OK, now that the weather seems to be improving (finally!) I'd like to try to actually catch some fish. Since there is still plenty of ice on the lakes and ponds and the water in the rivers is still frigid, I figure that trout are my best target for the next couple of weeks. I admit to being somewhat ignorant when it comes to trout fishing. Most of the trout that I have caught were incidental bycatch and/or stupid stockies. I know very little about how to try to catch trout, especially this early in the season.
Does the "deep and slow" tenet hold true for early season trout? Are there any situations where I may want to try faster, shallower water? Should I try winged insect imitations, nymphs, streamers, or some other type of fly?
When I was out on Sunday there were some insects flying around and landing on the water. They did not appear to be hatching, and there were no fish rising to eat the flies that were on water. I'm not even sure what they were -- they looked almost like mosquitos but without the long legs. I didn't have any flies that "matched the hatch", so I tried woolly buggers, the scud from the fly swap and some small nymphs, all fished as deep as possible on a dead drift or moved veeery slowly, but got nary a bump as far as I know.
Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Q
Does the "deep and slow" tenet hold true for early season trout? Are there any situations where I may want to try faster, shallower water? Should I try winged insect imitations, nymphs, streamers, or some other type of fly?
When I was out on Sunday there were some insects flying around and landing on the water. They did not appear to be hatching, and there were no fish rising to eat the flies that were on water. I'm not even sure what they were -- they looked almost like mosquitos but without the long legs. I didn't have any flies that "matched the hatch", so I tried woolly buggers, the scud from the fly swap and some small nymphs, all fished as deep as possible on a dead drift or moved veeery slowly, but got nary a bump as far as I know.
Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Q