(Provided photos —Evan Bottcher)
5 things you NEED to know for early season Fly Fishing
By EVAN BOTTCHER Owner of Hungry Trout Fly Shop and ADK Ice Fishing
As winter comes to an end in the Adirondacks, the days get longer and warmer temps return to the region. The snowpack from the High Peaks starts to melt and replenish the areas lakes, rivers and streams. For the fly angler this means one thing - fishing season has arrived! Check out these 5 tips to make the most out of your spring fishing season
advantage of areas of open water along the edges of receding ice. “Ice Out” is a short, but productive time of year for big fish and good numbers while waiting for river conditions to improve.
4.
The mayfly, caddis and stonefly hatches in the Adirondacks are one of the most exciting aspects of fly fishing in the Adirondacks. The first bug life of spring will be your early brown stoneflies, but the first major hatch in the area is the Hendrickson Hatch. In 2021
the action was in full force by May 15th, with awesome hatch activity and evening skies full of migrating mayflies. Its little different each season, but we are always ready the first weekend of May for the hatch season to begin. The timing Continued on page 7
1.
Historically fishing season on inland streams began on April 1. This year the DEC regulations changed so anglers can now fish inland streams year round with a Catch and Release regulation in place from October 15 - April 1. Although fishing season is open, the rivers during early season are quite cold and can have very high flows through most of April. Historically, peak season starts around Mothers day (May 8th this year) and goes until the summer heat kicks in (usually end of June). The first mayfly and caddis hatches of the year are usually around the second weekend of May and continue through the month of June.
2.
This early season is often the best time to hit the flat water options. Having spent the winter under a blanket of ice, lake trout, brook trout and landlocked salmon will cruise close to the lakes’ surface chasing forage fish and taking 6
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3.
Each Spring the state and county hatcheries will start their stocking routines. Thousands of fish will be stocked in the areas’ rivers and streams and the schedule is often dictated by the flow, temperature, and access of the locations. As a rule of thumb, you can count on most stocking to be completed by the second week of May. There is a stocking schedule and lots of information on the New York State Department of Conservation website to help research productive zones to target.
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HUNGRY TROUT FLY SHOP
518.946.2117 | flyfishing@hungrytrout.com 52389 Rt 86 Wilmington NY 12997
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Spring 2022
