There are few better ways to spend a crisp fall morning than standing knee-deep in a favorite trout stream.
The leaves are in their full color display, deer are moving freely as the rut picks up, and trout are actively feeding as they bulk up for the long winter ahead. It’s a season that many look forward to, and those who experience a great day in the fall are hooked on it for life. The days of wet wading may be gone, but the tranquil serenity and unmatched beauty of fall is unrivaled by any other season.
Finding trout while fly fishing in the fall and early winter months can be difficult though, and knowing where to look is half the battle! Here's where to look.
Deeper Pools
Deep pools are a good bet to fish any time of year, but that’s especially true during fall. One of the misconceptions out there is that fall trout fishing brings a return to the conditions that exist during spring and even early summer. The truth is, fall is usually pretty darn dry and low water is commonplace on trout streams. Water temperatures certainly drop to safer levels compared to August and September, but the low flows still push fish towards those areas where they can safely feed without fear of predators above. The more depth a spot has, the greater likelihood there’ll be a trout there!
Tributary Mouths
It’s no secret that trout congregate at tributary mouths during summer when temperatures are high and they search for the refuge of chilled discharges. What’s not quite as widely known is that the fish will stick around these locations well into fall because these are terrific areas to get plenty of food and oxygen! While it’s not always the case, tributaries entering a main stem usually create deeper pools where trout can get everything they need. It’s the perfect spot for them to summer and winter over, which makes it a valuable location during the in-between season of fall!
Headwaters
One of the ways trout combat summer heat is by pushing upstream into headwaters that are more shaded and provide cooler water temperatures. They’ll stay here well into fall as the spawning season fast approaches for brookies and browns. Headwaters, and small water in general, have more classic riffle-run-riffle setups, making it prime spawning ground. Trout that are actively on redds should always be avoided, but other trout will follow the spawners into these areas to feed on eggs, making them perfect targets for anglers!
Fall can be one of the most spectacular times to be on a trout stream, and catching a few is predicated on first knowing where fish are holding. By focusing efforts on these trout hotspots, anglers can increase their catch rate and maximize their time. While having the right flies and technique is important, it all starts with where the trout are during fall and why they spend so much time there feeding. Being armed with that intel is the first step in making a beautiful fall day unforgettable.
Fall provides some of the best trout action of the year as fish everywhere feel the coming chill of winter and pack on the weight accordingly.
Each season has its own uniqueness that provides something new to anglers at all times of the year. Fall is no different, with changing leaves and trout adorning beautiful colors as the air turns crisp and the first forecasts of snow start to creep into view. Just like with everything else, tactics have to adjust with this new season and those who are flexible enough to recognize this can take advantage of some terrific fall fishing!
Fish Streamers
Fall is the classic time to ditch the size #20 dry flies and opt for the meaty articulated streamer box. Trout will be aggressively feeding and the browns in particular get quite territorial as they enter into pre-spawn mode. This aggression is often channeled on whatever unsuspecting baitfish or crayfish happens to be moving through their zone, and with any luck the next act of violence that fish commits can be on the end of our line!
Get Deep
As temperatures get colder closer to winter, trout will be less likely to remain in shallow ends of pools and slack water to feed -- except on warmer days. More than likely, they will go to deep pools to hold during the winter. Use heavy nymphs with tungsten beads or pair up your nymphing rigs with non-toxic split-shot to dive your flies near the bottom.
Go Drab
During the fall season, flies should be a little more drab in color. Whether that be brown/black streamers or dark olive nymphs, the days of bright, flashy colors are behind us. Even certain patterns that are used all year long should shift to drab, such as the Squirmy Worm. The hot pink and bright red varieties of summer should be ditched for something like dark purple or green. While trout tend to be more aggressive during this time of year, the bugs themselves are less diverse in variety and as such there is less of the color spectrum to work with for the angler trying to imitate them.
Where There’s One, There’s More!
This is the time of year when trout will start to pod up a little more than they did in summer. It’s especially true of brook and brown trout that might be anticipating the upcoming spawning season. Whenever you catch one fish in a location, it’s a pretty safe bet that there are several more in close proximity, so it’s well worth the time and effort to thoroughly cover the water before moving on.
Avoid Redds
Be on the lookout for trout redds that will start to pop up in October and November. The continuation of the species is paramount for future success, and irreparable damage can be done by negatively impacting redds that fish are actively working. If you see one of these features, it’s best to leave it alone as well as any fish that happens to be actively working it. Spawning can be hard on trout, and giving them a wide berth can help limit their stress and help make more trout for years to come!
