Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition 3810 April 26- May 10 2019 | Page 12

10 Apr 26 - May 10, 2019 HOW TO... VOL.38 • ISS. 10 Pointers For Stream Anglers presents Stream Trout Season Kicks Off At The End Of April, Are You Ready? ^ A bottle of salmon eggs and a light spinning rod have been cornerstone gear for early season Sierra stream anglers for over 70 years. Trout, whether they are fresh planters, holdovers or wild fish seem to be instinctively hardwired to gobble eggs. ^ Spinners are a well- known weapon for stream trout addicts. Here we see author Cal Kellogg’s selection of Vibric Rooster Tails. The Vibric is more compact than a standard Rooster Tail, making them better suited for small to medium size streams. ^ Y ears ago, when I was youngster stream fishing for trout was a big deal. The opening day of the trout season was something you got excited about and prepared for. Looking back, I remember going through my canvas creel and later my fly vest weeks before the April opener to make sure I had gear to cover every possible situation. These days things have changed. Sure, plenty of trout anglers still fish streams, but I believe that the outstanding year around trout fisheries that have developed in many of our foothill reservoirs has stolen some of the steam that stream fishing held in days gone by. Reservoirs hold certain advantages over streams. First reservoirs are easier to access than streams because they are typically closer to population centers. Second, the trout in reservoirs average bigger than those caught in most streams. Finally, reservoir fishing, be it from a boat or the bank, is easier and less labor intensive from a physical standpoint as compared to scampering along a rocky river bed as you weave in and out of the brush. Yet, there is something intensely satis- fying about stream fishing. The surrounds are beautiful and the sport is reduced to its quintessential foundation of man versus trout without the complications of down- riggers, electronics and vast expanses of deep water. I’d wager that there are three types of anglers reading this article. There are those that currently stream fish, some that stream fished in the past but have not done it in a long time and those that have never given it a try. For the hardcore stream anglers, most of this article will be a review, but I’ll discuss a few new kinks that will likely make you even more effective. For anglers that fall into the other two groups we’ll go over everything that you need to know to get out there this season and enjoy some great trout fishing action the way it was meant to be…in a stream! At the center of any stream anglers tackle assortment is their rod and reel. Now as with most angling endeavors a variety of different rod and reel combos will work, but for maximum efficiency a rod that is matched to the specific task at hand will help you achieve the best results. Over the years, I’ve come to believe that a light 7’ graphite spinning rod with a fast action tip matched with a small spinning reel boasting a smooth drag is the best choice. With a rig like this you can fish both baits and lures effectively on both small and large streams. In terms of line 8 pound test is good, 6 is better. I like to spool up with Yo-Zuri TopKnot Fluorocarbon, but standard line will work too. One of the things that I enjoy about stream fishing is its simplicity and nowhere is that simplicity better illus- trated than the in the end tackle that is used. When fishing from a boat you have the luxury of carrying an extensive array of tackle, but when stream fishing you are limited to the gear that you can carry comfortably in a creel or vest as you hike from spot to spot. Natural bait, synthetic bait, flies and lures all have their place in the stream angler’s arsenal. For fishing natural and synthetic bait, you’ll need a selection of bait holder hooks in sizes 8, 10, 12 and 14 along with good assortment of small to medium sized removable split shot. When fishing with bait depth control and the speed of drift is of utmost importance and FISH SNIFFER HOW – TO ^ This wild rainbow jumped all over a mini-crawler dead drifted along the bottom. With the high-water conditions anglers are likely to see this spring, the lowly mini-crawler is likely to be among the best bait to employ. Here we see a black No. 8 bead head Woolly Bugger. This is one of the most effective trout flies you can toss on spinning gear. Shoot it across the current, let it swing on a tight line and get ready to yell Fish On! by Cal Kellogg CONTINUED ON PG 21