Fish Tales

[G.ski]

So my last day of skiing was Tuesday 4/6.

Went to the East Branch on 4/8 for my first day of trout fishing. Got to Brady's Bend and was happy to see the water was clear and not running too fast. But a quick temperature check showed the water was still very cold. So my strategy was to go downstream away from where any stocked fish would be and hope for a nice holdover trout in deeper water. This spot is one of those where if you don't know how to access it you get lost and hung up in brambles.

It's a great stretch about 1/2 mile long with deep pools and clear water connected by fast moving riffles.

Just upstream from that second shot above I hooked a very nice brown trout in a deep pool it looked to be about 15" or so. Lost it after a 10 second fight. Nice fish. The same pool is in the background of this shot.

And just upstream from that shot is where I caught a 10" stocked brown, in this very nice pool along the undercut bank.

Fished upstream from there about another 1/4 mile and caught a few more small browns, all stocked. So it was a good first day out. Plus I didn't take a swim in the cold water like last season.

 

[Tjf1967]

So my last day of skiing was Tuesday 4/6.

Went to the East Branch on 4/8 for my first day of trout fishing. Got to Brady's Bend and was happy to see the water was clear and not running too fast. But a quick temperature check showed the water was still very cold. So my strategy was to go downstream away from where any stocked fish would be and hope for a nice holdover trout in deeper water. This spot is one of those where if you don't know how to access it you get lost and hung up in brambles.

It's a great stretch about 1/2 mile long with deep pools and clear water connected by fast moving riffles.

Just upstream from that second shot above I hooked a very nice brown trout in a deep pool it looked to be about 15" or so. Lost it after a 10 second fight. Nice fish. The same pool is in the background of this shot.

And just upstream from that shot is where I caught a 10" stocked brown, in this very nice pool along the undercut bank.

Fished upstream from there about another 1/4 mile and caught a few more small browns, all stocked. So it was a good first day out. Plus I didn't take a swim in the cold water like last season.

Do you release the fish after you catch them?

 

[G.ski]

Do you release the fish after you catch them?

I always catch and release.

This season the DEC has changed the creel limits and the new system is very complicated. The limits can change on different stretches of the same river. I assume they did that to increase fine opportunities so it is just easier to avoid all that and not keep any fish anyway.

 

[G.ski]

4/17-Fished my stretch of Fishkill Creek. Beautiful day and a fun wade but I got skunked. Not even a bite. Water at a perfect level but still very cold.

4/20-Back to the East Branch. Followed the same plan I did on 4/8. The reservoir is totally full and the spillway is raging. At Brady's Bend the water was slightly higher but noticeably less frigid. So I had high hopes and was rewarded at the same pool where I hooked and lost a nice trout on the 8th. This time I got a solid hook in the corner of the mouth and landed this fine brown trout about 15".

I continued upstream and caught 2 more decent browns about 12" each and 5 or 6 stocked trout. The next 2-3 weeks will be the best of spring trout fishing.

 

[Green light]

G, are you on the fly or spinner?

 

[G.ski]

I try but suck at fly fishing. Mostly I practice on my backyard creek I'm good at snagging trees and branches.

For trout I stick to small spinners and plugs. Occasionally a small plastic worm. Ultra light open face spinning rig with 4 lbs. test line.

 

[Ripitz]

@G.ski getting skunked
Catching and releasing some fresh air

 

[Sick Bird Rider]

If you are into trout fishing, you might enjoy this perspective from a Hinterlandian canoe builder and hardcore angler. Simplistic as it is, I like how he separates the world of freshwater fish in to two camps: "trouts" and "green fish."

"How to catch a butt load of fish on every canoe trip"

 

[tirolski]

If you are into trout fishing, you might enjoy this perspective from a Hinterlandian canoe builder and hardcore angler. Simplistic as it is, I like how he separates the world of freshwater fish in to two camps: "trouts" and "green fish."

"How to catch a butt load of fish on every canoe trip"

SBR, lots of good stuff there. Good read.

 

[G.ski]

@G.ski getting skunked
Catching and releasing some fresh air
View attachment 9163

Always enjoy fishing a new stretch of river. Fish just weren't biting.

Thanks Glen that was fun.