On the Fly: Top 10 flies for winter

It’s never too early to prepare your winter fly box. Here are some of our don’t-leave-home-without fly patterns for the coming season:

Tungsten Two Bead Nymph

Akin to Charlie Craven’s Two-Bit Hooker, this Dream Cast pattern comes in light olive, purple, and black. Small and double-beaded, it plummets down to where the fish tend to be in the colder months.

Stealth CDC Pheasant Tail

Utilizing a curved hook and a glossy black tungsten bead, this PT variant gets into the strike zone quickly and looks a little different than the rest.

Jigged France Fly

Originally designed by Hunter Hoffler (from the USA Youth Competition Fly Fishing Team), this slimmed-down, Euro-style nymph is the ticket for low water situations.

Flash Tail Mini Egg

Simple and imitating trout eggs that are found in local rivers from fall through spring, most anglers have an egg on their rig when the weather cools down. Popular colors are Oregon cheese, champagne pink, and fluorescent orange.

Brandon Soucie’s Sushi Shrimp

From local guide and fly tyer Brandon Soucie, his new Umpqua pattern is fooling fish on the upper Fryingpan River with much success. Featuring orange eyes and a wispy yarn tail — it’s effective!

Reed’s Magma Mysis

Tyler Reed came up with this effective mysis pattern a few years ago. Bomb-proof with an-orange-ish hot spot behind the eye, this little fly belongs in any tailwater angler’s fly box where mysis shrimp exist.

Brandon Soucie’s Swidge

The Swidge was the hot fly this fall on Colorado and Roaring Fork River float trips, and now we’re finding it works really well where we wade on the Fryingpan, Crystal, and upper Fork. This locally-crafted nymph is available in grey, brown, and black.

Craig Matthews’ Improved Z-Lon Midge

Mr. Matthews needs no introduction if you are a fly nut, and his tiny and dark emerging midge pattern works well with fussy tailwater fish focused on midges.

Bling Midge

Locally called “The Bling,” this uber-slim (with a tiny amount of flash) midge larva is on everyone’s list of must-have flies. Available in charcoal grey, cream, and black. 

Mole Fly Midge

Some people disagree with who originated this fly, but no one can argue with its effectiveness. We carry baetis and pale morning dun versions also, but the midge will remain effective in winter. Imitating insects in a vulnerable state of emergence, the Mole midge is simply deadly.

This report is provided every week by Taylor Creek Fly Shops in Aspen and Basalt. Taylor Creek can be reached at 970-927-4374 or TaylorCreek.com.