Catch and Release tips

Use barbless hooks especially with the larger fly sizes, size 8 and larger. This allows quicker hook removal and therefore less handling time. Also, if a fish breaks off, the barbless fly will likely self release and greatly improve the likelihood of fish survival. It is also much easier to remove barbless hooks from fishermen and clothing. Simply removing the hook while the fish is in the water without touching the fish is best but not always possible.

Use the heaviest tippet that fly size and conditions will allow. Fish aren't so much spooked by larger tippet sizes but rather by how tippet size effects the posture/drag of the fly on or in the water. The micro currents of a gin clear spring creek require smaller tippets than on a big river like the Yellowstone. I rarely use tippets smaller than 5X on the Yellowstone River and generally use nothing heavier than 4X on spring creeks. Using a loop type of knot at the fly and use a heavier tippet as the loop allows for more free movement of the fly. Often a struggling fish in hand will calm down if turned upside done or briefly dipped back into the water. Remember to play fish quickly and release them to the water ASAP. Failure to do this can result in exhaustion of the fish, a build up of lactic acid and latent mortality of the fish.

What About Spawners?

The fisherman can also search out spawning areas for rainbow trout. Site fishing for spawners is great fun and fishermen will fish in spawning areas. Discretion is advised. Please keep in mind that on some waters, like the springs creeks, spawners are vulnerable to being caught. This combined with many fisherman could be damaging to spawning success. Fishing below spawning areas can produce nice action from non spawning trout species like brown trout (and whitefish) that are picking up stray eggs from above without disturbing spawners. Hatchery Rainbow trout cruising lake and pond shorelines looking for a place to spawn is an enjoyable and challenging alternative to site fishing on streams. Generally , because trout require running water to spawn, these fish are often hatchery fish and not able to successfully spawn.

It can be frustrating to watch as spawning fish often ignore your flie. When that happens keep changing patterns and hope you catch their interest. From a conservationist's point-of-view, don't get greedy. Once you find the right formula it can be like shooting fish in a barrel. When this happens, don't harass these spawners. They are insuring future fishing for you. Take a break or move on to another area. The real satisfaction is the success of a hookup. Its also desirable to take care not to disturb redds (fish nests) by wading on top of them. Redds can be recognized by relatively clean gravel that's been churned up as the spawners deposit edges below the gravel surface. These areas can be a depressed elongated area of stream bottom, often with gravel elevated at the downstream edge of the redd. I some areas multiple redds can spawn a whole riffle from bank to bank. wade above or below these areas or fish from the bank.

So, another fishing season is at our doorstep. It happens every year. We have good snowpack that should mean average streamflows and a good season. Its time to shake off the cabin fever and get out and enjoy.

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