As the leaves drop and the first snowstorms roll in, trout shift into winter mode—and so should we. Cold water, low flows, and clear conditions mean fish feed more selectively, spook more easily, and move less. Smaller flies, lighter tippet, and clean presentations become essential. We’ve assembled a box of patterns that reliably produce through the colder months of the year—it’s up to you to put them where they need to be.
Just like trout, we’re creatures of habit, and late fall / winter fishing always brings us back to a few staples: streamers, leeches, stoneflies, pheasant tails, midges, and annelids.. All of them are represented in this quarter’s selection, and how you pair them up will often be the difference-maker.
1. Black Gulpin—#6
2. Olive Over Under Leech—#4
3. Bruised Leech—#6
4. Olive Stonefly—#10
5. Purple Gunslinger—#18
6. Yakoda Opal Annelid— Red #14
7. Copper John—Green #16
8. Para BWO—#18
9. Yakoda Flashy Foamback Emerger—Camel #20
10. Shuck Midge—#20
Sub-Surface: Where 90% of Winter Feeding Happens
Winter trout feed almost exclusively below the surface, so your approach should start there. Match your fly size to the size of the water you're fishing. Bigger water = bigger flies.
Streamers & Leeches
The Black Gulpin is a go-to confidence pattern on larger rivers and the Over Under Leech is a winter workhorse thanks to its lifelike movement.
How to Fish Them:
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Stripping: Let the fly sink all the way to the bottom—where sculpins live—then strip it back in short 6–8" intervals.
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Dead-Drifting: Treat it like a leech or dying baitfish. Winter trout don’t want to chase much, so this slower presentation is often the ticket.
When dead-drifting either the Gulpin or the Over Under Leech, trail it with the Olive Stonefly or Bruised Leech. Trout will frequently inspect the big meal, refuse it, and inhale the smaller fly behind it. Leeches are often the first thing we tie on in winter—and the last thing we take off.
Stoneflies & Pheasant Tails: Year-Round Producers
On most days we rotate through patterns until trout show us what they want. But more often than not, something in the stonefly or pheasant tail family closes the deal.
A great starting combo is the Olive Stonefly as your lead fly and the Green Copper John as the trailing or bottom fly.
The Copper John is a deadly, year-round attractor that mimics small stones and larger mayflies. After you've tried the combo suggested above, pair it with one of these confidence patterns to cover the full winter menu:
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Yakoda Opal Annelid (Red)
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Purple Gunslinger
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Flashy Foam Back Emerger
These combinations cover stoneflies, pheasant tails, midges, annelids (worms), and general attractors—everything winter trout eat.
Winter Dry Fly Opportunities
Warm afternoons can trigger small surface hatches, especially midges and BWOs. Look for rising trout later in the day as temperatures peak.
When you see fish feeding on top, fish a double dry like the Parachute BWO + Shuck Midge.
But before tying on dries, take a moment to study how trout are feeding:
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Sipping on the surface?
They’re eating adults—go with the Parachute BWO or Shuck Midge. -
Feeding just under the surface?
They’re eating emergers—tie on the Yakoda Flashy Foam Back Emerger. It sits right in the film where these fish are feeding.
Determining how fish are feeding can be counterintuitive. Bigger splashes often mean fish are feeding on emergers near but below the surface. The splash is caused by the fish chasing the rising insect up through the water column. Fish that are actually eating dry flies tend to be more subtle and make less commotion. Observation, patience, paired with a tactical mindset matters more in winter than any other season.
Before You Go…
Winter fishing rewards patience, subtlety, and attention to detail. It also brings out fewer people, and a peacefulness that’s hard to find any other time of year. Make sure to layer accordingly, being warm and comfortable makes those frozen guides more tolerable. Bring a portable stove and make some hot ramen or soup. On a cold day, warm fluids are a game changer. We hope this quarter’s flies and the suggestions for how to fish them help make your time on the water more productive and enjoyable.
Thanks, as always, for being part of the Quarterly Fly Club. Stay warm out there, and have fun.
