winter fly fishing?

[EatSleepFish]

Does anybody fly fish during the winter on north shore streams. I was wanting to do it a few times this year and was just wondering if it is legal and what flys work best. I was planning on mostly fishing the middle section of the lester for rainbows. All articles ive read about the subject preach about tiny midge flies and pinpoint accurate casting, hopefully u guys can tell me a little more

[WxGuy]

*edited for correction* It is legal within certain boundaries on North Shore Streams.

Regulations

You can also fish select SE MN streams from January 1st through March 31st. Come on down! It can be a very rewarding time of the year to fish.

Here are the regulations

[SteveWilson]

You might want to check pages 27 through 30 of the Minnesota Fishing Regulations for North Shore streams. You can catch Rainbow (Steelhead) and Brown trout below posted boundaries on Lake Superior tributaries continiously. So, it depends on what stream and what part of the stream you're talking about

[WxGuy]

Thanks for the correction, Steve. Post modified.

[SteveWilson]

No problem, the regs can be confusing. Anyhow, I'm tying up some "Pink Squirels" for the opener. Watch out Hay Creek

[ironman]

What flies would one use in winter? teeny weeny ones? 22's or smaller?

[WxGuy]

They don't have to be that small.

Some of my favorites are:

Orange Scuds, primarily size 14, but size 12 works too, and some people might fish 16.

Pheasant Tails, size 16 and 18

Prince Nymphs, size 14

Midge larva, black, tan, or red, size 18 & 20 on scud hook or TMC 200R

I've also tied up some olive nymphs in size 18 & 20 this year. I haven't fished them before, so I can't speak for their usefulness, but Driftless Area guru Ross Mueller speaks very highly of them.

I have no idea what size Pink Squirrels Steve is tying up, but I would guess either 14 or 16...maybe 18?

[mitch]

Is winter trout fishing more difficult than trout fishing in the warmer months? I'm considering trying it, but I'm just curious if it takes a lot of work to get a fish to bite. It sounds like all the cold of ice fishing but on a trout stream.

[WxGuy]

The bite in the winter tends to be very subtle, so the fishing can be a bit more difficult. Since the water tends to run very clear and the fish are more "skeptical", it also helps to fish with a longer leader and lighter tippet(if you're fly fishing).

I tend to wait for a day with temps above freezing to avoid freezing guides...otherwise yes, it has all the joys of ice fishing on moving water.

[Quickstrike]

I live in Duluth and if you want to fly fish in the winter your best bet would be grabbing a 7-8 wt and wading out in front of the french river and casting for loopers with nymphs and small wets. the north shore streams are frozen over almost all winter and are closed above the first passable bourndary and have little to no fish below during the winter months. I have made a few winter trips to the Rush and Kinni rivers in SW wisconsin and have had great success and small nymphs and scuds. the water is ussually very low and clear at this time of year so light tippits and soft casts are a must. if anyone needs any more info, e-mail me at [email protected]. good luck this winter, who says you have to put the rod away when the snow starts flying?

[WxGuy]

Thanks Quickstrike.

I don't know the exact date for the opener of the C&R early season for the Rush and Kinni and various inland streams in Wisconsin, but the early season usually doesn't open until March. Last year it was March 5th-May 1st, with a 6 day break before the regular season opened May 7th.

There's usually at least a handful of comfortable winter days to wet a line down here in SE MN in January and February.

[Quickstrike]

yup, i've always made my WI trip the first legal weekend in march and i have always considered that winter. it's a beautiful time to be on a trout stream and we lucked out with great weather last year. I might be interested in hitting southern MN this year, I just have to do a little research and start saving money for gas!!!

[SteveWilson]

Quote:

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I have no idea what size Pink Squirrels Steve is tying up, but I would guess either 14 or 16...maybe 18?

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Yep, 14, 16, and 18. The 14 & 16 I tie fairly normal just changing the color of the red fox for the body (some darker some lighter) and using tungsten beads. For the 18 and maybe a couple of 22's I'm trying some variations using a glass bead or no bead and I like to use pink dubbing instead of ultra chinelle in the small sizes. I've also tied a couple of chronic leaches with pink squirel material and am working on some egg sucking leaches using pink squirel materials sometimes using hot melt glue instead of pink chinelle for the egg. Always something new to try out for fun

[turiprap]

The early season in Wiscosnin opens on the first Saturday in March. There's sometimes a little confusion on this point because it started out as an experimental season and opened on March 1st. However, by Wisconsin statute, seasons must open on Saturdays, so when the season was codified, it went to a first Saturday opener.

One more slightly strange thing about it is that it closes at the end of the day on the Sunday before the regular season opener. Some people think that rests the fish for a week and makes them less wary on opening day.

The season is not fully universal either - there are streams in the north and northeast that are not open. However, the great majority of the Driftless Area streams are included in the early season.

Single hook, barbless artificials are required and conservation officers will check your equipment.