Fall offers up some of the most enjoyable fishing of the entire year. While the leaves are in their full color array and cool breezes put a comfortable chill in the air, trout feed happily and aggressively knowing that winter is fast-approaching. These visions of bliss that are looked forward to each year can become a reality by following these tips and getting out there and exploring a favorite stretch of water this fall season!
Anglers flock to the mountains of Pennsylvania in search of quality trout fishing.
The chill of winter is set to soon be upon us, but for now the gettin’ remains good in the Keystone State for trout anglers. Fall, just like every other season, brings a unique set of challenges and rewards. One of the more important aspects of fall fishing is fly selection during a time when hatches dwindle but trout are actively feeding to make it through the upcoming cold spell.
Here are some of our favorite trout flies that will catch trout throughout the fall in Pennsylvania!
Fall is a fantastic time for streamer fishing, and the thin mint combines two deadly colors in one fly. The thin mint, sometimes tied with a string of flash in the tail, gives that subdued, almost earthy tone that trout love while providing a very realistic imitation of sculpins. When used in a bigger size, the thin mint can be bottom bounced like a crawfish or stripped like a baitfish! It’s as versatile as it is productive.
The squirmy worm will catch fish all year, but purple turns into a hot color when the leaves start to change. A usual progression of squirmy colors are pink in spring, red through summer, and purple come fall. Who knows what the fish think it is, but purple will consistently put fish in net from September through November.
It’s during these fall months that browns and brookies start to spawn. While fishing over redds is never something anglers should do, eggs being in a watershed will make trout go wild with hunger. Pound for pound almost nothing holds as much protein as a fish egg, so a variety of yarn egg patterns in orange, white, and pink should be carried by anglers everywhere during the fall months.
Terrestrials will linger into fall despite being forgotten by most. Until the first really hard frost, beetles will be out and about to provide a consistent food source for trout. Since they are often hard to spot in the water, the bit of hi-vis will assist those who have trouble making the fly out in the current.
Caddisflies are still prevalent during the fall afternoons in Pennsylvania. Certain streams will have more abundance than others due to varying caddis fly populations. But, it would be a good idea to carry a wide range of colors and sizes of the Elk Hair Caddis.
One of my favorite searching patterns is a size #18 bead head Prince Nymph. It's small enough where I can drop it off the back of a smaller dry fly or include it in the top levels of my nymphing rigs. Most of the active mayfly nymphs in the fall are smaller in size, so I tend to fish this in a size #16 or smaller.
Including a midge pattern is always a good idea and Zebra Midges get the job done. Overall, Pennsylvania has a pretty healthy midge population across the whole state so you can depend on trout opportunistically feeding on the drifting pupae. More flashy midge patterns like the Holo Midge work great on stocked trout and on bright, sunny days. I prefer darker midge patterns in Pennsylvania based on local midge samples and tie them in towards the top of nymphing rigs or off of a dry fly.
Blue-winged olives (BWO's) are a tiny species of olive-colored mayflies that are commonly found in Pennsylvania and abundant during the fall season. Towards mid-October to early November BWO's are active across the whole state, especially in the prime trout waters of central Pennsylvania.
Without the blanket hatches to tip us off to what the trout are eating, anglers have to dig a little deeper and be a bit more observant during the fall months. There are still trout to be caught, however, and by carrying these flies you’ll be sure to get in on the fun during these next few exciting months!
Flooding can be a major problem for fish, not just us humans.
With vast amounts of debris and sediment being pushed downstream, it can be tough for fish to discern what’s food and what’s not. Not only that, but, too much sediment can clog up their gills.
But, fish still got to eat.
BLOWN OUT STREAMS
“Blown out” streams are when the water is extremely fast moving with a few inches or feet higher than average and full of sediment, aka dirty water.
Yes, you can still catch fish when streams are blown out.
Fish dislike high muddy water just as much as us. They, typically, stay close to the edges and down close to the bottom to avoid the powerful currents. Due to the friction of the water meeting the banks of the stream, water along the edges can be drastically slower than the rapid center. The combination of slower moving water along the bank and the bottom of the stream makes it safer for fish to swim. So, seams, eddies, and slow water along the banks are the ideal location for fish seeking refuge from the storm to rest.
Long stretches of water followed by a deep pool
Deep water
Eddies behind obstructions like fallen trees, boulders, etc.
This is exactly where you want to place your flies.
