01-05-2010, 04:47 PM
My top picks for cold water include the following in sizes 18-24, bead heads are optional:
Zebra midge- black, brown
WD-40- black, brown, olive, tan, red
Disco midge- green, blue, red, gold
Pheasant tail- gold or tungsten bead head
Hare's ear-gold or tungsten bead head
Adams-standard dry size 22 or smaller
Midge- standard or mating dry 22 or smaller
Most of the fishing will be on the bottom. It is good to use an adjustable indicator and drift as slowly as possible when nymphing. Most fish will be in slack water because they don't like to fight the current in winter. It isn't a bad idea to use 2 flies at a time if you aren't certain what will work the best. I like to start with natural colors that match the food source so black, brown, olive, etc. are good to begin with. If the water is relatively free of obstructions and the drift is quite slow I would start with a small black nymph and trail another in small nymph in a different color such as tan or olive. Disco midges have a silvery tinsel and can be tied in tandem with something more natural looking to add some attraction as well as provoking curiosity strikes. You may also use a tandem rig with a bead head pheasant tail or hares ear and trail a smaller nymph behind if you are in an area that is obstructed by large rocks, brush, or vegetation. Larger larvae that hatch during the warm season are found in these places and the pheasant tail is a good fly for inadvertently matching a larger morsel. It will also draw attention to the smaller fly which will better match most of the hatch at this time. If they aren't responding well then go with something unconventional such as a red WD-40 followed by a gold or red disco midge. Surface action will take place mostly in the afternoon. If it is cloudy, cold, or both hatches will be limited in quantity and duration and inconsistent surface action doesn't lead me to change presentations. However, if the day is sunny and warms up enough to be comfortable there may be a large hatch that will bring alot of fish up. The Adams and midge dries are really good at imitating a variety of small insects that are abundant during the cold months. Try to match the size as closely as possible and you should get results. The only other thing I can think of is using light fluorocarbon leader attached to your tippet to present the flies because this will make a difference in fooling the fish.
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Zebra midge- black, brown
WD-40- black, brown, olive, tan, red
Disco midge- green, blue, red, gold
Pheasant tail- gold or tungsten bead head
Hare's ear-gold or tungsten bead head
Adams-standard dry size 22 or smaller
Midge- standard or mating dry 22 or smaller
Most of the fishing will be on the bottom. It is good to use an adjustable indicator and drift as slowly as possible when nymphing. Most fish will be in slack water because they don't like to fight the current in winter. It isn't a bad idea to use 2 flies at a time if you aren't certain what will work the best. I like to start with natural colors that match the food source so black, brown, olive, etc. are good to begin with. If the water is relatively free of obstructions and the drift is quite slow I would start with a small black nymph and trail another in small nymph in a different color such as tan or olive. Disco midges have a silvery tinsel and can be tied in tandem with something more natural looking to add some attraction as well as provoking curiosity strikes. You may also use a tandem rig with a bead head pheasant tail or hares ear and trail a smaller nymph behind if you are in an area that is obstructed by large rocks, brush, or vegetation. Larger larvae that hatch during the warm season are found in these places and the pheasant tail is a good fly for inadvertently matching a larger morsel. It will also draw attention to the smaller fly which will better match most of the hatch at this time. If they aren't responding well then go with something unconventional such as a red WD-40 followed by a gold or red disco midge. Surface action will take place mostly in the afternoon. If it is cloudy, cold, or both hatches will be limited in quantity and duration and inconsistent surface action doesn't lead me to change presentations. However, if the day is sunny and warms up enough to be comfortable there may be a large hatch that will bring alot of fish up. The Adams and midge dries are really good at imitating a variety of small insects that are abundant during the cold months. Try to match the size as closely as possible and you should get results. The only other thing I can think of is using light fluorocarbon leader attached to your tippet to present the flies because this will make a difference in fooling the fish.
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