7 Tips for Winter Fly Fishing in Central PA Spring Creeks
By Sam Galt
Head Guide at TCO Fly Shop in State College
Winter fly fishing in Central Pennsylvania offers some of the most rewarding angling of the year, yet most anglers miss out entirely. With winter approaching, we are coming into my favorite season to target wild trout in the area. People are shifting their focus to snow sports, hunting, or maybe chasing steelhead in the Great Lakes. This leads to some of the least crowded conditions on our local trout waters.
One thing that really separates Central Pennsylvania from other fly fishing regions is our abundance of limestone waters. These streams are extremely fertile, and more importantly, they never freeze! So you can always find open water. This article is definitely aimed towards our spring creeks and not the close by freestone waters. Freestoners can be great in the winter too but they are impacted far more by weather and are often iced over in our area.
The winter also offers some of your best shots at large wild brown trout. The big fish are done spawning, and the energy they consumed during the spawning process has made them extremely hungry. They need to eat to gain back the weight they lost, and I find you consistently catch bigger fish than any other time of year.
Streamer fishing, nymphing, and even dry fly fishing can all be productive through the winter season. With the right gear and fly selection, winter can be an extremely productive time to fish. So let’s dive into some details that will help you have success in the winter.
Tip #1: Dress for Success
The first and most important thing you need is proper clothing for the winter conditions. A good base layer to retain heat and whisk moisture away from your body is a must. Insulating pants and upper mid-layers are also crucial. On top of that layer a good puffy jacket that maintains insulation even when wet is necessary. I’ll often put a shell on over my jacket to protect against the wind and avoid getting wet.
A good pair of thick synthetic or wool socks is a must as well as a warm cap. Lastly, a pair of fingerless gloves or fold over mitts are invaluable for maintaining dexterity while keeping your hands warm.
Tip #2: Use an Ice Friendly Rod
In terms of rods and reels, there is no reason to vary from the usual set ups for trout fishing in our area. 9 and 10 foot 4 weight and 5 weight fly rods are ideal. Lighter European nymphing rods are great as well, however they aren’t as versatile when it comes to indicator nymph fishing, throwing larger streamers, and especially dry flies.
These European set ups are great for one reason though: when fishing this style, very little line ever contacts the water. So on days where it is below freezing, ice build up in the eyes of the rod is greatly reduced. My go-to set up is a 10 foot 4 weight. I carry two spools – one with a floating line and the second with a European nymphing leader. This allows me to fish the best technique for the given day.
Tip #3: Take Advantage of Post-Spawn Streamers
Hands down, my favorite way to fish in the winter is with streamers. You can do this using small jig streamers on a euro setup or fishing a larger articulated pattern on a floating or sinking line. People always talk about pre-spawn streamer fishing, but in my experience it doesn’t compare to the post-spawn streamer bite.
I’ve had fish chase my streamer in the winter four or five times in a row before actually getting them to eat. It’s also a great way to cover lots of water and locate larger fish. If you move a large fish on a streamer and can’t get it to commit, it’s time to put on the nymphs!
On numerous occasions I’ve moved a large trout on a streamer in the winter and can’t get it to chase again. Then, I switched over to a nymph and caught that fish exactly where I moved it. Chasing a streamer takes more energy than intercepting a dead drifted nymph or egg.
Tip #4: Don’t Forget About Nymphs (OK, and Egg Patterns!)
You don’t need a huge selection of nymphs in the winter to be successful. Eggs are a go-to. Although the spawning may be done, the fish don’t forget about these flies anytime soon. In the early season I tend to lean towards bright orange colors. As the winter progresses, I tend to lean more towards a washed-out peach color.
If some of my friends see this article, they are going to give me a hard time about my mention of eggs. The reason being I rarely fish them anymore. I’ve seen fish swim several feet out of their feeding lanes to eat eggs. It can be so effective it almost takes the fun out of it for me!
The other patterns I’m likely to fish are small zebra midges and perdigons, usually in size 18-22, as well as some heavier anchor flies to get down to the bottom below the heavier currents. Fish tend to be a little lazier in the winter, so getting presentations in their feeding lanes is important. Large stonefly patterns size 6-10 and large caddies patterns size 10-14 are often my go-to anchor flies. Fishing these larger flies in tandem with an egg or midge is a great combination.
Tip #5: Take Advantage of Dry Fly Opportunities
Wintertime is not the most ideal time for dry fly fishing, but the opportunities do exist. Especially in late winter from mid-January through early March. In terms of flies, the selection is pretty limited. Small blue winged olives (18-24), midges (20-28), and small brown and black stone flies (10-16) are all you need.
December and early January can be pretty devoid of topwater activity. I’ve had amazing BWO fishing on December 24th before, but this was an exceptional day. In general, from mid-January on is when you’ll have your best opportunities. If you get an overcast day this time of year with temperatures in the upper 30’s to low 40’s, the midday dry fly fishing can be great.
Tip #6: Learn How to Read Winter Water
In terms of what water to fish, I find our spring creeks aren’t as affected by cold temperatures as freestone waters are. This means the fish are feeding in the same water they were in the earlier part of the year–primarily in the moving water and in runs. Although they may not be in the heaviest riffles feeding, they are often right adjacent to that water in the seams.
Another prime target is a slick in the middle of the heavy riffles. Any boulder that slows down the current is a prime target. Fish have protection from the currents while still being in the best feeding lanes.
In the wintertime, our springs creeks get a dark green color where the currents are the heaviest. I tell my guests to look for the green water–this is where the fish will be feeding. The slower water and deep pools are a great place to prospect with streamers and midges, but I still find the most consistent feeding in the runs and riffles.
Photo by Neil Sunday
Tip #7: Know When to Go (And When to Stay Home)
So what days do you avoid fishing in the winter? In terms of temperatures, that’s a personal choice. I guided a day last winter that started at 12 degrees and maxed out at 26 degrees. My guest landed 17 fish in 6 hours, most of them 14” to 18”. Now this might be extremely cold, but the fishing was great and we were generally comfortable because we were well prepared.
The only days I avoid are extremely windy days and snowmelt. Windy days cause ice buildup more quickly and certainly add to the chill, but you can still fish. Snowmelt is a no-go for me. If you know there is rain coming over a snowpack, or an extremely warm day with a heavy snowpack, it’s a recipe for failure. That melting snow will drop the water temperatures to near freezing and shut the fish down.
Winter is Coming, And Now You’re Ready to Fish
That pretty much covers the basics on winter fly fishing in Central PA. So get geared up and experience some of the best fishing our region has to offer. If you have any questions about winter fishing, come check us out at one of our shops.
Picture by Neil Sunday
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