FISHING THE SPRING TRANSITION -- ANSWERING THE WHERE, WHAT, AND HOW

By Patrick Hunter

Goodbye winter doldrums, cold weather and daylight savings, it’s time to hit the water. As the chill of winter resides, and the leaves on the trees begin to green back up, the water temperatures begin to rise and fish are on the move. Like us, fish ditch their “holiday” weight, and start moving and getting aggressive. Fishing in the spring can be the most fun, as the window to find fish pre-spawn can be short but very exciting. This is the best fishing on rivers and lakes. Whether it be Bass or Trout, fishing the spring transition can produce big fish and big numbers. These tips below will help you succeed.

Where:

As the water temperature rises, fish in rivers and reservoirs begin to move out of the deeper holds and into the shallows and moving water. In rivers and creeks target fish in eddies, fast current runs, drop offs and points. Also look for structure. Same goes for reservoirs: target humps, points and drop offs, look for submerged cover where you can. The key to success in the spring is finding the forage. Baitfish begin to spawn and numbers increase, especially in shallow water. Finding schooling fish in the spring can make opportunities on the fly very easy, as the frenzy makes fish less selective. Frogs, terrestrials and other small surface forage can make for excellent topwater fishing in rivers for Bass and Trout. Or you can focus just below the water’s surface and fish flies like smaller baitfish, nymphs, and crustaceans.        

What:

The gear needed for spring fly fishing can be 4 - 8 weight rods. The fly reel can be basic, featuring a simple drag system and 100 to 150 yards of backing. I recommend a large arbor, just to allow for quicker line pick-up. Fly line is most important this time of year. For floating lines, a large headed weight forward line will ease the casting of large poppers and streamers that are fished in the upper water column. Floating lines can also be used in conjunction with weighted streamers, like crawfish flies and large aquatic insects, to create a jigging effect while stripping. When fishing streamers a sinking line or sink tip line works the best. Fly line selection should be determined based on the water depth and the river’s flow. In swift current and when fishing swimming style streamers, I recommend a triple-density sinking line. These fly lines sink quickly, and are narrow in diameter, making them un-affected by the water's current.  Also, once you begin your retrieve of the fly, these sinking lines keep the fly at that depth rather than jigging the fly up and down in the water column. Intermediate lines can be used if the water flow is moderate and consistent, but full sinking lines or sink tips will be best for streamers this time of year.  

How:

It’s important to have flies that cover the full depth of water. Topwater and surface flies can still be effective in the mornings and evenings, or on overcast days. Use unweighted streamers on full sinking lines and weighted streamers on floating lines or intermediate and sink tips. 

• For topwater flies I recommend poppers or hoppers in natural colors or chartreuse. Utilize materials like deer hair and foam that can be fished all day and can take a beating. The flies will be bounced off tree limbs, rocks, as well as be smacked by fishes’ mouths. Hard body flies have great action but can crack and become waterlogged. Foam terrestrials can still be effective in the early part of the spring too. Check out Blue Line Flies like the Gurgler, Foam Spider, Bomber Popper, and Hudson Hopper. 

• For unweighted or light-weighted streamers I recommend baitfish patterns in olive and yellow or brown and white. Use black and purple if the water is stained or turbid. Utilize flowy materials like craft fur and marabou. These materials pulse and move in the water as they are stripped. Articulated patterns are also good to use, the key is movement. Check out Blue Line Flies like the Cooter Brown, Conjuror, PowerHouse, and A.D.H.B.

• For heavy-weighted streamers I recommend crawfish and hellgrammite patterns in natural colors, chartreuse, tan and black. Utilize rubber legs for these flies, as they will give off a lot of motion. The more weight to the front of the hook the better. Jigging these flies through runs and over structure can elicit strikes from even the most pretentious fish. Check out Blue Line Flies Marabou Clouser, Sculperino, Slim Shady, and MeeMaw

Useful Tips & Tricks:

Fluorocarbon vs. Monofilament

• Simply put, mono floats -- fluoro sinks. Consider this when selecting leader and tippet material, as it will affect the motion for the fly in the water. Mono is great for topwater, but use fluoro for sinking flies. 

Micro-swivels

• Large flies like streamers and poppers tend to spin when cast. A micro swivel tied between the leader and tippet material will help keep the fly from twisting the leader and creating a weak point. Check out the BLC Fly Fishing Swivels. These will also provide a better presentation. Use these swivels between your leader and tippet.

• To save on time, check out the Streamer Leaders from Blue Line Co. These pre-made micro swivel leaders come in a variety of pound tests, and can be purchased in a single or 3-pack. Toting a few packs of these hand tied Streamer Leaders can save the day on the spring water while streamer fishing.  

Knots

• The Blood Knot: When tying leaders from two different tippet materials always use a blood knot. For large diameter tippets like 40 or 50 lb, only three twists are needed. For smaller diameters use four or five twists. When clenching the twists together, try to wet the knot with saliva or water.

• The Loop Knot: For streamers and other swimming flies, utilize a loop knot. This will allow the fly to have more mobility on the leader and thus in the water. Loop knots are less restrictive of the fly. I think the mono loop knot is the simplest, but there are several different styles.

Leader and Tippets for This Time of Year

• Early Spring – Heavier Short Leaders and Medium Tippet 

• Late Spring/Summer – Light Long Leaders and Medium Tippet

• Low water – Long Leaders and Very Light Tippet

Hand Tied Leaders: The 40 - 20 Rule

• There are many different types of leaders that you can buy in the packs, but if you want to tie your own, follow the 40-20 rule. This simple all-purpose leader consists of 3 feet of 40 lb and 3 feet of 20 lb. As a topwater leader use monofilament, for streamers use fluorocarbon. Add one of the Blue Line Co. micro swivels in between the tippets if you plan on fishing streamers. I like to pre-tie a few before a trip so I can just switch them out as I go.