After a very mild and pleasant fall we have rolled into more of our standard winter weather program.  Weather and wind.  Either we’re getting snow or it’s blowing, that’s pretty much it in a nutshell.  Population control for Central Wyoming.

Grey Reef is finally starting to see some icy conditions below Government Bridge.  The Upper, as always this time of year, is the place to be.  Flows are at 450cfs and clear, with the vegetation becoming less and less by the day.  Pine squirrel leeches, PALs, rhinestones, reef worms and small pheasant tails are the bugs of choice.  With water temperatures dropping we are definitely concentrating on the lower half of the run and focusing on the deeper tailouts and seams.  Thats not to say you can’t find them nosed up to shelf during the afternoon midge hatch but the most overall productive water is going to be the deep stuff.

So how about the Miracle Mile fishing report?  Well, with the weather finally shaping up more into its winter pattern the crowds have finally started to subside.  Per usual, make sure to check with us our someone else “local” this time of year before you venture that way.  Roads can get nasty and the Mile is not the place to get stuck this time of year.  While nymphing is always a popular winter program on the Mile, you’ll find most of us headed out there to swing a streamer.  Again, with water temperatures hovering slightly above freezing, the slow/deep tailouts are your friend.  Intermediate lines and/or a short sink-tip is the way to go.  These lines along with a weighted streamer will get you into the lower third of the water column, putting your streamer in front of their faces.  For whatever reason you’re hard pressed to beat an articulated goldie or rusty trombone when it comes to swinging the Miracle Mile.