Winter on the Madison River, Cameron, Montana.
Winter midge mat.
OK, let’s get this straight. While winter midge fishing can offer up more rising trout than at any other time of the fly-fishing year, it is at best, inconsistent. I’ve seen incredible rises of trout to midge activity when air temps could not break zero. I’ve fished great midge activity with large trout rising to them during snowfall so heavy you could hear big snowflakes hiss as they fell to the ground. I’ve fished good rises while I kept my truck’s engine running so I could run up to its warm cab and thaw frozen fingers out between releasing trout caught on dry midge patterns. The dry fly fishing can be great but remember too, and it can be slow as well.
I do not suggest anglers call their travel agent and book a flight to arrive in Yellowstone country in January, or February, solely to fish winter midge times. But if a fly-fisher is here to ski or tour Yellowstone I recommend the angler bring along fishing gear in case good midge conditions occur, the fishing can be that good. What are “good midge conditions?” The most promising weather you can wish for, such that it brings on strong emergence of midges and fish rising to them, is calm conditions. This is key. If the wind is blowing chances of finding fish rising to midges diminishes. I have fished great midge activity with big fish rising to them every week of the winter as long as the wind is not blowing, no matter what the air temperature is. The micro-climate on or near the surface film on rivers allows midges to emerge and reproduce even on the coldest winter days so long as calm winds prevail.
Snowy banks of the Madison River, Montana.
I like to arrive on the water around noon. I will find a knee-deep pool or pocket behind a likely boulder, and sit on water watching for fish to rise. I am amazed how many anglers I observe run to the river, jump in and immediately begin heaving nymphs with large bobbers in heavy water. I often talk to them at the end of the day and most complain they’d like to midge fish but, “did not see a fish rise all day” I believe mostly due to their lack of observation and the belief the more water they cover the better chance they have of taking trout. Many times I’ve taken several rising fish in one pool while watching these anglers struggling upstream in the heavy currents, never touching a fish.
Cloudy days are best to approach and fish rising trout. Trout rising to midges do so in shallow water, bright sunny conditions bring shadows that spook risers. False casting can put down trout rising to midges, and so can casting line shadow. Usually you get one chance to present an accurate cast to a rising trout.
Rainbow rising to midges.
I am always patient and extra careful, slowly approach trout rising to midges. I won’t wade if possible. A wading wave sent upstream to risers will certainly put fish on alert, they might cease rising for the day. I get close to rising fish, sometimes within a rod length away, and allow several confidence rises before my first presentation. This lets me observe what side of its mouth the fish is rising to midges and if the fish is rising to individual emerging midges or clusters of several mating midges.
I knot on fresh tippet to my 9’ 4x leader, usually 3-4 feet of 5.5 or 6x Trout Hunter tippet. If fish are coming up for single midge emergers I’ll present an Improved Zelon or Scotty’s Midge, the size dependent on the size of the naturals, usually #20-24. Midges are susceptible to emergence difficulties in winter and fish rising to them key on emerging insects trapped in their pupal shucks, hence a pattern with a trailing shuck is necessary for success.
If fish are coming up for midge clusters I will determine the size of cluster they prefer. Simply by observing the clusters rolling through the narrow feeding lanes big rising trout use to feed in I can see whether a fish prefers a small cluster, say a size #20 comprised of a few midges, or a larger cluster #14-16 comprised of dozens of individual midges. Large fish prefer certain size midge clusters, whether a #14 or a #20. It can make the difference between catching a couple good trout, or several good fish in an hour or two of midge activity.
I made the comment 2 paragraphs above about determining what side of its mouth the fish is rising with to take midges. This is important since larger fish might only allow one cast before going down, big fish can be that tough. Most fish are left or right mouthed, this can be seen by examining hooking scars of individual trout therefore the importance of presenting a cast to the side of the fish it is rising to midges from. Now I’m close to the rising fish, usually within 12 feet, and have figured out what midge pattern to present. I’ve knotted on fresh tippet and a fly.
I usually fish from my knees on knee-padded Patagonia waders. I determine the trout is rising from its left side to intercept the naturals. I’m downstream of the fish so I present a pinpoint accurate cast on a short line about 2 feet upstream of the rising fish and within 6 inches of its left side. I hold my breath as the #22 Scotty’s Midge approaches the big fish. I can see it slide over, head completely out of the water in a classic midge rise, and intercept my offering. I raise my rod, the only audience I have is a couple mallard ducks that take flight when the fat 16” rainbow leaps out of the water and runs downstream.
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