AFTER THE RAIN

AFTER THE RAIN

by

Dick Alley

              April showers, some of them heavy, have area streams and rivers topping their banks. Local weather forecasts are predicting more of the same.  Rainy days can be both good and bad for fishing in the aftermath of spring showers  and flooded waters.

               Trout season has only just begun and recent storms can only aid in ensuring some excellent fishing right through the Memorial Day weekend. While this week's storms  made for high, fast and muddy currents, two or three dry days in a row will have thee trout putting on the feedbag once again.  Warming temperatures and bright sunshine will bring on the insect hatches.

This pair were caught on a Thomas Buoyant

                As my old friend and Westport-raised fly-fishing expert, Lou Tabory used to say; " April Trout Look Down". It was the title of Lou's first-ever fishing magazine article. Lou tied and fished some of the most effective possum nymphs I ever used and he liked the big and buggy in the early season. When the water was high and fast like in present conditions, weighted nymphs worked even better. My own favorite was always the Hare's Ear. 

Some of my favorite spinners

               Present conditions are also favorable for spinning and live-bait fishing. Whether it's drifting Trout Magnets under a float, or retrieving a flashy spoon like a Phoebe or Thomas Buoyant, or maybe a spinner like a Super Vibrax or a Rooster Tail or one of the famous Mepp's spinners, all will draw hits in these spring conditions.

               I like to cast a bit upstream and bounce the lure on or near bottom using a slow retrieve.
Likewise for bait fishing. Live bait fishing covers a lot of territory. I come from a generation that was out every night just after dark in the early season, gathering night crawlers. They're laying atop the lawns at this time of year and a flashlight and quick hand can fill a bait box in no time simply by reaching down really quick and grabbing the little critters. While night crawlers were always our bait of choice as kids, they were by no means the only live baits. 

         

The Doc Skerlick Fly-fishing area is running high and fast. Calls for caution and weighted streamers or nymphs.

 When our fishing gang began gathering at the Natchaug River for opening day camping trips more than 40 years ago, we learned from other campers and friends at evening campfires when the fishing was over for the day. Everyone has favorite lures, flies and baits, but not everyone catches the most or the biggest fish. Some anglers are luckier, maybe smarter, maybe even better fishermen than others.  In our fishing gang, the super-star was Ed Stalling. Ed ALWAYS caught more and bigger fish than the rest of us. Whether we were fishing trout, stripers or panfish , Ed was always top gun.

Ed Stalling - This beauty hit a live minnow

               I remember one year  when the bite was slow at our campsite. While we were sitting around the campfire, drinking beer and bemoaning our bad luck, Ed took a walk up and down the river, watching  other anglers, stopping and talking to a few and making new friends. When we took a ride later in the day and stopped at a local bait shop, Ed purchased a bucket and a bunch of live minnows and a couple of minnow rigs. When I inquired as to what he was up to, he just smiled and said he thought he would try minnow fishing. I'm not that dumb. I purchased a couple of minnow rigs for myself.

             Back at camp, we headed for the river once again. I stuck with spinning lures, but Ed rigged a live minnow,  stored a few more and headed downstream. An hour later, we were back at the campfire. We compared notes. I had  a couple of hits and landed one small rainbow. Bob was happy with a pair of fish. Ed was  grinning. He then brought out the biggest fish of the day and  told of non-stop action on his live minnows.

             Trout worms, red wigglers and meal worms are all popular baits for early season trout. The best part is that all of the above can be caught on light or ultra-light tackle. There are times when fly-fishing reigns, specially those days when big trout suck dry flies off the surface and matching the hatch becomes part of the game. But right now, when the water runs high and fast, don't be afraid to fish down deep.

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