Seasonal Fishing Tips: Spring Has Sprung

It’s officially spring, which means that the winter doldrums are mostly over and warmer weather is either here or on the horizon!

There’s a lot to love about fly fishing in the springtime including the blue winged olive (BWO) and caddis hatches. Are you ready for spring fishing?

Here are some tips to consider before and during your next jaunt to the river.

1. Be prepared for all manner of weather. Here in Colorado it can be below freezing at 9am and over 50 degrees by late afternoon so don’t forget your hat, beanie, and easy to remove top layer. Also, keep an extra pair of socks in your rig just in case your feet get wet or you need warmer feet for your AM fishing session.
2. Check the flows before you go. A significant rain event (or snowmelt) from the previous day can completely alter your favorite freestone river, so keep an eye on the weather before pulling out of the driveway. The last thing you want is to travel a long distance only to discover that your favorite river looks more like Yoo-hoo than fishable water.
3. Be aware of the water temperature. Fish might still act like it’s winter in the morning, but they’ll move into buckets and riffles when water temps rise over 40 degrees.
4. Don’t forget your dry fly boxes! If you haven’t fished a dry since the fall, I’m sorry to hear that, but the wait is over. Now is the time, so be prepared for significant midge and BWO hatches before the caddis arrive. If it’s sunny, look in the shade.
5. If you get to fish dries and the weather is cool and cloudy, fish an emerger. Midges and mayflies have a harder time shedding their nymphal shucks without the aid of the Sun, so be ready with your favorite emerger patterns.
6. Fish all different types of water during the day. Perhaps this goes without saying, but when water temps are over 45 degrees the fish can be anywhere! Cast into those nooks, crannies, and far side of the river because you might be surprised what you uncover.
7. Fish more caddis nymphs. Green and cream are my two favorite colors in the springtime. Give them a shot because the fish love to eat them, especially if the water is slightly off color.
8. Wade carefully. Higher, unclear water is a friend to no one, especially if you’re fishing an unfamiliar area.  
9. Cast at different angles. Fish will react to larger food sources in the spring so they are willing to move for them. Land your flies upstream above riffles, in buckets and just above drop off areas. You might get a grab before you can say, “Fish on!”, so be ready.
10. If you aren’t getting any action, move your flies a little. A slight mend or lift during a drift can create a strike. Play around with this in deeper pools too.
11. Fish an attractive point fly. Frenchies have been deadly for me the past few years.
12. Stay until sunset. If you’ve waited months and months for spring to finally arrive, why leave early?

Lastly, don’t fish redds. The rainbows are spawning so leave them alone. Let ‘em make more fish for us to catch in the future. If you see fish paired up in an area that looks like it’s been swept, that’s a redd.

If you see fish behaving oddly in shallow water, leave them to their own devices and go catch a brown trout instead.