Winter can be a rough time for fly fishing, especially if you’re out there for trout as they tend to become inactive when the stream freezes. However, they still need food and now that most of the crowd’s at home, it’s the best time to get out your fly line! Read about the best winter flies for trout here so that you can attract those pesky trout during the colder months.
What Are the Best Winter Flies for Trout?
Before you zero in on just any fly to fish for trout, it’s important to know that food sources can change throughout the seasons. So, we’ve compiled a list below of the best winter flies that trout are more likely to be attracted towards.
Midge Flies
Regarded as a trout’s most important source of food, midge flies are one of the easiest insects for trout to prey on and the best part is they hatch in winter. Making a midge fly is going to exponentially increase the chances of bringing in trout in winter.
Try a Griffith’s Gnat midge fly on slow-moving water, or if you’re looking for a foolproof fly pattern, try using a zebra midge. It’s a classic and works in heavy streams, quiet water, and moving rivers. You could also make a tungsten rainbow warrior midge fly as it has yielded most success.
Double Dot Eggs
A basic instinct of all trout is to eat their young so, come summer or winter, using a double dot egg fly that resembles a baby trout is highly likely to bring in success and food at your dinner table too.
Blue-Winged Olive/Baetis Flies
When the days start getting warmer in the winter, Baetis flies hatch in thousands and become a common prey for trout. Using a dirty hipster baetis fly brings in most trout and is recommended by many experts. You could also use a WD40 emerger, it’s easy to handle and works with light and heavyweight flies.
Eggs Flies
Aquatic eggs tend to swim away in the waters, especially when it gets slack in the winter, so trout eagerly await to gobble them up. Using fly patterns like a Beadhead Veiled Caballero or a Beaded Egg increases the chances of you finding trout in stillwater and rivers.
Mosquito Fly
If you’re looking for a foolproof fly pattern for the winter, a mosquito fly may be it. Its lightweight body allows fishermen to line it up with dry flies as well as nymphs that are heavier while its small size makes precise casting possible. Not to mention, it won’t spook the trout away.
Streamer Flies
Trout feed on baitfish or streamers if they see one drifting in deepwater, so using a beaded woolly bugger guarantees you’ll find a good selection of hungry trout. It looks natural, is lightweight, durable, and small in size.
Aquatic Worms
Aquatic worms hatch year-round and you are most likely to find trout near the streambed waiting to prey on them. You could use a bright-colored fly pattern like a Firebead Sparkle Worm to increase visibility and then as the trout get near, switch to basic or natural-looking fly patterns like a micro-chenille squirmy wormy.
Scuds
Scuds can be found in rivers and seas that have a healthy green life and are regarded as a trout’s most-eaten food in winter. The best advice is to go for basic colors when imitating a scud but you could also use a beaded scud which is flashier, more durable, and yields most trout.
The Best Tips on Winter Fly Fishing for Trout
Fly fishing in winter can be rewarding if you know the right tips and tricks to catch a good trout and the first step to getting there is knowing which fly pattern to choose, what insects will be hatching, and where the trout will be situated. Below are a few more tips on winter fly fishing for trout.
Target with Open Eyes
Blindly fishing for a trout can spook them away because the fly pattern may be incorrect or they get spooked. So, know your target and pinpoint specifically. You’re most likely to find trout in deepwater when the temperature drops and near the streambed when it gets warmer.
Find Heavy-Weighted Flies
Since most sea life tends to move towards slack water to conserve energy, it is best to pick up a fly that has a hefty weight to it so it doesn’t disintegrate while swimming down. Also, heavier flies can reach deeper waters where you’re most likely to find bigger and better fish.
Consider the Time
During winter, most aquatic animals get inactive when the temperature drops, so it’s best to go fishing for trout in the late morning to early afternoon when the sun is at its peak. For a foolproof catch, tie in your fly line when the temperature hits 38°F to 40°F .
Use Nymphing Techniques
Since there’s less time to fish for trout in the winter, using dry flies isn’t recommended. Instead, try nymphing. It’s easier and can be perfected by novices as well. Locate the feeding ground for trout, roll cast, and wait for the fish to notice the fly.
Take Bright Colored Flies
Winters are gray, dull, and on top of that, there isn’t any sun peaking through most of the day. This affects the trout’s ability to see food and ultimately, they become inactive. So use a fly pattern that is flashy, bright, and easy to spot even in dark, deep waters.
Top 5 Best Winter Flies for Trout Reviewed
Now that you’ve a clearer idea on what to look for, here are reviews on five of the best fly fishing kits recommended by experts, complete with pros and cons.
1. FISHINGSIR Fly Fishing Kit
The FISHINGSIR Fly Fishing kit is one of the best collections of flies available for fishing enthusiasts. It features a wide variety of flies – each different in shape, size, and color and made to target trout in stillwater and deepwater.
In a big ABS plastic-made box, the FISHINGSIR kit features 40pcs wet flies, 30pcs dry flies, 15pcs streamers, 10pcs nymph, and 5pcs emerger. It packs them all in with a silicone seal which increases their lifespan and keeps them dry.