USE HEAVIER TIPPET & LEADERS
You will also want to ‘up’ the strength of your tippet and leader. Rather than risking your chances by fly fishing light 6x to 4x line, use line from 3x to 0x and here’s why.
Fish see ⅓ of what they normally see in dirty water. This means you can get away with heavier tippets and they still won’t see it. Play it safe and up your weight.
5 TROUT FLIES FOR MUDDY WATER
Your odds of success are heavily dependent on your choice of fly patterns in murky water.
Usually, I like to fish smaller flies and little nymph patterns, but fly fishing in high water and in its apparent low water clarity means you need patterns that can be easily spotted. That’s when I leave all that in the car and bring a small selection of bright attractors, large heavy nymph patterns, and flashy streamers.
Don’t be afraid to go big. Remember, water flows are much faster and higher so it will take much more weight to get down to where the fish are holding. If you feel like you’re not getting down fast enough, add a split shot or two a few inches above your flies.
Here are trout flies we use in high muddy water
1. White Muddy Bunny
White shows up well in dirty water and has a decent contrast. Most anglers do not know that streamers, like this one, dead drifted below an indicator can be extremely effective.
2. Newbury’s Dirty Hipster
3. Tungsten Missile
4. Beaded Black Woolly Bugger
5. Squirmy Wormy
Here is the complete breakdown of tips for fly fishing blown out streams:
Cast along seams and slower moving pools along the banks and behind obstructions.
Use weighted nymphs to get down near the bottom
Streamers can be swung for larger fish
Split-shots are great for adding more weight
Use indicators to place precision shots in seams you can’t reach
Never attempt to cross the stream or wade in
Use a wading stick to carefully place your feet along the banks
One of the only months that rivals the vast hatches of spring is the fall. With the migration of many winged-insects in autumn and the calm cooling temperatures throughout the day, there are always many opportunities present for avid fly anglers.
There is only a short list of 17 fly patterns that we rely on continuously to make the most of the day. When one isn’t producing or the day’s hatch is sparse, we pull another from the list and keep on fishing. We recommend that having a good supply of some of these patterns will carry you through all your fall fly fishing trips.
So here are our favorite and best fly fishing trout flies for the fall whether you’re targeting rainbow trout, brown trout, or brook trout.
Depth is so incredibly important with nymphs. Getting your flies down rolling near the bottom is the optimal location when Fall days bring high water and fast currents. That’s when I turn to the Tungsten Missile to drop like an anchor with it’s shiny and slim design by the weight of its tungsten bead. I have, also, surprisingly found that the color choice and profile of its baetis nymph design is uniquely more effective than more than half of my fly box. It has outfished even my prior favorite nymphs and pupae patterns, which earns it the top spot on our list.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, why a woolly bugger? Plain and simple, woolly buggers are one of the best patterns for fall and winter fishing.
Trout migrate to deep pools in the fall in preparation for winter. Along the way, they bulk up quick by becoming increasingly aggressive in their eating habits. You may think that that means easy pickin’s. Well, maybe. In warm conditions, you’ll find that. But, most of the time trout will rarely move a few feet to chase a meal in winter. So when you strip a streamer through a pool expecting one to gobble it up, don’t be surprised to come up short.
Midges represent over 50% of a trout's diet in the fall and winter months. As spring approaches and temperatures begin to rise, they become even more important. Frankly, they are fantastic year-round when hatches are sparse and infrequent. Use a 4x - 6x tippet and space flies 9 - 12 inches apart.
Rather than imitate naturals, this pattern is an attractor fly, which is designed to grab and hold a fish's attention. In my own nymphing rigs, I either fish this single or coupled with another fly or two. When paired with another fly, I always make sure to put this hot head near or at the bottom of the rig.
With water temperatures rising to optimal levels, caddis are exploding. Typically water temperatures around 52 to 54 degrees trigger massive caddis activity. During the mid-day, feeding trout will mainly focus on the quick-swimming pupae that make their way to the surface. A simple rig of two to three soft-hackled wet flies swung through a pod of rising trout will surely get a strike.
Towards dusk, caddis will return to the water to deposit their eggs. This is your opportunity to target dozens of rising trout with few refusals. It is essential to present these Elk Hair patterns on the surface with minimal drag when your fly is pulled unnaturally. This is typically caused by your line getting pushed and pulled by the currents.
When other flies fail, this soft hackle pattern has an uncanny way of surpassing our expectations. While it can be swung through pocket water and deep pools, the Caddis Soft Hackle is most effectively fished either below an indicator whether it be a foam strike indicator or a buoyant dry fly.
