If you don’t mind the icy edges and cold temperatures then fly fishing in the winter can be productive. The VA DWR continues to stock the streams throughout the winter. By now these trout are looking for natural foods in the streams. One of the richest areas to find large concentrations of natural foods are the springs. These provide many cress bugs and shrimp for the trout. A large spring flowing into a stream which is 30-feet wide may hold many trout for the next 100-feet downstream. The Cress Bug and Murray’s Shrimp in size 14 & 16 fished slowly across stream can be very effective.



A small spring flowing into a stream can be very exciting to fish by using a cautious upstream approach and fishing these flies upstream dead drift. These springs are easy to locate by the rich green weed growth in the stream and on the bank. Listen to my podcast for more information.>>



Fly Fishing Workshop



During the winter months, I conduct fly fishing workshops in my fly shop in Edinburg, VA. These are slide show presentations in a classroom setting–not on the stream.



Trout Fishing in the Shenandoah National Park 101 Class on January 7, 2023 at 10a.m.



Fine Points of Nymph Fishing for Trout Class on January 14, 2023 at 10a.m.



Fly Tying 101 Class on January 28, 2023 at 10a.m.