big naturals

[acabtp]

got out for the opener yesterday. i like to go out every year even though it's busy, just part of my spring routine. found cars at my first few planned spots, but that's fine happy to see so many people out fishing. found a spot to get on the creek and have it all to myself so got to work. it was real cold, 37°, so as expected it was a slow start, a couple nibbles but no connections. after an hour decided to change it up and head for a "go to" spot on another creek. found it full of fishermen so tried another smaller pool instead. pulled two stockers but the rest just wouldn't commit.

i was near another stream that i had been meaning to try so decided to give up on the stocked trout for now and go after some wild ones. short drive and back on the water. walked up on a few pools, spooked fish, then walked more stealthily upriver to the next big pool. couple casts in, got a big hit, peeled some drag on my stocked trout setup and got off. another few casts later same thing again. changed lures and finally connected with a beauty of a native brook trout. great fighter, jumps, much more energetic (and larger) than the stockers from a couple hours earlier. pic doesn't do it justice (i have big hands). kept going up the stream and playing with the native brookies... most too small to hook on the spinner i was running (flies would have been better) but a few nicer fish mixed in. all were very active happy fish with fat bellies and C&R'd.

native brook trout video



by then it was getting warm and i was hungry for lunch so i headed back towards home. figured that the stocked trout might be more active than earlier in the morning, so stopped at one of the now empty holes close to home and quickly completed my limit of stockers. a lot of follows, light strikes and dropped fish though, like the fresh stockies are still figuring out how to eat a lure right haha

went back out with my buddy in the afternoon/eve and tried a few more spots. c&r some more rainbows plus a nice for the creek larry and a big old fallfish (musky candy)



real slow start for the opener but that was expected with the cold night. things picked up in the afternoon quite a bit as the water temps went up and the flows went down. one spot i fished morning and evening was down like 6" in 10 hours. all smaller streams today because the main rivers were blown out around here, but i bet everything will be fishing real nice later this week.

all and all not a bad day. brought about a dozen stockers to the net (ORL). did notice that the hatchery rainbows seem to be a little smaller this year than last. nothing that was sub-legal, but just smaller on average i think, at least the places i fished. i guess that's just how it goes. hopefully some of the later stockings will bring some bigger rainbows.

well that's just the start, another two months of trouting ahead of us
good luck to everybody hope all have an enjoyable and safe season