The range of fly patterns is versatile which allows anglers to pick and choose according to the hatching ground and the feeding trout. Also, the FISHINGSIR kit serves as a wonderful gift for novice fishermen as well as expert anglers.
Features:
- 100% handmade produced
- Large selection of trusted flies
- ABS plastic-made fly box
- Silicone sealed
Pros
- Comes with a selection of over a 100 flies
- Great gift for novices and experienced anglers
- Variety in shape, color, and size of flies
Cons
- The hooks may break easily
2. BASSDASH Fly Fishing Kit
The BASSDASH fly fishing kit features a wide variety of over 60 pcs of flies – from Mayfly dries, Caddisfly dries and wet flies, to Terrestrials, Streamers and even Leeches. They are sorted and packed into categories so all the angler has to do is pick and roll cast, matching the hatch.
The box itself is made of high-quality and durable materials and the flies are kept secure using a magnetic fastener that opens with one hand easily and closes quickly.
Though it can be used by experts in fishing, the BASSDASH fly fishing kit is primarily made as a foolproof pack for novice anglers. It also includes hook sizes #4, #6, #10 and #12 – best recommended for trout.
Features:
- Magnetic fly box
- Assorted selection of flies
- 4 hook sizes
- Quick and easy fastener
Pros
- Equipped with 64pcs of flies
- Targets the hand of novices
- The assorted selection is categorized to match the hatch
Cons
- Quality of flies could be improved
3. Outdoor Planet Fly Fishing Pack
The Outdoor Planet Fly Fishing pack is quite underrated for its incredible offering of 48 different flies as well as a few extras for value-added benefit.
The assortment includes 12 Elk Hair Caddis made in three colors and sized between 12 to 18. It also includes 12 Hare’s Ears in size 10 to 16 and designed in three colors. It doesn’t end here – the fishing pack features 2 colors of Wooly Buggers in size 8 to 12 and 4 patterns of BH Prince, sized between 12 to 16. Both come in a count of 12.
The hooks are sharp, the box is exceptionally durable and waterproof so the flies stay dry and secure even if the box gets submerged in water.
Features:
- Waterproof box
- Size 8 to size 18 flies
- 48 assorted collection of flies
Pros
- Comes with a wide variety of flies including some extras
- Best for new fly fishers
- The box is high-quality and waterproof
- Flies are sealed and secured well
Cons
- Some flies may be tough to line
4. Fishing On The Fly Trout Starter Kit
Fishing On The Fly has offered a fly fishing kit featuring an assortment of 32 time-tested and incredibly effective flies. The variety is excellent and the kit can be used year-round to fish for trout.
The expert-recommended kit includes a collection of dry flies and terrestrials for the summers and a variety of nymphs and streamers for the winter fly fishers.
The Fishing On The Fly kit has carefully organized the flies in a durable, waterproof box that is compact in size but offers extra room for fly fishers to keep on adding their favorites.
Also, it’s one of the best kits recommended for new fly fishers to successfully bring in fish, even in the winters.
Features:
- Waterproof fly box
- 32 assorted flies
- #10 to #16 size of hooks
Pros
- The fly box is compact in size
- The flies assortment guarantees a good yield
- Natural-looking flies
Cons
- The quality of nymphs could be made more durable
5. RoxStar Lures Fly Fishing Pack
The RoxStar Lures fly fishing pack features a high-quality, waterproof box constructed in High Carbon Steel with an easy open-and-close fastener to keep the flies dry and secure.
It includes a collection of 18 pcs of Wooly Bugger and Bass Flies, each tied with premium threads and wound tightly to increase durability. The hooks are made of stainless steel and their sizes range between #4 to #12, offering fly fishers the convenience of matching the hatch.
With over 100 years of experience, RoxStar has managed to create a fly pack that carefully categorizes the most effective flies, offers room to add more, and guarantees success in catching trout year-round.
Features:
- High Carbon Steel box
- 18pcs Wooly Bugger and Bass Fly collection
- Multiple hook sizes
Pros
- High-quality flies, do not disintegrate in deep water
- Lightweight box, can be carried around easily
- Secure fastener, the flies do not fall off the box
Cons
- The flies variety isn’t huge
Frequently Asked Questions
What size flies are best for trout?
Experts recommend getting a streamer sized 4 to 6 for foolproof fly fishing. Generally, 12 to 16 sized nymphs are used or size 22 dry flies are recommended for trout. When picking out a fly, know that the higher the size, the smaller the actual fly will be.
What size hooks for trout flies?
It depends upon the stream and size of fish. If the stream is small and so is the trout, a 6 to 10 size fishing hook will be perfect. If you’re hoping to catch bigger fish like salmon and the stream is wide, go for a 4 or 1/0 fishing hook. When fishing for larger species, pick up a 4/0 or a 2/0 size fishing hook.
Final Thoughts
During winter, everything slows down and so does the trout but it just may be the best time to go out there to fly fish. After going through this guide, you now know about the best winter flies for trout and all the kits available so you’re one fly line away from catching dinner – even if you’re a novice angler.
