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winter time tips

2K views 3 replies 4 participants last post by  fishboyicu812 
#1 ·
hey...
ive had some pretty good luck fishing this year. But havent been so avid as i was this year. im very interested in doing some wintertime fishing but im not sure as to what kind of flies to present or where on the column the fish will be.
Any tips to help with the wintertime blues?
i will be fishin near damascus Va. if that helps..

thanks a bunch
adam
 
#2 ·
winter time

I'm not sure of what's available in your neck of the woods, but in the dry part of Washington, usually it a low and slow game, looking for slow back eddies and at the edge of the froggy parts of the river, drifting nymphs deep, and watching for a Baetis hatch which occurs throughout the winter, but is usually a short hatch, using VERY small patterns in slow water. Keep the ice off your tip, and a snort of single malt available. Enjoy! Its the only time you get the whole river to yourself, and its sure beats watching NFL on the tube.

Bugs of the Winter
Dry Fly
#18-22 H&L Variants, Royal Wulffs, Royal Parachutes
#18-24 Midges- Para Midges, Hatching Midges

Nymph suggestions
#16-20 Bead head Copper Johns in Red, Black, Green and Brass
#16-22 Bead head Brassies in the aforementioned colors
#16-20 Bead head and standard PT's, Princes, Hares Ears, Soft hackle PT's
#18-22 WD's

Streamers and Buggers
#4-10 Cone head or Bead head Rubber leg or standard Buggers in Black, Brown, Olive, White or combinations of, JJ's, Double Bunny's etc.....
 
#4 ·
Another option would be to visit some of the limestone spring creeks that dot the Virginia country side especially around Harrisonburg. These streams maintain a relatively constant temperature and the trout respond to flies year round. For these streams I would throw large streamers and fish aggressively around any form of structure that would afford a big brown trout some cover.(Under cut banks and fall downs are some of the most prevelant.) You might also want to check out the Jackson and the Smith river. These streams/rivers are tailwaters and like the above mentioned spring creeks their temperatures will remain constant especially the first couple of miles below the dam. I personally have no experience with the Jackson or the Smith but I have read that the black fly is very prominent below the dams especially in the winter months.
 
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