12-15-2007, 03:21 PM
Some of the best fishing at times. Flygoddess is right, think small (like size 20 and smaller). Midges are great in black, red, olive and green. Also, don't count out dry fly action.
I like zebra nymphs and yong specials for this time of the year, but any threadfly usually produces. I am including some patterns that work well for me at the end of the post.
I was on one of the local rivers and the sun came out for about an hour and the river exploded with top action. I just sat and watched (didn't have anything small enough). Then the sun went behind the clouds and the hatch stopped and I was able to get them again. In some areas there is a great little hatch called the February stone. Little buggers (think prince in size 18) works great. Another plus is it is usually a little warmer by the rivers and the solitude is great. The snow muffles the sound producing an eerie quite and most of the song birds are gone lending to the effect. But to look out on a field of untouched snow sparkling like a million diamonds is just great. Also the whitefish spawn in December and January so the action is hot for these guys to (small scud and hares ears are crack to these suckers). I sat in one hole on a river last February the air temp was colder than he-- and I was fighing through iced guides (no cure and dipping the tip of your rod in the river only prolongs the agony [crazy]) and pulled in 35 fish. Great day indeed.
One last thing to remember. The fish's metabolism is slowed so don't take a long time to fight them. Get them in as quick as possible, keep them in the water as much as possible (the shock of the cold air can hurt them), and handle them as least as possible and they will do fine.
These two flies work great for the Ogden River during the winter:
Some sort of Midge (SSM)
Hook: size 18-24
Tail: None
Body: Black thread
Wire: Copper (very thin)
Wing: White biot (thinner is better)
Hackle: Soft Hackle Black trimmed short
Thread: Black or olive
Put the hook in the vice and tie in your thread. Tie in your wire at the bend. Wrap the hook forward to the eye with the thread, then back half way. Counter wrap the wire (usually two to three wraps do it). Tie off. Tie in the biot point side first extending the biot back over the bend. Tie in a small black wet hackle and turn around the hook once (no more). Tie off. Trim the biot so the length is at the bend of the hook. Trim the hackle so it is not to long. I like to trim it shorter on top and leave it a little longer on the bottom (I guess it looks like an emerger or something).
Fishing. Don't put any floatant on this. It fishes well in the water column anywere. I put this one once when a hatch started and nailed on top until the fly was water logged, then nailed them sub-surface, and finally along the bottom.
Wire Fly of some sort (WFS)
Hook: Size 18-24
Body: Two stands hotwire (red, copper)
Head: Small glass bead
Thorax: Peacock Hurl
Thread: Red
This fly ties fast and it great. Place the bead on the hook and move it to the eye. Start the thread behind the bead to lock it in. Wrap back to the bend. Cut two strips of hotwire the same size (use the fine stuff here). Tie them in together on the far side of the hook. Wrap forward so the body is flat and the wire is alternating colors. Tie off behind the bead. Tie in one strand of peacock hurl. Give one or two turns (no more you don't want to much). Tie off.
Fishing: This is a great trailing fly or fish it under a dry for good results. The browns on the Ogden love this fly.
Heck anyone who wants some of these, I'll tie them up and send them to ya. Just PM me and I'll get some out as soon as I can.
[signature]
I like zebra nymphs and yong specials for this time of the year, but any threadfly usually produces. I am including some patterns that work well for me at the end of the post.
I was on one of the local rivers and the sun came out for about an hour and the river exploded with top action. I just sat and watched (didn't have anything small enough). Then the sun went behind the clouds and the hatch stopped and I was able to get them again. In some areas there is a great little hatch called the February stone. Little buggers (think prince in size 18) works great. Another plus is it is usually a little warmer by the rivers and the solitude is great. The snow muffles the sound producing an eerie quite and most of the song birds are gone lending to the effect. But to look out on a field of untouched snow sparkling like a million diamonds is just great. Also the whitefish spawn in December and January so the action is hot for these guys to (small scud and hares ears are crack to these suckers). I sat in one hole on a river last February the air temp was colder than he-- and I was fighing through iced guides (no cure and dipping the tip of your rod in the river only prolongs the agony [crazy]) and pulled in 35 fish. Great day indeed.
One last thing to remember. The fish's metabolism is slowed so don't take a long time to fight them. Get them in as quick as possible, keep them in the water as much as possible (the shock of the cold air can hurt them), and handle them as least as possible and they will do fine.
These two flies work great for the Ogden River during the winter:
Some sort of Midge (SSM)
Hook: size 18-24
Tail: None
Body: Black thread
Wire: Copper (very thin)
Wing: White biot (thinner is better)
Hackle: Soft Hackle Black trimmed short
Thread: Black or olive
Put the hook in the vice and tie in your thread. Tie in your wire at the bend. Wrap the hook forward to the eye with the thread, then back half way. Counter wrap the wire (usually two to three wraps do it). Tie off. Tie in the biot point side first extending the biot back over the bend. Tie in a small black wet hackle and turn around the hook once (no more). Tie off. Trim the biot so the length is at the bend of the hook. Trim the hackle so it is not to long. I like to trim it shorter on top and leave it a little longer on the bottom (I guess it looks like an emerger or something).
Fishing. Don't put any floatant on this. It fishes well in the water column anywere. I put this one once when a hatch started and nailed on top until the fly was water logged, then nailed them sub-surface, and finally along the bottom.
Wire Fly of some sort (WFS)
Hook: Size 18-24
Body: Two stands hotwire (red, copper)
Head: Small glass bead
Thorax: Peacock Hurl
Thread: Red
This fly ties fast and it great. Place the bead on the hook and move it to the eye. Start the thread behind the bead to lock it in. Wrap back to the bend. Cut two strips of hotwire the same size (use the fine stuff here). Tie them in together on the far side of the hook. Wrap forward so the body is flat and the wire is alternating colors. Tie off behind the bead. Tie in one strand of peacock hurl. Give one or two turns (no more you don't want to much). Tie off.
Fishing: This is a great trailing fly or fish it under a dry for good results. The browns on the Ogden love this fly.
Heck anyone who wants some of these, I'll tie them up and send them to ya. Just PM me and I'll get some out as soon as I can.
[signature]