Well, the fat lady may be getting ready to sing here. The release is almost as low as they can take it, 285cfs and Pineville is reading 402cfs which means there is some run off being added by Orwell and Trout Brook. The water temps are still in the low to mid 40s so the steelhead are not going to blow out of the river, not yet. Right now the difference between having fish in the river and not having them is the water temperature. The last few nights have been frosty and daytime temps having a hard time breaking 50 degrees, still only 37 degrees here today. As long as the temps stay cool the steelhead will hang out for a while longer. It does look as though the spring fishing is going to end a little early this year. There is, however, the drop backs out of the hatchery still to make their way down the river so good fishing still exists here, just how much longer is the questions.
The early spring and low water in the river alot of guides are moving their operations out to the lake now and from what I here it is good, browns and lakers. The wind the last few days has been brutal on the river so I can only imagine what the lake boys are dealing with.
I fished opening day of inland trout season here on April 1. From my last post I was thinking warm, dry, mild... not. It was a typical opening day as far as the weather goes. Rain and drizzle, cold and raw. I fished about an hour at the end of the day, walked across my back yard and fished the Mad River. Fished a bead head Hare's Ear nymph (link) under an indie, one drop but nothing there on the hook set. It can only get better.
Anyways, tonights a full moon and according to my time keeping in 6 more full moons we'll be at the peak of the salmon run here, I can't wait.
Tight lines.
