The tail waters on the North Platte are all fishing well with nymphs and streamers. The annelid, leech and scud continue to be the top producing flies on the Reef; while leeches, stones, and eggs are beating them up on the Mile. Freemont Canyon is fishing good as well, and the smaller stream here is easier to fish when the winds start to howl. Fish seem to be sitting in softer water these days, hanging at the lower end of a run or pool close to the tailout. Soft seams around drop offs, and inside edges seem to have good numbers of fish sitting in them, and some more aggressive fish are still chasing streamers. Best rig on the Mile the last week was a rubber legged stonefly nymph up top and a glow bug below. At the Reef the leech seems to work best, and a yellow scud or ray charles does great all Winter. Annelids, scuds, craneflies, and midges are also good bets in Winter for all the tail water sections of the North Platte. Crowds are down on all 3 stretches and the wade fishing is great with the lower flows of Winter. Fishing each of these tail waters is good to great throughout the Winter with the Reef giving you your Rainbow fix, and the Mile taking care of the Brown in you. Look for the Mile to be hot through February and March as the rainbows start to push upstream from Pathfinder. Freemont is great in late winter and the Reef won't start to get crowded until March. All of these tail waters will give you chances at trophy fish throughout the Winter. Weather may dictate if and when you can get on the water. The Mile is not a pleasant place to be stranded without plenty of brown water. Weather permitting, the North Platte tail waters are an excellent destination throughout winter.

Saratoga area is fishing good with nymphs and streamers in the deep holes, runs, and pools. Ice may be an issue from time to time. March and April will be the months where things start to wake up on the upper North Platte.