Winter Has Settled Back in Some Here in MT

Some Slush in Some Rivers, Overall Still Plenty of Fishing!

Updated 1/23/2012

Tip of the Month - Winter Fishing Tips
Fly of the Moment - Tungsten Rojo Midge

Well, it's been a little more wintery around the state these past couple of weeks, however things are still staying fairly mild in Bozeman and that hasn't hurt my feelings at all. Makes for some good fishing on the warmer days, the Lower Madison just can't seem to settle in flow wise and that has affected some of the fishing these past few weeks. But there's still tons of options - the Upper Madison has been good and seen some really good midge hatches up around $3 area on the warmer days with no wind. Between the lakes good too up that way. Just around Bozeman the Gallatin has been good although a bit colder than it was early in the month - some slush here and there. The Yellowstone is ice free through town for the most part, but slush on some days, wind on most others. Spring Creeks are worth a trip at this time of year, had plenty of good reports from there lately.

Last time I made it out on the water it was more like spring - it's more like winter now, fish accordingly, look for deeper slower holds and less surface activity on colder days - fly selection should be alarmingly similar still though. Been fishing everything from midges, to eggs, to worms, but no streamer action to speak of - not surprising with colder temps. Theres still been a fair bit of midge activity but the hatches haven't been lasting as long in the colder weather... 

The Spring Creeks in Livingston have fished well when the wind hasn't been terrible, that's been the biggest obstacle to fishing around SW Montana lately. Mostly, depending on where your going of course, it's been standard winter fare as far as flies go - worms, eggs, midge larvae, some crayfish on the Lower Madison, some stonefly nymphs on the Gallatin and Yellowstone. As a general rule of thumb though, I would plan on having your standard flies with you, but don't forget some midge dries as well.

The Big Hole, Jefferson, Stillwater and Boulder aren't on the list of places to fish especially given the cool down over the past couple of weeks, if anything the Boulder and Stillwater are fishable, but there are definitely much better options around the area. The Big Hole and Jefferson won't be on the list again till March/April depending on how the weather holds out for the next few months.

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Tip of the Month: What to do in the Winter
This winter so far has been much different than most, it’s been mild, warmer than normal, and there hasn’t been nearly as much ice in the local rivers as we are used to seeing at this time of year. All of that has made for some excellent fishing this off season around SW Montana and has really made for a lot of springtime conditions during the middle of December/January. Looking forward though it’s likely that we’ll see some cool weather and snow in February and March and when that happens things will be a bit more “normal” for your winter fishing.

What to Wear
Usually during the winter months what you wear is as important as anything simply for comfort and safety. Waders, good wading boots, layers and sunglasses are all important necessities in the winter time, without a good set of waders you can shorten your day up quickly when you start talking about leaks, have a bad pair of boots and you can be sure that you’ll be slipping and sliding on the ice and mossy river bottoms. Layering up is the best way to prepare for winter fishing, treat it like a day on the ski hill, you can always strip off a layer, but it’s difficult to put on another one on the river. Don’t forget sunglasses either – nothing kills a sunny winter day quicker than not having some good sunglasses to take the glare off the snow and water.

When to Go
Typically during the winter, when you go is as important as where you go and what you use. Never underestimate timing of your fishing pursuits on success. I like to select days where the temps are above freezing, purely selfish reasoning, but when there isn’t slush in the water and your guides don’t ice up every second cast it’s a lot more productive fishing – I make sure that the highs are in the 30’s before I head out anymore. Don’t go right after long cold spells – this makes a lot of sense if you think about it, but, don’t go right after an extended cold spell as the rivers typically are choked with ice and slush and the fish aren’t feeding as well, I like 2 or 3 warm days in a row before heading to the water ideally – fish will be actively feeding and safety won’t be as big of an issue when there aren’t ice flows in the river. Finally watch for wind – wind is the #1 killer of fishing days at all times of year, but especially during the winter when long drifts are key to catching fish.

