Brook and brown and rainbow, oh my! Trout season is around the corner
Eric Davis
Mayhood's Sporting Goods
CHENANGO COUNTY – Spring is finally here. For the avid fisherman, that means trout season will soon be upon us. Opening in just in just over a week on April 1, the long season last through October 15.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation stocks approximately 2.3 million trout each year across the state, providing ample opportunity for the outdoor recreationist.
Stocking brook, brown, and rainbow trout each spring, there is about 3,100 miles of streams, and hundreds of ponds and lakes throughout the state. Many streams have wild populations of trout, but the DEC augments these populations through stocking efforts.
Within Chenango County, trout are stocked at Bowman Lake, Genegantslet Creek (at sites in Greene, Smithville, and McDonough), the Otselic River, Guilford Lake, Jeffrey Pond, Pharsalia Y Pond and Mill Brook Reservoir.
More detailed information such as the species, size, number, and sometimes the month of stocking are available on the NYSDEC website. Information for Bowman Lake, for example, will be stocked with 1,600 rainbow trout that are 8-9 inches long in April.
At some point in the spring, they will also have 560 brook trout stocked that are 8-9 inches in length.
This lake, which is located within Bowman Lake State Park in McDonough, is easily accessible to the public and provides a great opportunity to enjoy camping or hiking as well. Statewide regulations for anglers seeking brook, brown, and rainbow trout or all hybrids of these species allow you to take any size with a daily limit of five. However, you should always check the freshwater regulations for the body of water you plan on fishing for any exceptions to this.
Fishing for trout can be done with either a spinning rod and reel set-up or fly rod.
For a spinning rod set up a light or ultra-light rod tends to work best between 4.5 to 8.5 feet long. Smaller rod lengths are easier for maneuvering when there is a lot of cover along the shores of the stream and the stream itself is narrow.
For line, 4-8 pound test works well. Fluorocarbon line holds up better to nicks and bumps in streams that have a lot of submerged cover (logs, boulders, etc.). With spinning set ups there are a variety of baits and lures that are known for catching trout.
Popular lures include Phoebes, Rooster Tails, Panther Martins, Mepps, Kastmasters, and Cicada Reef Runners. Natural bait such as red worms, baby night crawlers, salted minnows, or even live minnows are recommended. There are some areas that restrict the use of live bait though, so be sure to check on this before going out.
When using lures, cast upstream and retrieve the lure downstream first. If you are wading, work your way upstream first so the fish are less likely to detect you from kicking up silt that will flow down towards the fish.
Look for undercut banks where the water is flowing under a ledge of dirt or a downed tree along the shore that allow the fish to hide. Cast close to these area, making multiple casts to make sure any fish using this cover have the opportunity to see your lure.
Smaller pools of water are also good places to look for fish. Fish in pools will be in a spot so they can grab any food that comes into the pool from upstream as it washes in.
Fly fishing typically requires more equipment than using a spinning rod.
Fly rods that are 7.5 to 9 foot in length with a 4 to 6 weight being the most common for trout. You will need both line backing and fly line to put on your reel.
The line backing acts as a filler since the actual fly line tends to be expensive. It also aids in collecting moisture away from the fly line. A brighter color for line backing is usually a good idea because it allows you to see when you are running out of line more easily.
For the actual fly line itself, you can chose either a weight forward line or a dual tapered line. A weight forward line is tapered at one end and is weighted towards the tip of the line to aid in casting.
A dual tapered line is weighted on each end of the line. This type of line is useful for times when the end of your line wears from use, you can unspool it off your reel and reverse it for continued use. Dual tapered line is slightly more expensive because of this, but it will last longer.
On the end of the fly line you will also want a leader. This will help the end of your fly line last longer. Leaders that are 7.5’ or 9’ in length are most commonly used.
Flies for fly fishing can be made if you are interested and willing to invest in all of the materials and tools needed. However, tied flies are readily available as well.
There are three types of flies typically used for trout; dry flies, nymphs, and streamers. Dry flies often imitate adult insects that have landed on the water and are unable to fly. These can be fish in riffles and in pools.
Nymphs imitate the larval stage of an insect that are aquatic, so they sink. Fish these through riffles and runs to mimic the insect getting carried away by the current. Some people like using strike indicators when fishing nymphs because it can be difficult to notice when a fish grabs the fly.
Streamers imitate small minnows or crawfish and are actively retrieved by stripping line to make the streamer “swim” and entice a predatory response from trout.
Don’t forget your fishing license. Make sure it is up-to-date so you can hit the water opening day with no issues.
Whether using a spinning set up or a fly rod, hitting the stream in April to catch trout can be a fun way to explore smaller streams in the area.
