Many anglers put the dry fly boxes away in the winter months and stick to nymphing. This may catch fish, but little do they know that winter has some of the best dry fly fishing of the year.
Winter midge fishing is one of my favorite hatches in the Yellowstone region. With little fishing pressure and the river to myself, I enjoy head hunting with small flies while the snow falls. Those who fish the midge hatch know how rewarding yet challenging it can be.
In this article, I share the intricacies of winter midge fishing and what I have learned over the many years of fishing this hatch.
What Is a Midge?
Midges are one of the only aquatic insects we fly anglers can imitate with dry flies in the winter as they can complete an entire life cycle during the cold months, unlike other aquatic insects. There are a wide variety of midge species in the Yellowstone region that differ in size and color. What’s important for fly anglers to know is that midges make up a majority of a trout’s diet and are the primary food source for trout in the winter.
Midges are much smaller than other hatches we target for trout and are imitated with flies in sizes 18 through 24. What midges lack in size, they make up for in quantity and consistency. Trout key into midge hatches and consume many bugs because of the sheer abundance of insects hatching. Unlike many insect hatches, they are also a viable food source 365 days a year.
Where To Fish Winter Midge Hatches
Almost all watersheds with trout populations also have midge hatches to some extent. In the Yellowstone region, midges hatch on all the popular trout fisheries and make for solid fishing during the winter months. Midges can hatch on any day of the year but are most prevalent from November through April.
The most consistent and abundant midge hatches occur on tailwaters because of their steady flows and warm water temperatures. Midge hatches are best when water temperatures peak, usually in the afternoon on most winter days. However, I have enjoyed fishing the midge dry fly from morning to evening when the hatch is on.
Knowing what water type to target when winter midge fishing is essential. Midge adults often hatch and accumulate in the slow currents. Places to look for midge adults and rising fish include slow slicks, eddies, foam lines, and riffles near the bank. Remember, the water temperatures are cold, and the trout’s metabolism is slow. They will put the least effort they have to when feeding, hence slow-moving water.
I rarely worry about the depth of the water, as trout will follow an abundant hatch into shallow water to feed. It can make for some epic sight fishing when you find a big trout feeding in eight inches of water to size 20 flies.
When targeting midge hatches, I slowly walk the banks, looking for any water near the bank that could congregate bugs. Riffles and seams below rock gardens create assembly lines of midges that trout key in on. The best places for winter midge fishing are places where the current congregates the bugs. With the insects being so small, trout find places where many midges will be available to feed on rather than picking off a random adult.
Check out my Winter Dry Fly Fishing article for more on where to find rising fish in the winter.
Gear for Winter Midge Fishing
Winter midge dry fly fishing requires a rather technical approach compared to some of our famous summer hatches.
The perfect rod for winter dry fly fishing would be a slow-action four or five weight. The slow rod will protect the light tippets required for this fishing and cast the small flies accurately. I prefer to fish a 10 to 12-foot leader, tapering down to a long 5x or 6x tippet.
A long leader is paramount to success when midge fishing and many dry fly fishing scenarios. The trout often eat midges in shallow water and are prone to spooking if a fly line lands on top of them. Fine tippet is also required to fit through the eye of the small hooks and allow the fly to drift naturally.
It’s worth mentioning a warm pair of socks, waders that keep you dry, and a pair of hand warmers go a long way when winter midge fishing. I don’t have to tell you how cold some days on the river can be, and wearing the right gear makes a huge difference. You don’t want to be the guy who leaves the river early and misses the afternoon midge fishing because you didn’t come prepared for the cold weather.
Flies for Winter Midge Fishing
Each winter, I go down the rabbit hole tying small midge patterns in various sizes and colors. Like any dry fly, midge dry flies must imitate the insect accurately while floating and being visible to the angler. This can sometimes be difficult when tying flies in small sizes.
An important tip I have learned over the past year that applies to all dry flies, especially when midge fishing, is tying flies for the proper lighting on the river. Many flies are tied with white wings or posts to act as an indicator for the angler to see. However, on certain days, specifically overcast days, the glare of the water creates a silver surface that makes it impossible to see white midge patterns. To see my fly in this glare, I tie a variety of midge patterns that incorporate black wings and sighting material. The dark materials stand out against the glare and are much easier to see. Having dark flies is so important as some of the best days of winter midge fishing occur on overcast days.
The right hooks are just as important as seeing your fly. I recommend paying the extra buck for quality hooks in the smaller sizes. It goes a long way on the river, as many small hooks tend to bend when fighting trout.
There are a variety of midge dry fly patterns out there that catch fish. The most popular and my favorite is the Griffith’s gnat. The Griffith’s gnat is tied to imitate a cluster of midges, which is when midges come together to mate. Trout key into midge clusters as they eat more bugs with the same amount of effort. If midges are clustering, I am fishing a Griffith’s gnat in size 16 or 18.
Other go-to patterns of mine include the Matt’s midge, mole fly, and zelon midge. Each tied in a variety of colors and sizes to imitate the hatch and match the lighting for the day. Rarely do I fish smaller than a size 20, but I do tie some flies in size 22 for the fun of catching trout on small flies. However, many will argue that going this small is unnecessary in the Yellowstone region.
Dealing With The Cold
Fishing small dry flies in temperatures below freezing is just as challenging as it sounds. The cold conditions turn many anglers off from fishing, and many more would never consider fishing small dry flies in the winter.
What makes it so difficult is a combination of factors. The biggest challenge and dampener to a winter midge hatch is the wind. Not only does it make it challenging to cast and almost unbearable to fish in, but it also blows the adult midges off the water and kills the chances of rising fish. Wind is the first thing to look for in the forecast when planning a dry fly day in the winter.
If the wind is down and you have fish rising, you will most likely have ice build up in the guides of your fly rod. The ice makes it difficult to cast accurately and shoot line. It must be broken off every few casts. I’ve tried a few tricks to limit ice buildup, but at the end of the day, it’s just something we have to deal with if we are crazy enough to fish in the winter.
My favorite way to withstand a cold day of winter dry fly fishing is by fishing with a partner. I like to fish one rod between two anglers, switching off between fish. This strategy is fun as you experience each dry fly eat together and gives you a chance to warm your hands in between fish. You can also work together to break ice off the guides, get flies out of the bushes, and tie new flies on, all difficult to do in the cold weather by yourself.
Worth The Difficulty
For many, midge fishing is too difficult to satisfy the rewards. I appreciate its difficulties and have fallen in love with it over the years. Anytime I can fool a trout on a dry fly is a good day, and doing it during the midge hatch is a major accomplishment. The reward of winter midge fishing is not just catching a fish but honing in your dry fly skills for the summer months. Many anglers do not touch a fly rod over the winter. If they do, they usually just cast bobbers for four straight months. Midge fishing keeps my dry fly skills fresh and helps develop new ones, so I am well prepared for the slough of hatches that kick off each spring.
I hope this information on winter midge fishing helps you next time you’re dry fly fishing this winter. Winter midge fishing is a unique experience, and each angler should develop the skills to experience it. Feel free to message me if you have further questions on winter dry fly fishing or any other insights you have. I love to talk about fishing, especially midge fishing.
Fish hard, keep warm, and stay curious!
Nick