Emergers look similar in profile and have natural earthy tones, which means one pattern can nearly imitate all of them. The Snowshoe Emerger is one of those versatile patterns. Having just one pattern for an array of different hatches allows you to save room in your fly boxes and pack light.
Emergers are not like fishing other patterns like caddis or terrestrials where a slight twitch may entice a strike. It is better to fish emergers dead-drift style, meaning make it drift down the stream like it is dead and not moving. Any excessive amount of drag and resistance will signal to trout that something isn't right.
Allow this pattern to sink just under the surface after a few casts. If you'd prefer to have it float just add a non-liquid floatant.
Streams will get deep and fast with the amount of rain fall brings. And, sometimes, hatches will be delayed when water temperatures drop from cold spells, snowmelt, and or rainfall. While insects become less active, fish must still continue to feed. As a result, they will rely more heavily on easy and opportunistic meals.
Swinging a streamer through sections of a nice 'run' and striping in at a modest pace with timed pauses is an effective way to entice larger fish in poor and good conditions.
Jig nymphs are probably my favorite type of nymph pattern. They have a less likely chance of snagging on the bottom and you can pack a good amount of weight on the shank.
Grasshoppers, crickets, and stoneflies provide tons of protein for trout before the winter months. Although these meals are not prolific, trout never fail to capitalize on the errors of these large insects. Target deep pools along the banks with over-hanging vegetation by casting a few feet before the hole. I also suggest using the Chubby Chernobyl as an indicator in a hopper-dropper style rig by attaching a length of tippet to the hook eye and a nymph of your choice.
The water's edge is a death trap for clumsy ants. One misstep or a gentle gust of wind can send them tumbling into the water. It is not uncommon to find fish awaiting, what we call, terrestrials along the shore. Look to target water beneath hanging tree limbs, eroded banks, and overhanging brush.
Amidst all the chaos of larger insects hatching, trout may fool you and key in on something else — something smaller. This is what we call a masking hatch. Usually, it's a smaller insect hatching amongst other larger flies. Trout will often only feed on the smaller insect because they are more abundant and or easier to catch.
Having a versatile emerger and adult pattern like this BWO Parachute is perfect for imitating not only Blue Winged Olives (BWO) but a wide range of tiny mayflies and midges.
There are two telltale signs that a masking hatch is occurring. Probably the most acclaimed sign is when fish seem to be rising to 'nothing' — because the insect is so small. And the other, when fish refuse your fly consistently. While they may refuse to take your fly for other reasons, considering all your options is always a wise choice.
This pattern is a favorite of ours for tailwaters and pools of more selective trout. Typically, we fish this within our nymphing rigs or drop it off the back of a buoyant dry fly -- such as a hopper or foam elk hair caddis. Our boxes are packed full of RS2's in all sorts of tiny sizes ranging from size #18 to a #24.
During the fall spawning season of brown trout, rainbow trout will pool up below the bedding grounds and pick off the loose eggs drifting downstream. Fish eggs are packed with so much nutritional value that most trout will have a hard time letting one getaway. We always caution, never cast to spawning trout but the trout downstream are usually fair game.
Jigging streamers isn't an orthodox method within the fly fishing community, but it is surprisingly effective in the right areas. In wide pools with a modest flow, we target the tail ends of the pool to swing-n-jig these micro streamers across. A slow up-and-down motion with your rod produces a 'jigging' action. It's best to use a tight-line fishing technique when jigging for better line control, which is also known as 'Euro-nymphing'.
As much as you love to hate Squirmy Wormies, they catch fish. That being said, there is a time and a place for them. Aquatic worms are a natural part of the ecosystem but truly become an important food source to trout during and after rainfall or snowmelt. Anytime the water is high and carries a hint of sediment, grab a squirmy wormy and hit the slack water. In these times of high-water trout will find refuge behind rocks, fallen trees, and in natural eddies. Squirmy Wormy flies do have a rather slow sink rate because of the drag caused by the worm material on either end. As a result, add a bit of weight when fly fishing a squirmy wormy by tying in a heavier nymph below or add some split shots.
Hare's Ear nymphs can imitate a wide variety of mayflies, caddis, and stonefly larvae. They are buggy, ugly, and has all you need to fool some fall trout. Water in the fall tends to be slow and clear, so we like to go really big or really small. In this case, we tend to fish this in the smaller sizes (#16 - #20) within our nymphing rigs or dropped below some hefty dry flies.