Mayhood's Sporting Goods
CHENANGO COUNTY – Spring is finally here. For the avid fisherman, that means trout season will soon be upon us. Opening in just in just over a week on April 1, the long season last through October 15.
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation stocks approximately 2.3 million trout each year across the state, providing ample opportunity for the outdoor recreationist.
Stocking brook, brown, and rainbow trout each spring, there is about 3,100 miles of streams, and hundreds of ponds and lakes throughout the state. Many streams have wild populations of trout, but the DEC augments these populations through stocking efforts.
Within Chenango County, trout are stocked at Bowman Lake, Genegantslet Creek (at sites in Greene, Smithville, and McDonough), the Otselic River, Guilford Lake, Jeffrey Pond, Pharsalia Y Pond and Mill Brook Reservoir.
More detailed information such as the species, size, number, and sometimes the month of stocking are available on the NYSDEC website. Information for Bowman Lake, for example, will be stocked with 1,600 rainbow trout that are 8-9 inches long in April.
At some point in the spring, they will also have 560 brook trout stocked that are 8-9 inches in length.
This lake, which is located within Bowman Lake State Park in McDonough, is easily accessible to the public and provides a great opportunity to enjoy camping or hiking as well. Statewide regulations for anglers seeking brook, brown, and rainbow trout or all hybrids of these species allow you to take any size with a daily limit of five. However, you should always check the freshwater regulations for the body of water you plan on fishing for any exceptions to this.
Fishing for trout can be done with either a spinning rod and reel set-up or fly rod.
For a spinning rod set up a light or ultra-light rod tends to work best between 4.5 to 8.5 feet long. Smaller rod lengths are easier for maneuvering when there is a lot of cover along the shores of the stream and the stream itself is narrow.
For line, 4-8 pound test works well. Fluorocarbon line holds up better to nicks and bumps in streams that have a lot of submerged cover (logs, boulders, etc.). With spinning set ups there are a variety of baits and lures that are known for catching trout.
Popular lures include Phoebes, Rooster Tails, Panther Martins, Mepps, Kastmasters, and Cicada Reef Runners. Natural bait such as red worms, baby night crawlers, salted minnows, or even live minnows are recommended. There are some areas that restrict the use of live bait though, so be sure to check on this before going out.
When using lures, cast upstream and retrieve the lure downstream first. If you are wading, work your way upstream first so the fish are less likely to detect you from kicking up silt that will flow down towards the fish.
Look for undercut banks where the water is flowing under a ledge of dirt or a downed tree along the shore that allow the fish to hide. Cast close to these area, making multiple casts to make sure any fish using this cover have the opportunity to see your lure.
Smaller pools of water are also good places to look for fish. Fish in pools will be in a spot so they can grab any food that comes into the pool from upstream as it washes in.
Fly fishing typically requires more equipment than using a spinning rod.
Fly rods that are 7.5 to 9 foot in length with a 4 to 6 weight being the most common for trout. You will need both line backing and fly line to put on your reel.
The line backing acts as a filler since the actual fly line tends to be expensive. It also aids in collecting moisture away from the fly line. A brighter color for line backing is usually a good idea because it allows you to see when you are running out of line more easily.
For the actual fly line itself, you can chose either a weight forward line or a dual tapered line. A weight forward line is tapered at one end and is weighted towards the tip of the line to aid in casting.
A dual tapered line is weighted on each end of the line. This type of line is useful for times when the end of your line wears from use, you can unspool it off your reel and reverse it for continued use. Dual tapered line is slightly more expensive because of this, but it will last longer.
On the end of the fly line you will also want a leader. This will help the end of your fly line last longer. Leaders that are 7.5’ or 9’ in length are most commonly used.
Flies for fly fishing can be made if you are interested and willing to invest in all of the materials and tools needed. However, tied flies are readily available as well.
There are three types of flies typically used for trout; dry flies, nymphs, and streamers. Dry flies often imitate adult insects that have landed on the water and are unable to fly. These can be fish in riffles and in pools.
Nymphs imitate the larval stage of an insect that are aquatic, so they sink. Fish these through riffles and runs to mimic the insect getting carried away by the current. Some people like using strike indicators when fishing nymphs because it can be difficult to notice when a fish grabs the fly.
Streamers imitate small minnows or crawfish and are actively retrieved by stripping line to make the streamer “swim” and entice a predatory response from trout.
Don’t forget your fishing license. Make sure it is up-to-date so you can hit the water opening day with no issues.
Whether using a spinning set up or a fly rod, hitting the stream in April to catch trout can be a fun way to explore smaller streams in the area.
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