The anticipation for the start of the trout season is unbearable for most of us. In most instances, a lot of us have had to endure the 4 months of no fishing due to the closed season. Those lucky enough to have yearly stillwaters may have had the opportunity to wet a line through the winter and to land some nice trout along the way.
In this comprehensive article, I will cover tactics & techniques for catching rainbow trout in early spring across both small stillwaters and large lochs. We’ll explore everything from fly line recommendations to leader setups and more.
So without further ado, let’s dive straight into it!
Summary
"The best trout flies to use in March & April are ham and cheese, pink & tequila FABs, cat and candyman booby's, vicar, traffic light and quill buzzers and a variety of cormorant patterns."
Brad’s Gear Breakdown
- Rods: Sage R8 10’ #6
- Reel: Hardy Ultradisc cassette 6000 model
- Lines:
- Floater: Rio Elite Gold WF#7
- Fast Intermediate: Airflo Sixth Sense 2.0 #7/8
- Di3: Airflo Sixth Sense 2.0 #7/8
- Midge Tip: Rio Premier Midge Tip 3' Intermediate
- Leader Material: Seagaur Grand Max Fluorocarbon 9.5lb
Washing Line Setup: Techniques and Tackle Recommendations
A classic early season method that can be used nearly all year round. To fish the washing line effectively, use a midge tip line. The midge tip comes with different sink rate tips that allow you to present your flies at various depths in the upper layers of the water column.
Line Choice and Conditions
With regards to the midge tip selection, the length and sink rate of the tips are dictated by weather conditions especially the wind. In windier conditions, I would opt for a 6ft fast tip to get the flies to fish that little bit deeper, and in calmer conditions, I would opt for a 3ft intermediate tip.
I also like to incorporate a 12ft slow tip which fishes just below the surface and presents the flies at a slightly different angle when fish are not breaking the surface film but are visibly active sub surface.| Line Type | Ideal Conditions | Recommended Use |
|---|---|---|
| 3ft Int Tip | Slight ripple on the water | Fish are within the top 3 feet of the water column |
| 6ft Fast Tip | Windy conditions | To fish flies deeper in the water |
| 12ft Slow Tip | Calm conditions | Fish are in the top 2 feet of the water column |
Retrieve Techniques
The washing line method is a very adaptable tactic when it comes to retrieves, opt for a slower figure of eight retrieve to begin with but remember to change the retrieve speed up throughout the day. The slightest change in the cadence of your retrieve could be the difference of catching and ending the session with a blank.
Best Trout Flies for Washing Line Tactics In March & April
When it comes to fly choice, always opt for an attractor fly on the point, something that is bright in colour and is somewhat buoyant. Opt for flies such as the Candyman booby or Tequila FAB for example.
The idea behind the washing line is to have your bouyant point fly hold up the dropper flies and create a slight bow in the leader to create a 'washing line effect'. Your dropper flies should be some sort of buzzer or cormorant variant.
Fish two or three flies on the leader, spacing the flies evenly from each other, opt for two arms length between them or up to 5 feet in length.
Pro tip: Swap out your dropper flies depending on conditions. In calm conditions opt for buzzers, in windy conditions opt for cormorants as they offer a larger profile and provide more movement thanks to the wing of the fly.
Pulling Tactics with Lures: Techniques and Tackle Recommendations
Temperatures can fluctuate year on year so you may find that there is still a cold snap in the air. If this is the case, fishing deeper with a sinking line may be worth considering. The trouts’ metabolic rate can slow down in the colder months making them somewhat lethargic.
Fly Line and Leader Setup for Pulling Tactics
I recommend the Airflo Sixth Sense fly lines. These lines come in various sink rates, allowing adaptability for targeting different depths. Fluorocarbon of 9.5lb breaking strain is used for the leader to ensure strength and low visibility underwater.
