The winter is by far my favorite time of year to fish. For me, it’s more about having miles of river all to yourself (yes, even in Jersey) than catching a ton of fish. Having a double digit day in the winter doesn’t always happen but you always seem to get a fish or two that make the whole trip worth while. With a bit of knowledge about how to dress, helpful cold weather accessories, and of course, trout activity in the winter, you can have a very enjoyable day.
The trout will change where they hold and how far they are willing to move to grab a fly. This doesn’t mean they are hard to catch, you just need to know where and how to catch them. In the spring and summer you can catch tons of fish right out of the fastest of riffles, however, as the water cools, the fish will pull back to the deep runs and pools. The runs are perfectly suited for a long leader Euro nymphing setup and the pools are better suited for an indicator setup (that’s not to say you can’t catch trout in a pool on a Euro setup and vise versa). I personally prefer to Euro nymph in the winter time since having a fixed amount of line/leader out of the rod will reduce ice build up on the guides, making your time on the water just that much more enjoyable. My popular winter nymphs include the Vladi worm, stoneflies, cased caddis and woven nymphs for anchors. For droppers, I like smaller nymphs in a 16-20 range. Try hare’s ears, frenchies and zebra midges. Most importantly, you want your flies to be heavy, not so heavy they are hitting bottom, but near the bottom. Another thing to keep in mind is that the rivers can run on the high side in the winter, so tie your flies accordingly.
Winter clothing is a very important part of your winter outing (probably the most important). Rule number 1! Don’t believe the boner that tells you neoprene waders are essential for winter fishing. Neoprene waders get cold and stay cold in the winter. No one wants to wear a big cold wet body condom all day long while fishing! I fish all winter in my breathable waders and I am perfectly comfortable. As a matter of fact, I’ll argue that the breathability (is that a word?) of your waders, matched with the proper amount of breathable undergarments is one of the biggest factors in keeping you warm. You sweat in stuff that’s isn’t breathable, I don’t care how cold it is. When you sweat in below freezing temperatures, I can almost guarantee you’ll end up with a tit in your mouth, crying to go home. Rule number 2! Dress in layers. I start with a pair of long thermal fleece underwear, top and bottom. From there I put on a pair on thick wool socks. Some people wear two pairs of socks which is fine, as long when you put on your boots they are not tight, blood circulation is very important to keeping your feet warm. I then put on a pair of fleece pants. I like the ones meant for wearing with waders but its not crucial (the stirrups on the feet keep them from riding up when putting on your waders). That completes everything I wear from the waist down. For the waist up I put on another long sleeve fleece. I usually put another thin fleece shirt or t-shirt over that just for an extra layer (depending on the temperature). At this point I’ll put on my waders and boots. On top of all that, I put a thick fleece jacket on over my waders. We are now almost done, the next few things are just as important as your jacket, a warm knit hat (I like the kind that cover my ears) and sunglasses (sun glare is very bad in the winter). Notice that I didn’t include gloves in my list, I always carry a pair with me in the winter but they are always fingerless and I hardly wear them. I personally feel like I lose a lot of feel with gloves and will only wear them on the coldest days. I find that micro fleece gloves are the warmest, but, at a 1/3 of the price, the wool ones are a very good option. When choosing any of your winter clothing wool and fleece are your best bets since they keep you warm even when wet.
There are also a few must have accessories for the winter. I would be lost without my hand warmers. I like the ones that say 12+ hours. When you stick your hands in 35 degree water to release a fish your hand will be numb within seconds and nothing warms your fingers back up like a hand warmer. I like to keep my hand warmer in the front of my waders and always have at least one more with me. My other must have item is Loon’s Stanley’s Ice Off Paste. This paste is really just a water repellent but works wonders for keeping ice off the guides. I apply a heavy coating from just above the cork to the tip, applying it heavily on the guides. Those are my only must have accessories but don’t discount the wonders a hot lunch midday can do for you.
If you’re already getting cabin fever, get out there and give winter fishing a shot. Just remember, get your flies down deep in that “softer” water and you will be surprised how cooperative the trout will be. So when everyone is stuck home tying flies, you can be out there catching the fish they are dreaming of.
Wild brown trout caught on a stonefly with the snowflakes falling.
Place the beaded hook in the vise.
Start the thread behind the bead.
Tie the thread half way down the bend of the hook and trim the tag.
Tie in copper wire.
Tie the wire in to the bend of the hook.
Build a tapered body using the thread.
Rib the fly with the copper wire.
Tie off the copper wire rib and cut the wire. (You can see the “tag” from the wire, I should have broke the wire)
Whip finish and you have a completed Pequest Midge.
Nub finned Pequest bow loving the midge.
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Chris Michels. Just a fisherman.
Nick Naclerio. Just a fisherman, too.
Jordan Ewing. The fishing photographer. 
