Secrets for summer trout
By JOE BYERS
Trucking 2000
5/8/2008
Crouching low to the ground as if stalking a deer, Matt Wettish parted the tall weed carefully and with a single twitch of his rod sent an irresistible morsel upstream of a likely trout lair. The drift ended almost before it began with a ripple of the water and a delicate set of two-pound test. Line raced from the reel as the husky trout tested the drag that was just taught enough for pressure, yet not too stiff to sever the slender mono tether. The big rainbow sulked in the deep water than sped toward the lower end of the pool, leaping from the water in a showery splash. Despite its efforts, the fish soon tired and slid into its captor’s net, where the twitch of a hemostat removed the tiny hook and the fish darted back to safety.
Wettish smiled broadly as the trout disappeared into its holding pool. Such a great fish and not a sign of another angler. Public stream, public land, and the whole stream to himself.
Lots of Leftovers
Trout are widely stocked throughout the Northeast and those first few weeks of the season pack the banks like a restart of a NASCAR race. For many, it’s a chance to finally fish after a months indoors, longing for a tussle on the end of a line and the sizzle of a pan fried delicacy. However, as April rolls into May and bass season opens, the streams seem depleted of their bounty, water levels and angler interest drop dramatically.
“That’s exactly the situation we enjoy,” says avid New England outdoorsman Matt Wettish. “Although Connecticut has some native brook streams, they can get fished out when fish concentrate into small pools. We don’t want to impact that fishery and focus on streams that are stocked with rainbows and browns,” says Wettish who fishes a variety of small rivers, creeks, and streams, each with a similar strategy.
“In mid summer, most stream flows are down so we concentrate on less fished areas in particular a stream that flows between two roads or stocking points. We use topographical maps or an internet program like Maptech to search for places where streams have the greatest slope,” says Wettish reasoning that areas of little gradient will be slow moving, often shallow with warmer water. On the other hand, find places where water falls rapidly and you have a greater chance of finding good pools and places that hold fish. Streams often parallel roads and other access points, out of sight of the general public but easily seen on maps and satellite photos.
Wettish believes that stocked streams get heavy pressure a hundred yards or so above and below known stocking points, yet few anglers venture far beyond that point. Searching out mid-stream pools and holes takes some homework, but pays off in wild fishing situations and plenty of challenge. “My favorite technique is to find a stretch of water between two stocking points and walk the entire stream. The more difficult the access, the more fish you are likely to find,” Wettish says.
Another Wettish tactic is to fish overlooked water. “There may be a well known hole or pool that holds fish later in the season,” he explains. “Anglers usually park their rigs and head directly for that pool, forgetting about all the water in between. Just because the tire prints from the stock trucks aren’t fresh, doesn’t mean fish aren’t in the stream. “Sometimes those most obvious places can really produce,” he says. “When people stop fishing, try them and you can find good fish.”
Ultra-Ultra Light
Locating overlooked trout pools is just the first step in this summer success strategy. Wettish is no slouch with a fly rod, yet finds the thick vegetation and small streams difficult to work. Instead, he opts for the lightest of spinning gear, specifically the new Eagle Claw Aristocrat line of rods and reels with cork handles and ultra sensitive graphite rods. To the hardware, he tethers 2-pound test monofilament and tiny hooks used to tie nymphs. “These hooks are lighter and have a smaller diameter shank than a standard bait hook,” says Wettish who uses meal worms as bait. “It’s basically a small grub and in a slow running stream, the meal worm will float on the surface. Twitch it and it wiggles like an inch worm and floats like a dry fly. Small grasshopper and crickets work well too when teamed with the tiny hooks, plus you can cast them with no weight on the ultra-light set-up.
At this time of year, fish can be very skittish and the tiny baits on a spider thread make a very alluring morsel. In swifter water, Wettish will opt for the smallest split-shot he can find. “In current I may use two- just enough weight to bump the bait along the bottom and stay with the drift.”
Fishing with 2-pound test is a real challenge and the drag on your reel must be set just right. Before you make your first cast make sure it releases line smoothly and doesn’t catch. “You want an ultra-smooth cast, retrieve, and drag,” says Wettish. “Any stop in the drag will snap 2-pound test in a heartbeat.” Despite using light tackle, Wettish reports catches of trout up to five pounds.
