Not much use in belaboring April 1 opening day fishing in Aroostook as a real April Fool’s mission.
It always takes awhile before most lakes and ponds shed their icy coats, and most years it’s mid- to late-April for most brooks and rivers to clear up, recede and offer reasonable access and probable success. There are only a handful of ice free locations on the Prestile, Meduxnekeag and Fish River currently, but each day more options develop.
There’s little doubt that spinning and bait-casting rigs baited with angleworms or nightcrawlers and enough sinker-weight to allow bottom-bouncing the tasty morsel along the stream bed are the best bet for action. Sometimes a flashy lure fished slowly through coves, eddies and quiet runs might attract a strike, but most fishermen ignore casting flies until conditions change notably.
There are a few dyed in the wool feather flingers however that stick to their fly rods regardless of conditions. There are many states which allow fly fishing year around and although they have snow and cold weather, many of the streams remain free-running and fishable. The trick to winter fly fishing, as well as early season success here in Maine,all settles on the old adage ”low and slow.” Fish generally stay away from fast water and colder surface temperatures to lay in slow runs and back eddies or even bogans, and due to the chilly water they aren’t likely to chase a bait. Get the fly down deep right in front of their nose and swinging slowly past to draw a strike.
Experienced early-season fly casters have learned that three main techniques work to get the fly into feeding zones. One of the simplest tactics is to use a full sinking or sinking-tip fly line. I keep a line with a 20-foot sinking tip on a spare spool all rigged and ready to quickly switch over onto my floating line reel. Casting either type of heavier, sinking fly line requires a bit more finesse, but can be quickly mastered.
Sinking fly lines come in several weights and are designated by rate of sink in inches per second (IPS), since most trout anglers cast to slow runs a moderate 3 IPS line works well. Some line companies refer to slow, intermediate and fast sink lines but still mark the rate somewhere on the package. Rather than a nine-foot leader, I prefer a bit shorter six-foot for sinking lines, and it’s possible to purchase sinking leaders as well, but not usually necessary in slow moving water.
The second tactic to aid your fly and leader to run deeper is to add a bit of weight to the leader eight to 12 inches above the fly. While this does add a bit of challenge to casting using a floating line rather than the much heavier sinking fly line evens things out. Matching the weight of the sinker to water speed where you’re fishing assures an even line and fly swing just a few inches above bottom. After a few outings, determining the right weight for each pool will become second nature. Lead is no longer a legal substance for use as a sinker, but several equally heavy substitutes are available in split shot and twist-on ribbons.
Perhaps the simplest all around method of presenting a fly for a slow, deep swing is to actually use a weighted fly. It’s likely the sinking fly idea originated with nymphs, a common bottom dwelling insect that trout and salmon feed on regularly. Fly tiers build their fake nymph patterns with metal bead or cone heads to help them sink to bottom and then hop or move over the stream bed as the line is twitched. Weighted nymphs are excellent early season patterns to entice lethargic fish to feed.
To aid streamers and wet flies sink and run deep, but not be head-heavy, strips of thin metal wire are wound around the shank of the hook and tied in place with thread. I go a step further and coat the winds with head cement to hold them in place at the center of the hook body for balance. Then it’s just a matter of constructing the fly-tying materials onto the hook as usual to end up with a sinking fly. Since you don’t want the fly to keep snagging bottom structure, it’s important not to add too much wire weight. It’s a learning experience to match the number of winds to the hook and fly size.
Depending on water levels and speed, spring fly fisherman can select one of these methods to deliver their fine feathered offering down deep to the holding fish. Two of the techniques may even be combined if necessary such as combining a weighted fly and a sinking tip line to assure the pattern is getting down where the fish are layed up and feeding. Earlier in the season, just after ice-out, when the streams are off-color and there’s lots of floating debris, I recommend using brightly colored streamers. I call them attractor patterns, and they show up better to catch a fish’s attention in the dingy water. A Red and White bucktail, little brook trout, Warden’s worry, or the venerable old Mickey Finn are sure bets. As the water clears, tie on bait fish imitations like the black nosed dace, gray ghost, Herb Johnson special or Magog smelt on size 4 or 6, 3X long shank single streamer hooks.
Throughout April and even early May, enticing trout or salmon to take a fly is a challenging endeavor, Many local sportsmen are devout fly fishermen, however, and would rather catch one fish on a fly than a half dozen on bait. It’s not a simple feat, but with the right gear, the right mindset and perseverance, success can be enjoyed.
