Spring is here, what to expect

After a milder than normal winter here in Salmon Country, much to the dismay of the snowmobilers, spring arrived with little change in the weather.  The less than usual snow fall in the Tug Hills meant that there is no spring run off to blow the river out as would usually happen in about a week or so.  For most of February and the first three weeks of March the release was between 1500 cfs and 1750 cfs.  As of this past Saturday the release is dropped to 500 cfs and the gauge at Pineville reads 826 cfs, very fishable, but not a good sign of things to come.

This kind of flow right now is probably going to stay until the hatchery gets their fish for stripping steelhead eggs this spring.  Once they have what they need the water will more than likely drop if we don't get some steady rain.  Water dropping means several things, the drop backs already in the river will expedite their exit from the river early, the steelhead left spawning will be easy pickings for the 'less than ethical angler' and my drift boat is going to take a beating on the chines.  None of which are good for business.

As for the spring steelhead fishing, it has been quietly slipping by.  There are steelhead in the usual spawning areas on the main river and some of the diversions still have a few fish in them.  As usual, swinging Alvin patterns is working well as are most egg and bugger patterns.  Large, meaty stone fly nymph, in sizes #4-#10, are also producing on the drop backs.  With water levels as they are these patterns don't require a lot of weight, if any.

John Barr's Slumpbuster. - Photo by Tightlines Production

April 1, 2016 is tomorrow and that means NY State trout season for inland waters opens.  Seems it will be the usual cool, rainy start and by Saturday and Sunday it will feel like winter steelhead fishing out there.  Steamers will be on the end of my fly line, a wooly bugger or olive matuka probably.  I am going to try a pattern called the Slumpbuster.  I saw this pattern tied on Tim Flager's,  Practical Patterns Vimeo site.  The real beauty of this pattern is it's simplicity to tie, if it catches me a fish, all the better.

Tight lines.