The air was sharp and cold. It carried that unmistakable edge of winter’s approach as I waded into one of my favorite limestone streams. The trees stood bare, their leaves long gone, leaving the riverbank stark and quiet. The low-angle of the sun barely warmed the day, but the clarity of the water and the promise of wild trout made the chill easy to ignore. As I hiked in, I stopped to watch a pair of brown trout working their redd in a side channel. It was a reminder of the resilience of these fish and how fragile this time of year can be for them.
On this Thanksgiving Day, I’m grateful for streams like this. These places offer year-round opportunities to fish. They also demand care and respect during critical moments like the spawn. In this post, I’ll share the story of that day. I will focus on how to fish responsibly in late fall. I’ll also discuss how to avoid disrupting spawning trout. Additionally, I’ll explain how to adjust your tactics to find fish in overlooked water types. If you’ve seen the companion video, you already know it was a memorable outing. The tandem rig made it even better by outperforming my expectations.
Respecting the Spawn
When on the river this time of year, look for trout trout actively working their redds. These bright, cleared patches of gravel stand out against the darker stream bed. I couldn’t help but stop and admire the process. Wild brown trout are incredibly resilient, yet during spawning season, they’re also uniquely vulnerable. Their fierce defense of redds reminds us of the delicate balance required to sustain their populations.
Avoid Disrupting the Process
Spawning in limestone streams is a high-stakes period for trout. A single female can lay thousands of eggs but only a tiny percentage of those will survive to become adult fish. The act of spawning is exhausting, leaving trout depleted and in need of recovery. For this reason, it’s important that anglers avoid disrupting the process.
Stepping on redds can be devastating to trout populations. Each redd contains hundreds to thousands of eggs. These eggs are carefully deposited in oxygen-rich gravel. A single misstep can crush these eggs. It can also disturb the gravel, leaving the eggs vulnerable to predators or unfavorable water conditions. Similarly, targeting spawning fish is widely considered unethical. During this critical period, trout are entirely focused on reproduction, making them more susceptible to stress and predation. Hooking and playing these fish not only reduces their chances of successful spawning but also hampers their ability to recover, potentially impacting future generations.
Identifying Redds
Fortunately, not all trout in the river spawn at once. Studies show that brown trout spawning often occurs in waves, with only a small percentage of the population actively engaged at any given time. Furthermore, trout tend to use specific areas for redds, often in shallow, oxygenated water near riffles or tailouts. These areas make up only a fraction of the river, meaning there is plenty of fishable water for those who take the time to look.
We should learn to recognize redds, which are lighter, cleaned areas of gravel in the stream bed. This knowledge helps us fish responsibly. It also allows us to protect these vital spawning sites. Take note of where you spot redds now. These locations are often reused year after year. Avoiding them during spring wading trips ensures you don’t disturb eggs and fry still developing in the gravel.
The Tandem Rig That Stole the Show
As the day wore on, I shifted my focus to deeper runs. I also aimed for slower edges—those tucked-away spots. These are places where trout tend to hold as the water cools. These aren’t the prime riffles you’d target in the spring or summer, but they’re where trout conserve energy during the late fall. For these water types, I turned to a tandem rig setup that has become a cornerstone of my approach.
This strategy, pairs a bold, eye-catching fly with a subtler, more lifelike offering. It’s an approach that appeals to both curiosity and instinct, and on this day, it delivered consistently.
The Show and the Dough
The first fly in the setup—the “show”—was an Eggstacy egg pattern. Its vibrant color stands out in the water. The soft texture creates an undeniable presence. It draws trout from the periphery like a flashing neon sign. But the real magic happened on the trailing fly, the “dough,” which was Roza’s pink pheasant tail nymph.
This fly was a recent addition to my arsenal, and it had an immediate impact. The fly combines subtle flash and natural tones with its pink metallic bead, red wire ribbing, peacock-dubbed collar, and pearl tinsel flashback. This design mimics an aquatic insect while still catching the trout’s eye.
Performance on the Water
What unfolded next surprised me. Typically, during the fall, egg patterns dominate. Trout locked into the spawning cycle tend to key in on drifting eggs, which makes them an obvious choice as the lead fly. But on this day, the pink-beaded pheasant tail seemed to be the only thing they would eat.
Time after time, trout ignored the Eggstacy egg and devoured the trailing pheasant tail nymph. By the time I had landed my fourth or fifth fish, it became clear this wasn’t an anomaly. Out of sheer curiosity, I considered experimenting with other trailer flies, but I hesitated. Something about the rhythm of success kept me in that moment, unwilling to risk breaking the streak. Some might call it stubbornness, others superstition. Either way, I had no reason to mess with what was working.
By the end of the day, almost every trout I caught had taken the pheasant tail. The egg served as little more than an attractor. It was one of those fishing moments that stick with you—the kind that makes you reconsider everything you think you know about what trout want and why.
Finding Trout in Often Overlooked Water Types
One of the keys to late fall fishing is knowing where to look. As water temperatures drop, trout behavior changes. They no longer stay in the high-energy feeding lies they prefer during peak seasons. On this particular day, the more obvious “A” water—the main feeding lanes in runs and riffles—produced surprisingly few fish. The action was happening in what are often overlooked water types: those slower-moving, shallower stretches along the edges of the river.
Strategies to Match Trout Behavior
Why do trout prefer these areas? It comes down to their physiology and energy conservation. In colder water, a trout’s metabolism slows significantly. They don’t need to feed as aggressively or expend as much energy. The often-overlooked water types—shallow, slower stretches of river—provide ideal conditions for this seasonal shift. These areas offer steadier, less turbulent flows, which help trout conserve energy while still allowing them to hold comfortably in the flow.
Fishing these types of water requires a different approach. On windy days, it can be more difficult to maintain contact with your flies, especially as the slower currents make detecting takes harder. Over-weighting your flies is often necessary to counteract the wind and keep your flies in the strike zone. But heavier flies in these slower currents can create a new challenge: they don’t always drift naturally. This is where leading your flies becomes critical.
The Fine Line: Leading vs. Dragging
In slower currents, it’s essential to lead your flies without dragging them. Dragging creates unnatural movement. This movement can spook fish. Leading helps the flies stay in the strike zone for longer. It creates the perfect presentation. To strike the right balance, I kept my casts short. This allowed the flies to sink and drift back toward me. I focused on casting almost directly upstream. This method allowed me to maintain control of my rig while letting the flies drift naturally.
This technique demands a more methodical approach—casting short, frequent drifts rather than relying on long drifts. But it’s well worth the effort. I focused on these often-overlooked stretches. I found myself able to get close to the trout. Many of the takes happened just a few feet away.
Upstream Casting and Short Drifts
One revelation from this trip was the effectiveness of casting almost directly upstream. In many cases, I allowed my flies to drift back to me, sometimes nearly to my feet. This method required shorter, more frequent casts, but it kept my flies in the strike zone—the bottom—where the fish were holding.
It’s a methodical, deliberate way to fish, but it worked. I ended the day with as many fish as I might expect on a prime spring outing. I achieved this simply by adjusting my approach. I also targeted the right water.
Feeling Thankful
As the day on the water came to an end, I couldn’t help but feel thankful. I especially appreciated the solitude and the lessons the day had offered. Late fall fishing on a limestone stream isn’t just about catching fish. It’s about appreciating the nuances of the season. It’s also about respecting the resource that makes it possible.
If you’re looking to extend your season, don’t overlook the opportunities limestone streams provide. With the right mindset and approach, you’ll find active fish, fewer anglers, and a renewed connection to the river.
Spend more time on the water.
Have a great day!
Jeff Smecker
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