2021 Trout Opener

 

2021 Trout Opener

4/03/2021

 

 While anglers encircled trout upstream like vultures around a dying animal, I was downstream alone catching trout on streamers.

 

 I wasn’t in any hurry to meet the freezing weather in the morning of trout opener. I wait till after 10:00 am. By then the ones that keep trout left the water, some are back at the camp fire warming up or drinking beer and eating. This usually gives me some room in the more productive areas I know of on the crick. I got to the crick after 11:00, assembled my fly rod, geared up and looked downstream from where I parked. This bunch was determined and encircled a section of water where there looked like there wasn’t any escape from the wary trout. I decided to walk the path downstream some and just fish streamers till I caught a trout. Then I’d make a stand and enjoy trout fishing without a crowd.

  The air was chilling cold and the water was even colder than that. If there was a remedy for aches and pains that involved cold, near freezing water, to subside such conditions, this would be the place and temperature to submerse your body. If you can withstand the water coldness for 15 to 20 minutes or so your submerged limbs will become numb and the original pain will most likely go unnoticed.

  On my way fishing downstream I caught my first trout within the vicinity of mid stream. That’s all I needed to know. Where there’s one trout there are usually a lot more. Being the first day of trout season they most likely were unmolested and should be easier to fool. Well just lets say for the next few hours I was having fun, cold, but hooking trout time and again while smoking cigars. 

 

 Now I have to admit, I wasn’t catching anything big to brag about but wrestling the trout out of the fast current to my waiting net was more of a challenge than hooking them. When my feet and lower limbs couldn’t take the cold anymore I would wade out to the bank and take the chill off. Everyone else was upstream beating the water with an assortment of bait, artificial lures and what not, so I wasn’t worried about losing my spot. It was enjoyable for me while it lasted.

  As early evening approached I looked upstream and the crowd had dispersed leaving only one angler still within the area. I waded out to the bank and walked up to my truck. From there I stepped back into the water and waded and fished my way towards where the crowd was in the afternoon. I started catching trout just shy of where most of the anglers were fishing. In fact I’m sure I was hooking up to trout right where some of the anglers were standing. 

  I ended the outing when the wind got stronger and the air got colder. By then I was pretty well shivering at times when I wasn’t netting fish. I lit up my last cigar and waded out towards the bank.

 

 I find, even at my age, it’s hard for me not to engage in trout fishing on the opener. I’ve been fishing the first day for many years. First with my grandfather, then my children and then with friends. Now I mostly fish it alone or maybe meet someone during the day.

It was quite chilly but it was still fun.

~doubletaper