Well here we are on the verge of another great fishing season.  U.P. Inland Trout season opens this Saturday and the Wisconsin opener is May first!  Wow, it seems like it was just November doesn’t it?

 

Steelhead season was very brief, low water levels again this spring contributed to fewer fish staying in their spawning areas for very long.  

 

Our water levels are very low, (almost August levels), so needless to say the trout are going to be wary and will be easy to put down.  The good news is we are just beginning into the Hendrickson Hatch and the timing couldn’t be better.

 

A few things to remember as you travel afield in the coming days and weeks.  The water is still cool, our night time temperatures are still in the 20’s and 30’s in spite of the extremely early spring we are experiencing.  With this in mind, think about the needs/wants of the trout.  

 

In the winter months the trout migrate downstream in search of deeper water to over winter in, when the water temps and high water returns, they begin moving back upstream where the food is more plentiful.  Low water and cooler temperatures will slow those returning fish down, so expect the larger fish to be farther downstream than you would expect them to be.

 

Low water gives the trout less space to live in so the populations of fish will be more spread out and there will be fewer fish in the traditional areas where you have found them in the past.  You will find a few fish where you wouldn’t normally see them, especially under those heavy branches with less than a foot of water below them!

 

Low water levels also put the food in closer proximity to the trout, therefore they won’t have to go very far - your presentations need to be spot-on to get the take!

 

A big bite is worth chasing down if it’s easy to catch!  When swinging your streamers through the best looking water, use plenty of mends to slow the fly down and let it hang at the end of the swing before picking it up.  Many times a fish will be watching the fly just waiting for it to slow down or pause, then it will strike quickly - use sharp hooks, you’re only going to get one chance!

 

Clearer water requires a stealthy apporach - don’t just slog up to the banks and expect the fish to jump out of the stream for you.  Keep a low profile, make your first cast your best cast, and use a less visible tippet.  I do not condone the use of Flourocarbon lines however - they last up to 100,000 years in our waters - we don’t need them there, a good quality monofilament tippet material of one size less than what you normally use will do just fine.

 

The populations of bugs are at an all time high in the streams at this time of the year, so the trout will be more tuned in to insects than any other type of food.

 

Lake water levels are also extremely low and it looks like they will not be coming back up in the near future.  A recent report shows we are about 72 inches low on precipitation over the past 8 years - that’s huge and we can’t get that back in one or two years.  Low water levels in the lakes means the fish will have fewer shallow water areas available to them, so they will also be more concentrated, this is good and bad. 

 

Once you find the fish, you’ll probably find a bunch of them, the bad news is they will be easily spooked with a bad cast or too much noise from the boat or by pressuring them and getting too close to them.

 

My friends at the DNR tell me the Northern Pike and Walleyes are done spawning, and Muskies are just about finished, this is the earliest spawn they have ever experienced.  That should mean the chances of more fry survival is increased, but the lower water levels give the little fish fewer places to hide from the larger predators - lets hope they make it!

 

I have also been told most Crappies are just about finished spawning and the Bluegills and Bass are moving into the shorelines in their traditional pre-spawn rituals.  This is a good 3 weeks early, so expect the panfishing to be fantastic right from the start.  Cooler water temps will keep the fish off the surface, but they’ll take a sinking fly readily!  Small Stonefly Nymphs, Wooly Worms, and small Zonkers or Minkies will be great!

 

Cool water means clear water with little or no weed growth, so any green vegetation in the water will be a magnet for all fish!  Just like in the fall, green weeds give off more oxygen than decaying plants, this will attract insectsand then minnows, and finally all the predatory fish that feed on them - the whole food cahin begins with sunlight and plant growth!

 

Sight fishing for Pike will be great for the next few weeks until plant growth and water temps drive them deeper.  Since the Walleyes have mostly finished spawning and the panfish are moving into the shallows quickly, the larger predators will be on the prowl.

 

I expect Pike, Bass and even Muskies will be crashing the baitfish on opening day.  Get your 9 weight out, clean and dress that line, tie up your Titanium Bite Tippets and get ready for some great sight fishing in shallow water - especially at creek mouths and in shallow wind protected bays!

 

The fish will be in the shallows, but they won’t be pushovers, a quiet, stealthy approach, good cast, and a believable presentation are all important!  Afternoon and evening fishing will be best until morning temps become warmer and more consistent.

Bill Sherer’s We Tie It Fly Shop

5570 County Rd. M

P.O. Box 516

Boulder Jct., WI 54512-0516

715-385-0171

www.wetieit.com

wetieit@wetieit.com