With spring officially sprung, trout mania is spreading like wildfire.

For many, the flies are tied and the waders are in the vehicle.

Anglers can hardly wait to get their feet wet along area streams. So, what are they waiting for?

Nothing, if the weather holds out. April weather can be an extension of winter or a harbinger of spring. It’s usually something of both.

There’s no doubt about it: weather during this turbulent month certainly sets the stage for spring trout fishing.

Most of us will take advantage of the best and try to avoid the worst of the remaining few days of this unpredictable period.

But small headwaters and meandering streams in Southern West Virginia can pose other challenges to prospective trout fishermen.

The quarry is there, to be sure, but how can anglers get close enough without spooking the gamefish?

Most prospective fly-fishers have adopted stalking techniques like those employed by white-tail hunters in dense, brushy forests.

If anglers on narrow, bush-clad streams envision themselves as hunters, rather than fishermen, they’ve probably won half the battle.

A few anglers often succeed on streams that frustrate other experienced fly-fishermen.

The reason seems logical enough: their techniques include absolute stealth; reading the currents; knowing where trout should be without needing to see tangible signs of the fish themselves and using cover to their advantage.

They wear drab clothing that blends with the forest canopy, and they prefer pale green fly line, because it resembles the underside of leaves above many streams.

Fly-fishermen who routinely catch trout seem to practice many of the same techniques.

Here are a few tips that were handed to me over the past few years:

Stay out of the water. Walking on banks is quieter and is less disturbing to the fish.

Minimize the number of false casts and back casts, which can result in spooked fish and hooked-up flies. Avoid false casting directly over the fish.

Strive for precision casting. Your first cast has the best chance in being taken but try to give the fish different views of the fly.

To avoid spooking trout, never pick up a fly before it’s behind the fish.

Don’t change locations until you catch the first fish you see feeding. (But don’t spend all day courting a lunker gamefish that refuses to take your fly.)

Trout are opportunistic feeders. Precision casting is usually better than exactly “matching the hatch.” Often there is little or no hatch. If several casts get no response, change patterns or sizes.

Too many anglers give little thought to the importance of hooking, playing, and landing fish until they find themselves attached to a good one.

And then it’s usually too late, because things have a way of happening so quickly that, in an instant, the fish can decide the matter in its favor.

It isn’t mere luck, though, that some fishermen land far more good fish than they lose.

They take care of details and eliminate as many possibilities as possible for failure before the first cast is made.

Hooks should always be needle sharp. Sharp hooks penetrate deeply and cleanly, making them less likely to pull or tear loose during a lengthy battle.

A well-honed hook requires less force to set firmly, meaning there is less chance of snapping or weakening a light tippet on the strike.

Leader tippets should be checked frequently for nicks, kinks, abrasion, or anything else that could possibly weaken this last link between angler and fish.

One thing I’ve learned about landing a fish is this: If he is hooked well, barring some unforeseen complication or a stupid mistake on my part, I usually can bring him to net.

But if he is not hooked well, he likely will get away, no matter how gently I coax him to stay on the line.

Trout put up a good fight when they’re hooked.

They’re very greedy eaters too. They feed on insects, crustaceans, worms, and smaller fishes and their eggs.

Growth of the young depends on the availability of food and on other environmental conditions. Trout thrive in cool, clear waters, where the current is strong and there are rapids and deep pools.

The gamefish are among the most popular of all sport fishes, and in many areas of the U.S. (including the Mountain State) streams are often stocked with trout raised in hatcheries.

Trout mania is spreading like wildfire. So, why not just go with it?

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Lootpress brings you the latest news in Southern West Virginia and around.

© 2021 Lootpress - Your News, Now! Lootpress.

© 2021 Lootpress - Your News, Now! Lootpress.

Login to your account below

Fill the forms below to register

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.