Winter fly fishing in Minnesota’s Driftless Area

By Jason Swingen - Gitche Gumee Chapter President, Fly Fishing Guide on January 16, 2026

For many Minnesota anglers, January is a month spent leaning over an ice hole or a fly-tying vice, but if you are willing to embrace the cold you can be rewarded with some great fly fishing memories. While the rest of the state is locked in a deep freeze, the spring-fed streams of the driftless remain open and filled with trout for those that are brave enough to put on those soon too be icy wading boots.

Presentation

I the winter, a trout’s metabolism slows way down. They aren’t often going to chase a streamer across a pool or move five feet for a nymph. Success in the winter requires a delicate approach. Nymphing will be your primary winter tactic. Focus your efforts on deep, slow-moving pools, or the oxygenated water immediately downstream of a riffle. Your rigging should be delicate. Clear winter water demands long, light leaders. A 9’ 5x leader with 2’ of 6x fluorocarbon tippet is a good starting point. Make sure to approach stealthfully and focus on getting your flies towards the bottom. Your goal is a perfect dead-drift, placing a tiny offering directly in the path of a holding fish.

Nymphs

You don’t need a massive fly box during the winter. Here are a few of my most successful patterns.

The Zebra Midge (Size 18–22): Simple, elegant, and lethal. In black or olive with a silver tungsten bead, it mimics the primary winter food source.
The Pink Squirrel: Many of you are very familiar with this Driftless staple. The flashy dubbing and “hot spot” collar are often the only things that will trigger a lethargic brown trout to open its mouth.
Griffith’s Gnat: Keep a few of these in your pocket. On those rare, “balmy” 34°F afternoons, midges will cluster on the surface, and you might just find a riser in the tail of a pool.

Habitat

As you wade, take a moment to look at the stream banks. Many of the stretches we fish in January are open to us because of MNTU’s habitat restoration projects. By stabilizing banks and narrowing stream channels, we’ve created the deep-water cover that allows these fish to survive the winter. Without these projects, many of these runs would be choked with sediment, leaving the trout vulnerable to the elements. Learn more about the importance of pools as trout habitat in stream restoration.

Stewardship

When the air temperature is below freezing, special care is required. A trout’s gill filaments can freeze in seconds when exposed to the air.

Keep ’em wet – Handle fish quickly, keep them submerged, and use barbless hooks for a fast release. Winter fishing reminds us why we do what we do at MNTU. We protect these cold-water resources so that even in the heart of a Minnesota winter, there is a place where the water still flows.
Fish Barbless – It’s a good idea to fish barbless hooks at any time, but it’s even more beneficial during the winter. Barbless hooks are easier on the fish, allow the fish to get back in the water quickly, and when fishing in the winter barbless hooks allow you to release fish without needing to get your hands wet.

Winter Gear Checklist

Fishing in sub-freezing temperatures requires more than just your old trusty 4 or 5 weight rod. Don’t leave the house without these winter fishing items:

Lip Balm: Apply a thin layer to your rod guides. This helps ice from clogging the eyes after every three casts.
Scissor Mitten Clamps: Trying to open a standard hemostat with frozen fingers is frustrating. Mitten-style clamps are much easier to operate while wearing gloves. They work great any time of year as well.
Extra Clothes: Keep a spare pair of wool socks and clothes in your vehicle. No further explanation needed..
Liner Gloves: Wear these under your fingerless wool mitts. They provide a base layer of warmth while still allowing the dexterity needed to tie knots with tiny 6x or 7x lines.

Fly Tying

Beadhead Zebra Midge Fly

Watch expert fly tyer Paul Johnson with the Laughing Trout Fly Tying Club tie a Zebra Midge. This is fairly simple fly to tie, but can be difficult because of the size. It’s a great pattern that can be used all year long and only requires a few materials to get started.