Fishing Line Types and Their Uses
| Line Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Di3 Sweep | Ideal for fishing the upper layers of water. The sweep line provides more hang time while allowing you to efficiently search different layers of the water column. |
| Di3 | A straight Di3 sinks at 3 inches per second. This go-to line density is perfect for fishing a two booby setup and targeting mid-to-deep water fish. |
| Di5 Sweep | This sweep line fishes in an arc because its belly sinks faster than the head, making it highly effective for covering different depths. This makes it a great line for fishing buoyant flies like boobies and FABs from. It not only slows down the flies presentation but the sweep lines put a different angle on your leader which seems to bring out a better action in these buoyant patterns. The Di5 sweeping line is great for searching deeper water more effectively. |
When fishing small stillwaters, I opt for a Fast Intermediate initially; this allows me to target the midlayers of the water column first, and then from this foundation I can work out where trout are likely to be holding. If fish start coming but are few and far between, it may suggest fish are spotting the lure from deeper water and swimming up to commit to the lure, so going up in line density would be my next move to see if presenting the lure deeper may encourage more takes. On the other hand, if there is no sign of following fish or takes, then working the upper layers of the water and switching to a slow intermediate or even a floating line would be my next switch.
Pro tip: If pulling lures from a boat, I will often use one of the Airflo Sixth Sense 2 Sweep Fly Lines as they allow me to search the water columns more effectively. My go-to in this range would be the DI5 Sweep.
Retrieve Techniques
Always vary the retrieve, as certain days fish will respond better to a faster retrieve and on others a slightly slower retrieve can be advantageous. As well as experimenting with your retrieval speed, ensure you throw in a few pauses too. The benefits of the hang markers on the Sixth Sense 2 Lines come into play there, as you can throw a pause in at the same point in every cast if the trout are in a finicky mood.
Best Trout Flies for Pulling Tactics In March & April
Boobys
When it comes to fly choice, you want to opt for something bright and large in profile. There are a few reasons why we opt for these styles of flies! Early season means there is usually a bit of coloured water present due to consistent winter rain showers and high winds, so having a team of flies that can break up the murky water and stand out is beneficial. Secondly, most fisheries have been closed all winter, so bright and large profile flies are great for triggering reaction strikes from aggressive trout.
Fish a 2 fly cast maximum, there is a good chance of a double hook up early season. So opt for a higher breaking strain fluorocarbon, 9.5lb breaking strain Seagaur Grand Max is perfect. Space your 2 flies 7.5' feet apart on a 12-15ft leader.
Top tip: Use FABs as an alternative fly if boobies are banned from smaller stillwaters.
Recommended Lure Patterns
Bung Tactics: Techniques and Tackle Recommendations
The bung, or strike indicator, is a bit like marmite, you either love it or hate it! Personally, I think it’s a great method for presenting a fly with an almost static approach as well as accurately fishing a specific depth, effortlessly.
The Fish Pimp adjustable bung is my go-to bung. Its ability to precisely manage depth is made possible by the unique inline locking mechanism, which is essential when fish are holding at a particular depth in the water column. A 12-foot leader is used, with 6 foot from loop to bung then 6 foot from bung to your fly. The RIO Elite Gold floating line is favoured for its shorter head, which makes it easier to cast bungs or bulky flies.
Bung Setup: Fly and Leader Recommendations
Depending on your experience, opt for a 1 to 3 fly setup, spacing the flies between 3-5 feet apart from each other. The bung is designed to allow you to alter your fishing depth quickly and efficiently, this can be done by moving your sight indicator up or down the leader.
A 9.5lb breaking strain 15-foot leader with 5-foot spacing between flies helps cover different depths effectively and is my go to.
Best Bung Trout Flies To Use In March & April
When it comes to fly choice, opting for a dedicated bung fly that has a lot of colour and natural movement when static is a plus.
Retrieve Techniques
As we previously mentioned, the bung allows you to present an almost static fly at an accurate depth. So when it comes to the retrieve you want to ensure you keep ‘slow and static’ at the forefront of your mind.
Opting for a slow figure of eight retrieve ensures you keep in contact with your line and flies at all times, this ensures you can react quickly to the subtlest of takes. Any slack line and you will see a poor hook up ratio.
Conclusion
Fly fishing for rainbow trout early season requires a thoughtful approach and the right setup. Whether you're fishing the bung, pulling lures, or working a washing line, these tactics will keep you catching rainbow trout throughout the months of March and April. Adjust your fly line, leader length, and retrieve techniques to suit the conditions, and you'll be well on your way to a successful early season campaign.
