When summer's bright colours give way to autumn's muted hues, fly fishing for rainbow trout on UK stillwaters becomes an entirely new and challenging experience. With low pressure, dropping temperatures, and shorter days, trout behaviour changes. It's critical as an angler to adapt and modify your approaches for success. This article, authored by our in-house competitive fly fisherman Brad Gair, will discuss the top techniques for catching rainbow trout in the autumn and winter. Fly line selection, fly setup, fly selection, and fly retrieval are important considerations that Brad's experience will help you with, whether you're fishing small stillwaters or tackling loch-style methods.
Summary
"The best trout flies to use in January & February are black and olive snakes, 8 leg apps worms in amber, olive and a variety of egg patterns."
In this comprehensive guide we will cover tactics & techniques for catching rainbow trout in winter across both small stillwaters and large lochs. We’ll explore everything from fly line recommendations to leader setups and more.Brad’s Gear Breakdown
- Rods: Sage R8 10’ #6
- Reel: Hardy Ultradisc cassette 6000 model
- Lines:
- Floater: Rio Elite Stillwater #7
- Slow Intermediate: Airflo Sixth Sense 2.0 #7/8 & Forty Plus Extreme #7
- Mid Intermediate: Airflo Sixth Sense 2.0 #7/8 & Forty Plus Extreme #7
- Fast Intermediate: Airflo Sixth Sense 2.0 #7/8 & Forty Plus Extreme #7
- Leader Material: SeagaurGrand Max Fluorocarbon 9.5lb
Small Stillwaters: Techniques and Tackle Recommendations
When it comes to small still waters in autumn and winter, one of the most effective techniques is "fishing the bung." This method involves suspending your flies under a buoyant indicator (the “bung”) to keep your flies in the feeding zone for as long as possible. It’s particularly useful in colder months when trout are less willing to chase fast-moving prey.
Fishing the Bung: Brad’s Setup
The Fish Pimp adjustable bung is my go-to bung. Its ability to precisely manage depth is made possible by the unique inline locking mechanism, which is essential when fish are holding at a particular depth in the water column. A 12-foot leader is used, with flies spaced three feet apart. The RIO Elite Stillwater line is favoured for its shorter head, which makes it easier to cast bungs or bulky flies.
Retrieve Techniques
A slow steady figure-of-eight retrieve to keep the line taut is required; this makes it easier to manage the line and makes for efficient striking. Experiment with occasional short sharp pulls to displace water with the bung; not only does the surface noise attract attention, but it also breathes more life into the flies, which can help provoke a take.
Best Bung Trout Flies for Small Stillwaters in January & February
Pro tip: Swap out your colour choice when takes start slowing down.
Pulling Tactics with Lures
Using lures with pulling tactics is another successful strategy for pursuing rainbow trout in small stillwaters. Lures are usually of a larger profile and push a lot of water, which can provoke a reaction strike from lethargic fish.
Fly Line and Leader Setup for Pulling Tactics
I recommend the Airflo 40+ or Airflo Sixth Sense fly lines. These lines come in various sink rates, allowing adaptability for targeting different depths. Fluorocarbon of 9.5lb breaking strain is used for the leader to ensure strength and low visibility underwater.
When fishing small stillwaters, I opt for a Fast Intermediate initially; this allows him to target the midlayers of the water column first, and then from this foundation he can work out where trout are likely to be holding. If fish start coming but are few and far between, it may suggest fish are spotting the lure from deeper water and swimming up to commit to the lure—so going up in line density would be his next move to see if presenting the lure deeper may encourage more takes. On the other hand, if there is no sign of following fish or takes, then working the upper layers of the water and switching to a slow intermediate or even a floating line would be his next switch.
Pro tip: If pulling lures from a boat, I will often use one of the Airflo Sixth Sense 2 Sweep Fly Lines as they allow him to search the various water columns more effectively. my go-to in this range would be the DI5 Sweep.
Retrieve Techniques
Always vary the retrieve, as certain days fish will respond better to a faster retrieve and on others a slightly slower retrieve can be advantageous. As well as experimenting with your retrieval speed, ensure you throw in a few pauses too. The benefits of the hang markers on the Sixth Sense 2 Lines come into play here, as he can put the pause in at the same point in every cast if the trout are in a finicky mood.
Best Trout Flies for Pulling Tactics In January & February
Snakes
Snakes are large and long profile trout lures, usually between 5-7cm in length. These lures create a big profile in the water, provide enhanced movement and also move a lot of water. These patterns can provoke a reaction strike from lethargic trout as it provides them a reason to move because the size of the reward is to good of an opportunity to miss.
Recommended Snake Patterns
Apps Worms
p>Worm patterns provide an illusion! They are small in size but produce a large profile in the water thanks to their front and back legs. Not only that, worm patterns tend to have long legs that can create plenty of movement in the water even on the slowest of retrieves.
Recommended Worm Patterns
When it comes to a fly choice, we recommend the apps worm. This unorthodox pattern can be worked at the slowest of speeds whilst still creating a lot of movement in the water.
Try fishing two apps worms together in contrasting colours, so a red apps worm on the point and either an olive or orange pattern on the dropper.
Loch Style Fishing for Rainbow Trout
For loch-style fishing during the cooler months, the washing line setup is a versatile and deadly method for targeting rainbow trout at various depths.
Washing Line Setup: Fly and Leader Recommendations
I use a Ham and Cheese FAB as the point fly with two cormorants as droppers: a Red Holo Dub Ice Cormorant and a Fario Mirage Bunny Cormorant. A 15-foot leader with 5-foot spacing between flies helps cover different depths effectively.
Best Loch Style Trout Flies To Use In January & February
Line Choice and Conditions
Depending on weather conditions, I recommend either a 3-foot or 6-foot fast midge tip line. This allows the point fly to hover below the surface while the droppers fish deeper.
With regards to the midge tip selection, the length and sink rate of the tips are dictated by the wind speed. In windier conditions, he would opt for a 6ft fast tip to get the flies to fish deeper, and in calmer conditions, he would opt for a 6ft slow tip.
I also, when the fish are really high, use a 12ft slow tip which fishes just below the surface and presents the flies at a slightly different angle.| Line Type | Ideal Conditions | Recommended Use |
|---|---|---|
| 3ft Fast Tip | Slight ripple on the water | Fish are within the top 3 feet of the water column |
| 6ft Fast Tip | Windy conditions | To fish flies deeper in the water |
| 12ft Slow Tip | Calm conditions | Fish are in the top 2 feet of the water column |
Retrieve Techniques
A steady figure-of-eight retrieve is ideal for loch-style fishing. Introducing occasional short pulls can also help provoke takes from curious trout.
Conclusion
Fly fishing for rainbow trout in autumn and winter requires a thoughtful approach and the right setup. Whether you're fishing the bung, pulling lures, or working a washing line, these tactics will keep you catching rainbow trout throughout the colder months. Adjust your fly line, leader length, and retrieve techniques to suit the conditions, and you'll be well on your way to a successful winter campaign.
