Northwest Fishing Reports

What are your guys favorite flys for winter trout fishin? In smaller rivers, or creeks.Thanks!

soft hackles as they imitate baetis and chironomids which may be emerging.

Green or Orange Scuds!! Works Wonders;)

I used small (size 16-20) zebra midges, hare's ears, and PT nymphs on Crab Creek and others with good success. Remember to keep em small and fish em slow.

Huge winter run steelhead flys, seems to work wonders when im trying to actually not catch trout.

Steelheadin360 wrote:Huge winter run steelhead flys, seems to work wonders when im trying to actually not catch trout.

Aint it the truth!

Thanks for asking this question. I am fishing creeks this winter, tuning up my fly fishing skills....they need a lot of tuning,lol. I appreciate people's responses.

another one to use is ignore what's emerging or what the fish are feeding on and throw a beadhead prince nymph. The beadhead is to get the fly down a couple of inches in the water column. Unless the water is slow the fly won't sink much.

raffensg64 wrote:I used small (size 16-20) zebra midges, hare's ears, and PT nymphs on Crab Creek and others with good success. Remember to keep em small and fish em slow.

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Not meaning to hi-jack this thread....but are Zebra Midges fished under a float, like chironamids? They basicly look like a chironamid. (sp?). Or they look what is called a dropper fly fished trailing behind a nymph.

Zebra midges are tied to imitate chironomid pupae and thus can be fished with or without an indicator, or as the bottom fly in a 2-fly rig. In most creeks/rivers, midges are a winter time staple and thus having some zebras (or other chiro patterns) in the smaller sizes (16-24) is good idea, especially if you are fortunate to hit a hatch or emergence.... That being said, the "feeding window" during the winter can be a lot shorter/smaller than at other times of the year, so its as important to be on the water during those periods of the day when fish are likely to be feeding. Fishing the "right" water type is equally important, as is putting your fly on the "nose" of the fish, which are less likely to move much when feeding. All in all, a larger, heavier point fly with a smaller dropper (midge, beatis, etc) is a good winter rig.