Plan your day out
Opening day can get crazy. Many "Saturday fishermen" will be
out for the first few days and you will have to compete with more traffic than
usual. There is nothing I hate more than going to my favorite spot where I
never see a person, to find 40 other anglers are already there. You need to have a contingency plan. I try to
make plans like this is my vacation. I write down where I am going out, how
long I am going to be there, and mark the places I think most “Joe Fisherman”
won’t be able to make it to.
Fishing opening day is not only about finding fish but also avoiding
tons of traffic. Be smart about your schedule and stick to it, UNLESS you are
pulling them in like crazy.
Get up early
I don’t like waking up early for anything, but fishing is
one of the few things I will climb out of bed at 4 am for. When I get ready for
bed this Friday night, I will already have everything in order to walk out the
door and go fishing.
Pennsylvania has this strange rule that on the day of
opening trout season you can’t start fishing until 8 am. Most anglers will
mosey down to the water bank at about 7:30 and get mad that guys camping from
the night before take all the “good spots”. I made it to my first spot last
year at about 6:30 and there was already 20+ cars lining the access road. Talk
about a buzz kill. Finding all those cars made me realize that there are
fishermen more dedicated than I was. I came to two conclusions:
1)
Wake up early. Don’t be lazy, or someone else is
going to out fish you
2)
Use that extra time to get acquainted with the
water. Mark your area, and then go survey places where other fishermen aren’t.
Have your equipment organized
I tend to run around through the woods with a backpack. I
find that hiking and spot fishing requires me to be able to move all my
equipment fairly easily, and I like to be hands-free while I am focusing on the
water. Last year my backpack went everywhere with me. This year, it has a
little brother…
I went out with my gift certificate after Christmas and
bought a new backpack specifically for trout. I got doubles of all the
important material (pliers, stringers, etc.) and feel much more organized for
opening day than I ever have been. I have all my spinners and trout bait in an
easily accessible area. When I’m wading through the water, it is very
convenient to have everything I need organized and available.
Organizing doesn’t stop at just your fishing lures and
baits. The trunk of my car is full of fishing equipment. I store lanterns,
extra line, and a first aid kit in the car to help for any fishing trip. I bought storage tubs to help keep the clutter
under control and labeled them with its contents. Whatever way you decide to
organize, remember to reorganize on a regular basis.
Trout bait works
Since most of the trout we encounter in the first trip out
are stocked, you have to think about their diet. Farm raised trout don’t eat
minnows and crayfish in their spawning ponds. They eat trout nuggets. I was
reminded of this last year when I was fishing Canoe Creek in Hollidaysburg, PA.
While I was on vacation at my in-laws I decided to hit up the creek. There was probably 15 trout underneath a
small bridge. I dropped a unhooked trout bait into the water and they went
crazy. Trout are trained to “feeder baits”, so utilize it to the best of your
ability.
Fishing etiquette is important
Can you and another person really fish the same fishing
spot? Maybe it is just me, but I don’t like to share… I find it irritating to
deal with other fishermen that don’t understand fishing etiquette. Remember these tips on opening day and
everyone will enjoy their trip:
1)
If you are fishing in a public place. It is
first come first serve. If you don’t want another person in your spot, get
there first.
2)
Give room for others. Don’t stand shoulder to shoulder if at all
possible. It is especially annoying to be the first person there and another
angler comes in without asking and fishes the same spot. If you have to share, be cognizant of
rotating casts.
3)
Don’t hinder someone’s fishing area. This is
especially important for those who boat or wade during opening day. Just because
you can get in the water doesn’t mean you own everywhere you want to stop.
High noon is prime time
The winter has been rough on us this year. With all the cold
weather and late snow, the water is colder than it has been in the last 5
years. Although trout love cold water their ideal temperature is above 40
degrees. They are continually active during temperature rises all the way to 63
degrees. Make sure to check the how cold the water is with a thermometer every
hour. With the sun high in the sky and the weather warming up, you will be
pulling them in.
Fish through the weather
There is a 70% that tomorrow will be rainy. The first
question my best friend Kyle asked, “Do you still want go fishing on Saturday?”
I felt like laughing it off. I will be out there, and hopefully it will deter
others from chancing the weather.
When the rain first starts I will be fishing powerbaits and
trying the homemade floating dough bait I made. I will be on the look out for
ambush spots that trout can sit and a nice covered eddy to fish while it is
raining. With the water stirring up from the rain, I have enough inline
spinners and reactionary lures that will catch attention. Make sure you match
your spoon to the water clarity. I find on an overcast or rainy day that a
white lure with a silver spoon produces the best.
Whatever you plan for opening day, make sure you research
all different weather patterns and know what will work.
Know your fishing hole
Knowing all the ins and outs of your fishing hole starts
weeks before trout season. I would encourage you to scout your spots and notice
what has changed since the last time you were there. I had a fishing hole I
loved to fish two years ago and decided last year to revisit the same area.
Unfortunately flooding and some trees that had fallen down destroyed everything
that made my fishing hole so great. I wasted a day trying to revisit a place I
should have scouted well in advance.
Sight fishing is key
It may be hard to see trout in the water, but sight fishing
brings the best results for me. If it looks like a trout should be there, they
probably are. Spend the time to sneak up on the hole, bring your polarized
glasses and stand still. Keep low and if at all possible and approach the trout
from downstream.
You may not be able to see trout right away, but I will sit
still for up to 5 minutes to survey the water. If the trout see you they have
two reactions; swim away or stay very still. Once they get used to you being
near, they will become more active and they easier to see.
Wear the right clothes
Many people will be out tomorrow morning and will come with
all the wrong clothing. I have seen people at 6 am in shorts, bright orange
shirts, and sandals. They are the type of people that quit by 10 am. They end
up cold, fishless and cranky.
Besides dressing for the weather, you need to dress for the
fish. Trout have very keen eyesight. They can see almost 180 degrees out of the
water. If you are wearing unnatural colors, you are immediately identified as a
threat. Make sure to dress in dark greys, browns, blues and greens.
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