Where to Go
In a normal year the tailwaters will almost always be more productive during the colder months of the year than the freestone rivers. Rivers like the Lower Madison, the Missouri, the Beaverhead and Bighorn will fish better than the Gallatin or Yellowstone just because of water temperatures being warmer and more consistent. Spring creeks are another great option in the winter, again consistent temps and more abundant bug life lead to much better fishing conditions when the weather is iffy. If you do go to a freestone river, definitely make sure that you have scouted the area before putting a boat in during the winter, nothing ruins a fun day like ice flows or jams and having to portage a boat, or worse, having to leave it on the river… Typically you’re pretty safe floating any and all of the tailwaters like the Bighorn or Missouri during the winter.

Fly Selection
Keep it simple in the winter, seriously. There’s no need for 12 dozen different patterns in the winter months, instead slim down your selection and go with what works. I’m an egg, worm, and midge guy during the winter. No matter what drainage I’m heading to this is what will be in my box in addition to a few other flies depending on the river. If you’re heading to a tailwater you might take some sow bugs or scuds, if you’re going to the spring creeks you might want some dry fly midge representations, and if you’re heading to a freestone river you might take some stonefly nymphs too. No matter where you head to, make sure you have a healthy supply of eggs and worms and midges, because chances are that’s what the fish will be feeding on during the winter.

Tackle and Gear
There’s no need in the winter to do much other than nymph. Certainly I like streamer fishing as much as the next guy but nymphing is far more productive and when it’s cold outside, I want to catch fish when I head to the river. So bring along plenty of indicators and split shot with you – that’s going to be the weapons of choice. As far as leaders go, I like shorter and stouter in the winter, turning over a lot of split shot and double nymph rigs is much easier with a shorter stouter leader. 7 1/2 foot 2X or 3X is my leader of choice depending on where I’m fishing and I really like fluorocarbon because you can size up your tippet without sacrificing visibility to the fish. For most of my winter fishing I like a stout 5 or a 6 weight rod for nymphing and maybe doing a bit of dry fly fishing with midges. There’s no use for a 4 weight during the winter if you plan on nymphing, likewise your 7 weights are better streamer sticks and I don’t do as much streamer fishing typically during the winter.

Presentation and Approaches
During the winter you are going to be able to pick out the water that fish are holding in much easier than you can during the summer months. This is because fish tend to stack in the best feeding zones and they school up much more than any other time of year. Exactly what water to look for will vary from river to river somewhat, but typically in your winter months when it’s cold you will find fish in the deeper runs and pools congregated in the feeding lane. They don’t spread out across riffles like they do during the summer months, so fishing the heads of fast riffles aren’t typically productive during the deep winter. Instead look for the slower, deeper runs, holes and holding structure in front of and behind structure. The less work that fish have to do to feed during the winter, the more likely you will find trout holding there. Less work means they expend less energy and then don’t have to eat as much as their metabolism slows way down during the colder months. My rule of thumb when fishing during the winter is to not move once I’ve caught a fish in a good looking spot until I catch a few more. Unlike the summer when you can easily spook feeding fish and put a pod down, during the winter months fish are competing for food in a smaller space and you can typically catch multiple fish out of one run/area. Change up your indicator depth or split shot if you feel like you are missing fish in an excellent holding spot before moving along. During the summer I cover a ton of water, in the winter I beat up the honey holes and cherry pick the best spots. No sense in drifting through marginal water in the winter months. Lots of good long drifts through the best looking water that’s a bit deeper is going to be your best bet. Don’t look for the fastest water in the winter, slower is better typically.

Things to Look For
As you fish in the winter, keep your eyes peeled and take mental notes. This is the time of year where the water is at its lowest (usually) and you can really learn to read water in the winter and remember good holding spots for later in the year. I love winter fishing, solitude, shorter days and lots of productive fishing!


Fly of the Week (or month or so): Tungsten Rojo Midge
Fall has come and gone, not according to the Calendar, but if you look at the weather and the ground outside, it looks a lot more like Winter and a lot less like fall... So what do you need in your flybox for the months ahead? Midges, eggs, san juan worms and some assorted nymphs. This one should cover your midge needs - this is a great little pattern that we picked up for the winter, and we've been having some success on it in on the tailwaters and on the spring creeks (mostly because that's been the only places that have been fishable!). Throw a few of these in your box, they get down quick with the Tungsten bead, the peacock and ribbed body are classic midge finishings and the glass bead has a nice translucent touch. Great little winter trout candy.



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