Fishing the Dream Stream is a year round pastime, and continues to provide special and unique fly fishing experiences as the colder months arrive. For many, fly fishing in the colder season provides some of the most satisfying fishing of the year.

In the fall, there are huge migrations of browns, rainbows and cutthroats entering the Dream Stream to spawn and lay eggs. Nymph and streamer fishing are favorites for hooking these monstrous lake run trout. Kokanee salmon also enter the river during the fall months. Most range between one to five pounds and are a challenge to reel in. Searching out these Gold Medal fish in the many Dream Stream riffles and slick runs is a pleasurable exercise. Hatch activity continues to be vibrant in the fall months, with prolific rises of blue winged olives, tricos, midges, pale morning duns, as well as a good selection of stoneflies and caddis.

Even with snow on the ground, the Dream Stream is an active fishery as temperatures remain relatively constant with flow from the Spinney Mountain Reservoir. Actually a warm and sunny winter day can be one of the best times to fish the Dream Stream. Angler crowds have decreased dramatically, and I can often find a stretch of the river that I can call my own. There continues to be plentiful insect life on the stream, mostly small midges and mayflies.

In the colder months, I usually time my fishing to between 11 am and 4 pm since the fish really don’t become active until the day warms up. Knowing that water flows are often between 50 and 80 cubic feet per minute during colder months, I try to keep a low profile to avoid spooking the fish as I approach.

I always expect a fall or winter Dream Stream fly fishing expedition to be a productive and successful one. A word of caution, though: expect cold temperatures and high winds to be howling down this stretch of the river, so always be prepared with appropriate outdoor gear.