Remote summer trout can challenge your hunting and stalking skills. First you have to hunt up the best locations and the test the waters for fish. “It’s real exciting at this time of year as you find yourself stalking the streams,” says Wettish. “When the water slows down, any ripple in the water can either attract or spook a fish. You must move into an area being very quiet, moving slowly and not splashing the water is paramount. I actually crawl up to the stream to get a good first cast. The first splash must be your bait. Sometimes we wear camouflage, but at least wear greens and earth tones. It’s not ultra-important but can help. It’s more critical in flatter water and less so in good fall and rapids.
Wettish cautions summer anglers about footing in summer streams. As water levels slow, algae can grow on rocks making them very slippery. Wading shoes with their spike bottoms are excellent as are models made like a sneaker with a built-in gravel guard to keep sand and gravel from getting into your shoes. Shorts are great for hot summer days, yet back country trout streams rarely have good trails and you may have to climb through briars and tree tops. Lightweight breathable waders work well in these situations.
Shore Lunch a Sure Bet
Wettish always uses brass hooks that will rust and quickly decompose. If a fish is hooked deep, he cuts the line and the trout swims away. He and his friends practice catch-and-release, even with stocked trout, yet eventually one or two fish on each trip gulp a bait that cannot be removed and those that bite late in the morning often “do lunch.”
Like tailgating before a football game, summer anglers can enjoy a great shore lunch from a fresh catch. A small daypack is ideal to carry water, bug spray, and fishing gear. Easily included is a small portable grill and seasonings wrapped in aluminum foil. Wettish packs salt, lemon pepper, and a little butter. Since the adventure usually begins at sunrise in summer, “noon” often gets bumped up to around 10:00.
A small campfire stove can have trout sizzling in quick order. Clean the fish, season the inside, line with butter and wrap in aluminum foil. Cook the fish until done, unfold the foil (which doubles as a plate) and enjoy.
After a bite to eat and short rest, Wettish and his friends get right back into the fray. Trout will frequent the middle of the pools in early morning and late afternoon, and will retreat to shaded cover during bright sunlight. Trout may change locations, yet the technique remains the same- drift a tasty mealworm over or in front of fish and you get action.
Landing fish takes some finesse with 2-pound test and Wettish uses specific tools to land and release his catch. “The less turmoil for the fish the better it’s chance for survival,” he says. “I don’t use any stainless or non-corrosive hooks and always pinch the barb before using them. Even if you hook the trout in the throat, they are easy to remove.” Instead of picking up trout, Wettish uses a landing net, doing his best not to touch the fish with his hands. “I use a hemostat with nearly a 90 degree curve so that I can see the hook and remove it quickly. Standard needle-nose pliers block your view and you can’t be as precise.”
High Pressure Tactics
Wettish enjoys the solitude and adventure of remote fishing streams, but wanted to put his tactics to the test in typically crowded “combat” fishing. Connecticut stocks the Salmon River just before the Memorial Day Weekend, an event that really draws a crowd.
“My buddy Mark and I really wanted to test our technique and thought this was a great chance to experiment under high pressure conditions,” he said. “With so many anglers, the pressure was on us.”
The duo arrived at 5:30, just as dawn was breaking and found a place along the bank. Barely able to see their tiny baits in the dim light, Wettish immediately hooked into a three pound fish which drew other anglers toward his pool. He made a dozen more casts with no success and most anglers moved onto other waters.
There had to be more fish in that pool, reasoned Wettish who put a small split shot above his bait and hooked a fish on the next drift. After several more casts, he put a second shot to lower the bait in the water column. “I caught another three pounder and four more trout from that hole, showing that the current was pushing the bait over the fish.”
Mark was having a slow start until he got the tip about the split shot and he too began to catch fish. “We often waited until people had fished a pool before we stepped in. We had the right tackle, bait, and presentation which really worked,” said Wettish summarizing their experiment. By 10:00 the duo had caught and released 30 trout. After a couple of hotdogs on the grill and a cold drink, they headed back to the stream and caught 30 more.
Author’s Note: Check out Eagle Claw’s ultra light gear at www.eagleclaw.com. Cabela’s offers a full line of light weight waders, wading shoes, and tiny tackle. Check www.cabelas.com or call (800) 237-4444.
