When the average Joe thinks fly fishing: Scenes of larger than life landscapes, wide rivers and a single angler casting to rising trout come to mind. A warm summer day, full of buzzing insects and the feeling of casting a size 10 Stimulator to gulping fish. Brad Pitt, chasing a trophy trout down rapids. What Joe doesn’t think about is fly fishing in the dead of January, fingers numb, guides frozen, fishing size 22 midge larva to fish that actively move out of the way from your flies. Sounds miserable to some, but the benefits of winter fishing can be quite rewarding.
Tailwaters provide ice-free water during the winter months, which draw the die-hard anglers out during the cold season. These fisheries can often provide a plethora of steady food for trout and can be a savior during the winter when you’ve tied your one thousandth fly. With colder water temps and less insect activity, trout become lethargic and won’t expend energy as much as they would during more comfortable temperatures. But this doesn’t mean they stop eating. Midges and small nymphs reign supreme in the winter , which calls for small flies and thin tippet diameter.
The hike into Cheeseman Canyon certainly has its sights. During the colder months, the canyon becomes a winter wonderland.
Having a well stocked fly box full of patterns that will imitate what the trout are feeding on is key- from attractor nymphs, like Rainbow Warriors to small midges, like Matt McCannel’s Massacre Midge to something with a bit more meat on its bones, like the Mini Leech Jig. Choosing a variety of attractor nymphs and small midge and baetis patterns, imitating all forms of the insect’s lifecycle, will set any angler up for success during the winter months.
One might find more space on the water during winter. Fewer people mean less pressured trout, better chances that one will eat a fly and possibly more fish in the net. Don’t leave home without several layers, hand warmers and most importantly, your waders. Fly fishing has the ability to turn people into addicts, and a true fly fishing addict is one who fishes year round.
– Jakob Burleson
The colors of tailwater fish can often be remarkable, which is a clear indication of a well-fed trout. Tailwaters most often have a plethora of food flowing through them. 
A healthy rainbow caught on a size 22 Umpqua Massacre Midge.
Tailwaters mean picky, well-educated trout. Fishing tailwaters in winter means even more picky, well-educated trout, which calls for light tippet and small flies. Fishing 5x to 7x will give you the best presentation for your small flies. 
Mini Leech Jig Radiant from Signature Tyer Landon Mayer encased in ice.
Black Back Emerger from Signature Tyer John Barr. 
Rainbow Warrior from Signature Tyer Lance Egan.
Rojo Midge from Signature Tyer Greg Garcia. 
Bubble Gut from Signature Tyer Scott Voyles.
Alec Gerbec tight lines his way through a winter run in Cheeseman Canyon, a five-star tailwater that will frustrate even the best of the best. 
Frost, in my opinion, evokes the need to bring hand warmers, an essential piece of gear in the winter.
Contributed By
Jakob Burleson
Jakob Burleson was born and raised in the foothills and mountains of Colorado. He currently works on the marketing team for Umpqua Feather Merchants while wearing a number of hats, chief among them being their in-house photographer, a “content ninja” if you will. Jakob spends his free time fly fishing and documenting the lifestyle through imagery across the American west.
