Hail and hardy is the best way to describe the trout action so far this 2014 season. (I did not misspell hail). I have only been able to get out four times since January, and even though the water conditions seemed to change with each outing, the results of each attempt have been somewhat disappointing.
My first trout was landed a couple of weeks back when my bride (2014 marks our 40th anniversary), insisted that I take a break from twisting wire and go fishing. I think that she needed the break. I decided to go to the Root River in Preston. The water was high, cold and seemed lifeless. I did raise a couple of fair browns using the new electric blue Hole-Bow spinner, but these were only swirls and the fish never hit the lure. I tried all of my standard winter and early spring spinners, without seeing even a sign of fish, so I went back to the little Hole-Bow.
After another hour of pushing cold, high water with no results, I decided to check out Camp Creek. This stream seemed almost as lifeless as the Root, but it was much easier to wade.
After about an hour of working pools, rapids and various structures, along with a few more promising swirls, I was rewarded with a fair Rainbow.
Since then I have checked out Mill Creek through the town of Chatfield, and I was able to land several Browns in shallow rapids. Except for that short run of less than knee-deep water, I could not even kick up a sucker or chub, let alone a trout in this stream.
The few trout I did get came in on a Copper/Silver Twistless Super Bow. This was only two days before the end of the catch and release season so I was somewhat shocked that there were no stockers in this stream.
Last night after delivering to a couple of shops in the area, I decided to check out the Root over by Forestville. I found the water there to be clear and about a normal level. After throwing an assortment of spinners, the only interest was on the Super Bows with the copper blades. The Root in the Forestville area is now classified as wild, which means that it is left to natural reproduction and no longer stocked. This is not usually a bad thing, except when we have a season of unusually high water forcing anglers to go upstream and putting extra pressure on the Forestville area, as we had in the beginning of 2013. I did notice a little more life here than I expected, and in a couple of hours only landed two Browns.
I was fishing behind a couple of other anglers that were using fly tackle, and though I did not see them landing fish, following anyone is never a recipe for success, but if one plans to fish Forestville, follow-the-leader is the game you play.
Well the first trout of 2014 is in the rearview mirror, it has been a slow uncomfortable start, but with today’s thunderstorms to shake things up, look for our next stretch of sunshine to be a whole lot better.
Copper spinners seem to be the best choice now, but look for spinners with Silver blades to dominate very soon, particularly the Black Pearls and Black Lightenings.
Until next time.
Keep to your country, keep to your word, and keep fishing!
Spindoctor.
Hot Spinners
Silver HOLE-BOW.
Twistless Copper/Silver Super Bow