. Odds are the fish will find you.

Black Beauty (Size 20-24)

Perhaps my favorite winter nymph, this variation on a zebra midge will simply bring fish to your net. Trout must be fans of the simplistic because this simple little fly has produced more winter fish for me than any other. I like to fish this fly as the tail of a dropper setup and add some form of split shot a foot or two above to keep the fly at a good level in the water column.

Perdigon (Size 18-22)

Another extremely simple fly pattern, this midge imitation is best fished during the winter in a blue or purple color. This fly seems to get those lethargic, sluggish trout moving when almost nothing else will. This is a must-have in the fly box of any serious winter fly fisherman.

Rainbow Warrior (Size 18-22)

Similar to the perdigon, this flashy little fly works wonderfully as a midge imitation. This is one of the most successful searching fly patterns for trout year-round, and its effectiveness does not slow down during the colder months.

Top Secret Midge (Size 20-24)

Yet another variation on the tried-and-true Zebra Midge, the Top Secret is a fly you’ll want to include in the winter fly box. Best fished in a maroon color, this midge stars on western tailwaters and excels at fooling big trout.

Pheasant Tail (Size 18-24)

The beauty of the Pheasant Tail is in its ambiguity. Not traditionally a midge imitation, this “Swiss Army knife” of flies will still put the work in during the winter months. Fish this nymph in small sizes (20-24) and get ready for some catches. You can never go wrong tying on a pheasant tail.

Juju Baetis Flashback (Size 18-24)

Similar to midges, baetis can hatch in large numbers during the winter and become a large food source for trout. The Juju Baetis Flashback is a must-have nymph in my winter box for this very reason. Fishing this fly in a multi-nymph rig is never a bad idea and I find the little bit of flash on the head of the fly moves fish when other patterns won’

Final Thoughts

In addition to midges, large attractor patterns such as eggs and aquatic worms can be great choices when used as the lead to multi-nymph rigs. Often trout will take these patterns since they are a much heartier meal than the midges they have grown accustomed to.

In a similar vein, the classic wooly bugger can also see great results when jigged or stripped very slowly across a big, deep pool. Trout will be on the lookout for a calorically rich meal and your wooly bugger might be just the food item they have their eye on.

Grab a few of these patterns, or even tie them up yourself and just get out there on the water! The lack of crowds paired with the stunning, snowy scenery will make any trip worth it, and any fish you catch are a bonus.

You can’t catch that fish of a lifetime if you don’t get out there, so go and enjoy an ice-free river near you, you may be surprised by just how amazing it is.