Trending
By Walt Young
For the Mirror
It is now the second week of trout season. And what a difference a week makes. On the opening weekend, countless anglers flocked to just about every trout stream, but in spite of the crowds and all the ensuing commotion, many of those hopeful fishermen were able to hook a trout or two for their efforts.
Plenty of folks will also be out fishing for trout this weekend but in only a fraction of the numbers that turned out for the season opener. That trend will continue over the next few weeks.
The reason so many folks turn out for opening day and then quickly find other forms of recreation shortly thereafter is easy to understand. Almost every county around the state has a dozen or more streams stocked with trout in preparation for the first day of the season.
Most of the time the trout are planted at several well-known locations on a given stretch of stream. All those hatchery transplants tend to be pathetically easy to catch. Those naive fish will greedily attack just about any bait or lure tossed into the water. They also have no fear of all the humans with fishing rods lined up in and along the stream when the season starts. As a result, very little skill is required to catch the gullible stocked trout for those anglers at the right place when the season starts.
Of course, those easy first-day pickings only last from a few hours to a day or so. So many anglers who were delighted to catch some trout despite making all sorts of mistakes are then set up for a dismal result on their next time out.
While those of us who prefer a little solitude on the stream to easily caught stocked trout are always glad to see the opening day crowds dwindle away, it is sad to see so many folks quickly lose interest in trout fishing and never make the effort to learn some basic skills for successful trout fishing.
It is remarkable how well some of the initially stupid hatchery trout will adapt to the ways of the wild if afforded the chance. The overall numbers of the stocked fish are thinned early on as many are caught and kept on the first morning. The fish that survive the initial onslaught of fishing pressure begin to beware of all the two-legged predators sloshing about.
Some will receive a reprieve for their first mistake by slipping off the hook or being returned to the water by an angler practicing catch and release. The longer a stocked trout remains in the stream the more it learns about the aquatic insects and other natural food sources in its new home while avoiding some of the more outlandish offerings and unnatural presentations from anglers. To continue to catch trout consistently after the first week of trout season, anglers must adapt to the fact that their quarry will be tougher to fool. Here are a few tips for the second week of trout season and beyond.
First, think about fine-tuning your gear. Does your favorite rod and reel cast smoothly and accurately? If not, think about investing in an outfit that does. And that doesn't mean buying the most expensive gear in the tackle store. There is lots of good equipment available in all price ranges, so find some that suits your style and your wallet.
Regardless of whether your reel cost $20 or $200, spool it properly with good quality line and change it frequently. Fresh line is cheap insurance against casting problems and makes fishing a pleasure.
Recent rainfall finds most streams in our region with plenty of water. Ample flows can be a slight advantage for springtime anglers. The primary challenge in such conditions is to get the bait or lure down to the fish in the heavier currents. Small split shots are usually the best solution to reach the fish that will be holding right on the stream bottom. Add or remove weight as water depth or current speed changes. Too much weight will get hung up continually, while too little weight will drift by well above the fish and be ignored.
As spring progresses, most streams will likely become low and clear. At that point, any stocked trout remaining are likely to be pretty spooky and need to be treated with reasonable respect if you expect to catch them. Stay out of the water as much as possible and wade slowly and carefully if necessary. Under typical late spring water conditions, downsizing your choice of baits or lures can be a good idea in low, clear water.
One important tactic that has always helped me catch more trout is to find spots that most anglers overlook. Such places can be something that is difficult to fish like around a fallen tree or logjam, under an overhanging limb or bush, or an undercut bank. Other smaller and more subtle features away from the larger, popular pools like a deep riffle or pocket water can be wonderfully productive.
Take time to do a little exploring and prospecting on a favorite stream or two in the coming weeks and you might find some hidden secrets.