Fish favor slower water in spring Sinking feeling good when it comes to tempting trout, salmon to open up

I’ll be the first to admit that April fishing throughout central and northern Maine is a far cry from summer fishing in regards to catch and comfort. If you happen to be a fly caster, this goes in spades! Just locating an ice-free stretch of water that’s large enough to lay out a line, and slow flowing enough to hold a few trout or salmon, is the first hurdle. Then it’s a matter of layering clothes for cold weather and frigid water, and slogging through mud and sometimes snow.

Nonetheless the season’s at hand and it’s been a long noncasting winter, so I plan on flailing and flogging open water soon and often with a favorite fly rod, regardless of results. Unlike most Aprils, thanks to unusually mild weather, most brooks and rivers are wide open, albeit high, fast, and full of debris. Fly fishermen shouldn’t let current water conditions deter them, however, because if you present the correct fly pattern right in a fish’s feeding zone, it will take. Think low and slow for spring fly fishing if you want to ensure results.

Worms work well because they are a natural food and anglers bounce them across the bottom of a stream allowing the current to place the bait right in front of the fish. Trout and salmon are lethargic in April’s frigid water conditions and won’t chase food, especially if they have to move from a quiet holding lie into heavier current. For a fly to work as well as worms, it has to resemble natural prey, like a nymph or minnow imitation, and be presented deep and slow right in the fish’s face.

Locating lies

In each and every stream, water conditions dictate the best pools and the prime lies within each run. Fish choose these locations based on exerting the least energy to stay in place, natural flow funneling food to the lie, and water temperature. These superior holding lies change from spring to summer to fall, and the first step to April fly-fishing success is recognizing the best spots to cast. The second step to proper presentation of a fly during heavy water conditions is to safely wade to a comfortable casting location and be able to maintain a stable position.

Sometimes you will be chest deep in moderate current, other times waist deep in a fast flow, and occasionally the best casting spot is actually from the river bank. Some spring anglers find it more comfortable and convenient, and perhaps safer, to fish from a large canoe or small boat. On waterways large enough and deep enough to permit this, it’s possible to position the watercraft, drop a heavy anchor to prevent being dragged by the current, and then cast without fear of losing footing, or trees interfering with a backcast. Try a likely spot, then lift anchor and float to the next hole, hop scotching downstream pool by pool.

Bogans, backwaters, and beaver ponds created by the high water, yet still directly connected to the river, are prime holding areas. Fish are attracted to the warmer, calmer water and shun the fast, frigid current of the stream for these quiet pools. These spots can often be reached over land and fished from the bank, and while frequented mostly by worm dunkers and lure lobbers, bottom-hugging flies will take fish, too.

On main flowages, disregard rips, heavy runs, deep holes, and fast current stretches in favor of casting to eddies, slow moderate-depth sections, and fairly shallow shoreline zones with a fair number of good-size rocks. Calm water spots just above and below islands or very large boulders are sure to hold trout, as are the eddies and mild countercurrents formed just above where a brook or creek enters a larger waterway. Shoreline runs on the inside of these confluences are also likely to hold fish waiting for the back currents to send food their way. These are easily fished from the shoreline as long as there’s backcast clearance.

Look for flat water and calm runs among otherwise heavy current and you’re likely to be casting over fish. Slow tailouts below dams, sluiceways, and heavy rapids are also prime spring fly-fishing pools. After a bit of practice selecting likely locations and hooking a few trout and salmon, the best high- water pools will begin to stand out and results will improve dramatically.

Getting down

Proper line selection is essential to fly presentation during high water conditions. At the very least a sinking tip line will be needed to drop flies deep enough, and for runs with more current and moderate depths, a full sinking fly line is a must. Properly matching line weight to rod weight aids casting proficiency, and with heavy sinking lines, it’s even more noticeable. In fact, I make it a point to use one weight less than the rod calls for to assure the extra backbone of the rod will lift and lay out each cast with control.

Most sinking lines are clearly labeled with IPS (inch per second) sink rates and recommended depths of use in moderate speed current. For example, a low rate would be 1.5-2.25 IPS in 2-4 feet of depth, while a line for faster, deeper conditions would be marked 4.0-5.0 IPS for 10- to 20-foot depths. Consider the most common depths of the pools on a favorite waterway, select a line weight to match your rod and the best sink rate and you’re in business. It is possible to buy several weights of sinking line-tip sections in one package for quick easy changes to match varying water speeds and depths.

To further assure the fly gets deep enough and stays down, spring anglers should use a sinking leader along with their sinking line. Many fly fishermen haven’t even heard of sinking leaders, generally because of their limited use, but they are out there and very beneficial at this time of year. Sinking leaders are fairly short, offer excellent fly turnover and delivery, and prevent any upward float of the fly that a normal leader will allow. These 5- or 6-foot leaders are quite abrasion resistant, too, which is very important with so much debris floating about during the freshet.

By the way, a clean line casts much easier than a dirty one, so use a liquid or paste line cleaner every other outing. At this time of year there is so much detritus and dirt suspended in the rivers that it adheres to the line in layers and causes drag on an already difficult-to-cast type of fly line. Make sure, however, that the cleaner does not contain any floatant, for that would be extremely counterproductive on a sinking line.

Selecting flies

Much more important than pattern colors for high dirty-water fishing is the style of fly and especially its weight. Nymphs and long shank streamers are most dependable because they each imitate natural food sources. Using lead wire or weighted hooks under the materials constructing the pattern assures the fly will sink and work along the streambed. In conjunction with sinking lines and leaders, a properly weighted fly offers fast, level, deep-running drifts even in swifter runs.

If you tie your own flies, dressing nymphs, and especially streamer wings, sparsely will lessen their proclivity to be buoyant. Less material also allows more lifelike motion of hair and feathers as the fly swings and undulates in the current. For best results match pattern color to water clarity. During dirty-water conditions select colorful flies with reds, yellows, white, or greens, such as red and white, Mickey Finn, and little brook trout bucktails, or a feather-winged pink ghost, Barnes special, or Oananiche Sunset. As water clears, change to bait fish imitations such as a gray ghost, black nose dace, or a counterfeiter.

Positioning and persistence are prime requisites in successful fly presentation. Anglers must place themselves by wading or by boat in a location offering a long, flowing fly drift through the heart of the holding run. Each cast must be upstream enough to allow plenty of sink time, and every section of the run must be explored with precise fly placement. Then do it all over and over a couple of dozen times until a fish strikes or you are sure that the fly has been in position for any interested trout to gulp down. At that point move to the next pool and repeat the drill.

Spring fly fishing is generally a low-action endeavor, but I’d rather catch one fish on a fly than six on bait. I’m no elitist, it’s just more action and fun casting and playing a trout on a lightweight fly rod than drifting worms or doing bait and wait. Rig your favorite fly rod, put a sinking line on the reel, grab your box of low-riding fly patterns, and head for a favorite stream this month. Dress warm and wade carefully; the water is high and cold, but that’s spring fishing. The fish may be moving lethargically, but they are out there in force, so keep your flies low and slow and be persistent. Here’s to your first hookup of the open-water season. Tight lines.

Outdoor feature writer Bill Graves can be reached via e-mail at bgravesoutdoors@ainop.com