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Late season trout fishing can be down right frustrating at times, but on the other hand very rewarding. Aquatic insects such as caddis flies and larger mayflies, stonefly hatches and terrestrial insects, these are long gone during the winter months with the cold-water temperatures found in the fishable waters of the Eastern Sierra. You must look to the foundations of the aquatic insect world and the mainstay diet of trout all over the world for a clue as to selection of a pattern that will get grabs during the short solar periods of winter...the midge. Midges hatch year round. Trout recognize them as a staple everywhere and in the Eastern Sierra waters they rule! You will find them in substantial numbers in all the tail waters like the East Walker River and the Lower Owens River, including the Gorge. You will see them emerge on Pleasant Valley Reservoir. When in doubt about selecting a pattern where you can see no clues as to what the trout are feeding on, go to the mighty midge and you will get results. Start with a pattern and size that you will not need an electron-scanning microscope to tie on or identify. Many midge larva patterns that trout feed on are good sized, and they are plentiful in the tail water sections of The Owens River. |
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If you are not getting results with the larger flies, go down one size at a time until you do get grabs. Midge patterns are not complex and you will see that the fish are triggered more by size, color or shade and where the fly is presented in the water column than by intricate designs. I suggest you have patterns that incorporate some flash into the design, as this will assist in the visibility of the smaller sizes to the trout and imitate the translucent effect of the insect molting or emerging, a very vulnerable time in the life cycle of the insect. Streamers. Some imitate nothing and can be a configuration of "pet fur", material scraps and assorted materials put together while under the influence of several "barley pops!." Others resemble small baitfish or trout fry. Use them in the winter, or when you are having difficulty locating concentrations of "biters." Trout will hit larger flies out of aggression or to defend their territory. Trout may not move far to inspect a tiny nymph, but put a chunk of protein like a small baitfish imitation out in the strike zone and all of a sudden Mr. Trout kicks into high gear and the genetic imprinting of "attack" takes precedent. I have adopted the commercial albacore fisherman's school of thought regarding what colors to use and when. A good rule of thumb is to select a dark colored pattern in low light or cloudy days and choose brighter marked flies for the sunny, brighter mid-day times. Contrast is the key in my opinion. Of course, if a specific baitfish is present one should always imitate size and color as best as possible in this case. We hope this brief on fly selection will help you get into some fine winter fly- fishing opportunities found here in the Eastern Sierra.
Be The Fly...Tom Loe
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