Getting while it’s (not so) good.

Finding big fish year-round makes winter fishing in Colorado worth the effort, no matter the conditions (so long as you’re prepared).

There’s an old adage (Or I think there is. Or there used to be. Or there is now, at least) that fishing in the winter months requires teensy weensy flies, light tippet, delicate presentations, yarn indicators and so forth. And that’s probably true in some locales (see: tailwaters like the Frying Pan, Uncompahgre, San Juan, etc.), but if you’re willing to brave the elements, there are BIG fish to be caught in freestone rivers out West all winter long on nymph patterns you can see without a magnifying glass. Patterns with bling. Patterns with bulk. Patterns with some soul, as Kelly Galloup might say.

The Colorado River below Glenwood Springs is a great example of this type of waterway. It holds very large fish, has good access points and is floatable year-round, has a great variety of insect life, and excellent holding water for when the temps drop and the ice shelves form. If you can escape the anchor ice by fishing later in the day (and season), winter nymphing on the “Collie” can be very productive.

This healthy Colorado River rainbow ate a size 12 nymph in the middle of February through no small amount of anchor ice.

Getting your flies down to the fish quickly and keeping them in the strike zone moving slowly is key. Size is much less important!

My favorite setup when winter nymphing starts with clothes. My very wise physician once told me (after I complained about not wanting to work out because it was cold) that “there’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes.” What she said stuck with me (although I still don’t exercise, cold or otherwise) and I insist on dressing right for the river. A warm base layer under my pants and shirt made of moisture-wicking fabric is key. I’ve had many a day where I could have sworn I had a leaky wader when in fact I had worn the wrong socks and my feet were soaked in sweat! Over that is a mid-layer, something that I can strip down to if the sun makes an appearance, but also keeps warmth in in the event of blustery winds. On the bottom half, I love the Orvis Pro Underwader Pants for the stirrup that keeps the legs from bunching up under my waders as well as the zipped side vents, but Patagonia and Simms make some great options as well. No winter fishing getup would be complete without a waterproof and insulated top layer (thanks, Patagonia!) and a pair of sturdy waders (thanks again, Patagonia!). I switched to these zip-front waders a few years back and will never, ever, ever, ever go back. Not having to strip down to my skivvies to take a bit of “shore leave” or fish my license out of my wallet when Wally Wildlife stops by makes all the difference. I like a pair of fingerless gloves, and Simms makes the best, but remember to take any gloves off before handling any fish to ensure you disrupt their protective coating of slime (it’s a thing, look it up) as little as possible. If your digits get chilled from releasing fish, try keeping an old kitchen or golf towel tucked in your wading belt to fully dry your hands before putting your gloves back on. Slap on a hat that will keep your ears warm, some polarized sunnies (always!), some sunscreen (yes, even in the winter Colorado has one of the highest UV indexes in the country) and you’re ready to hit the water.

BUT not without rigging up first! If your rod fits in your whip assembled, tying knots inside by the fire the night before with a snort of whiskey or the morning of your trip with a cup of coffee is much more pleasant than doing it streamside.

My go-to rig for winter nymphing is a 9’ or 9’6” 5 or 6wt rod with a floating, weight forward line. If that’s at all confusing for you, keep an eye on this blog page, as I’ll be posting more soon to help demystify some of these terms for new anglers! I like a 9’ tapered leader of no less than 3x (about 8.5 lbs.) with a conventional barrel swivel tied on the end. The swivel helps turn over heavy nymph rigs, keeps from eating in to the leader material the same way a tippet ring does, adds some weight by itself, and is a great weight stopper for tungsten putty (my favorite) or lead-free crimp-on weights.

Below the swivel I attach about 3’ of 3x fluorocarbon tippet to start. If I need to downsize to 4x I will, but that’s a rare occasion. The fluorocarbon is invisible underwater and the extra strength helps you wrangle fish faster, get them unhooked, and back to their lie unharmed. I like to tie two or three nymphs on this section of tippet, leaving the tag end of an improved clinch knot long at the first fly and threading my next nymph on to that to reduce the number of knots tied with cold fingers (or “dumb thumb”).

My top fly is almost always a bead-head nymph that could pass for a stonefly or a caddis or even a portly mayfly. It’s got white goose biots on the top to imitate an exploded wingcase and the body is made of peacock.

I’m sure you know the one . . .

The ubiquitous bead head prince nymph is a staple on my winter nymph rigs. It’s heavy, versatile, and looks like food!

Below that is almost always an egg pattern or a worm. These are not year-round food sources insomuch as they are reliable attractor patterns that consistently get mouthed by fish. Chartreuse, apricot, and cheese are the go-to colors for eggs, while worms can vary from standard red to pink, tan, purple, and white (try it sometime!). The worm or egg is also usually weighted with a tungsten bead.

The final knot is a dropper loop to a jigged nymph. The infamous Duracell nymph is a great go-to, as is the frenchie, jigged pats rubber legs, mini leeches, blowtorches, perdigons, etc. What you’re looking for here is a bomb of an anchor fly to get down deep. I’ve even been known to tie on a heavy jigged size 12 midge larva or pupa on the right day and have incredible success. If you think a 12 is too big to be called a midge, I’d invite you to check out the mats of midge shucks that wash up in the foam lines on the banks and reevaluate your stance!

A pile of size 12 and 14 Duracell jigs headed out to another happy customer. These nymphs have a massive tungsten bead and lead wraps to get down where winter fish are lying — right on the bottom.

This 12’ setup obviously needs a bobber. Or a strike indicator. Or whatever you want to call it. I don’t care, and at this point, neither should you (more on that in a future missive). Just make sure it’s got enough buoyancy to float your rig and is easily adjustable. Remember that your bobber position sets your depth, but your weight sets your speed (thanks, Duane Redford). You want to be ticking bottom on every drift, and as you move around your chosen run, you will need to make adjustments regularly. Raising and lowering your indicator, adding and removing weight, it’s the difference between a bent rod and a bad day. These constant adjustments are the frustrating part of the game, but if you can figure out how to play, the rewards are fantastic: no crowds on the river, more wildlife to spot, more fish to the net, and, if proper clothing is selected, toasty warm toes when you get back to the truck! If you’re interested in getting out and learning more about how to best target big fish in the winter months, let’s go! Click here to book a trip with me today!

Finding the right water and working it thoroughly can be much more important than picking the right flies for winter fishing.