Joe Ertl and Tyler Johnson
I used to think that this upcoming time of year was dull, the span between ice-out and the walleye opener, besides late-ice crappie fishing and shooting a gobbler, was a non-slaying period of time that I struggled to power through. However, I was reminded recently by gear-guru and multi-species angler Joe Ertl that this time of year is awesome for early season trout. Until May 1st, trout are catch and release only and anglers are restricted to using artificial lures only, and barbless hooks are not required anymore, but should be used whenever possible to decrease hooking mortality rates. Coincidentally, the streams are flowing with some extra oomph right now, the biting insects aren’t swarming yet, the vegetation is low, and the air is nice and cool. And best of all, very few people are taking advantage of the early trout season, so scouting and discovering new pools and hot spots is easier than ever without added pressure from other fisherman.
If fly fishing isn’t your thing or even an option, then spinning tackle with a Countdown Rapala is hands down, your best bet. The countdown version of the Rapala makes it easy for the angler to cover every possible inch of every pool in a stream. Its steady slow-sinking action allows the angler an advantage by knowing precisely how far the lure has sunk before retrieval by counting, hence the name. Count how many seconds it takes for the lure to sink a calculated distance, in your sink at home or wherever, and bingo; determining its sinking rate is simple and counting down in your head after every cast will allow for super accurate depth control when tackling a pool.
Basically, Ertl compares fishing for trout this time of year to playing baseball like Nyjer Morgan – hard and fast. Cruise up and down the stream and hit all the pools that look good, pretending that the ‘hit and run’ is on at all times. Precision cast all of the possible angles in each pool, like crossfire, making sure to cover the entire hole at all depths and all sides possible. Once a few fish have been caught, move on to the next good looking pool and continue with this mentality. Obviously don’t forget your polarized glasses to see structure and other hidden treasures along the way.