If you are anything like me, by early spring I am scouring the web, searching desperately for a local lake that has finally lost its winter ice so I can head out and wet a line. Heck, the ice doesn’t even have to be completely gone…just get me out there! Where I live the winter is a long one and the ice has been on the lakes for 6 months so. That long of a winter has a definite impact on the fish and how they act right at the beginning of a season. So before you go flying out the door with your rod half strung, there are a few things you may want to consider.

A trout’s metabolism is hugely dependent on the temperature of the water – and the water is never colder than right as the ice is melting. The fish will be very slow and sluggish as they shake off the winter blues. The chances of you having a banner day, like you might have had in mid-June, on your favorite lake are pretty slim. But if you take into account the following factors, you’ll have more success.

• Sleep In. This time of year, there is absolutely no reason to get out at the crack of dawn. The water temperature will be at its lowest for the day and until the sun is higher in the sky, any insect activity won’t be happening. You’ll likely spend several fishless hours, not being terribly warm yourself, moving around the lake feeling discouraged. Get out there around mid-day, shake off the winter casting rust for a little while and the fish should start being a little more active closer to lunch time.
• Dress For Success. Early spring weather can be unpredictable and end a fishing trip pretty quick if you are not ready for it. I fished a lake really early this year (How early? It still was half covered in ice) and we had crazy gusting winds and snow pellets thrown at us. But with good warm inner layers and water-proof outer layers we were able to get through it. Bring light-weight insulation such as puff style jackets and fleece pants under GoreTex rain wear for best protection. It’s also wise to bring along something hot to keep your inner core warm. Hot soup in a thermos will seem like heaven and keep you going when it’s nasty out.
• Fish Slow. Remember how we talked about a fish’s metabolism being low when the water is cold? This will result in trout not wanting to expend a ton of energy to get food. They won’t be chasing down a leech or wooly bugger if it’s stripped fast, but they are certainly willing to inhale one that is completely static or moving along very slowly. One of the best ways to achieve this slow presentation is to fish below a strike indicator. With an indicator, your fly (or flies), can hang at your desired depth for an infinite amount of time and literally be right in front of a fish looking for a spring meal. Twitch the fly with very small strips of line or short steady pulls every couple of minutes so the fly can cover a bit of water and hopefully attract the attention of a nearby trout. Keep a close eye on that indicator. With the fish not being super aggressive so early in the season they will often take the fly very gently and your indicator may only dip or twitch slightly.
• Get down there. Right after ice off, the warmer water in the lake is found at the bottom. In a couple of weeks, in a process called “turnover” the water will be warmer near the surface from the sun and the wind mixing the water. So for now until “turnover” happens, you will find the fish hugging the bottom so be sure to fish your flies within 1-2 feet off the bottom. If you’re fishing from a boat, find your depth either with sonar or by measuring with your anchor rope. When fishing from shore, start where you think the bottom is – you’ll know you’ve found it when your line comes back with weeds or muck. Then shorten the depth a couple of feet to place your fly in the ‘zone’.
• Choose your weapon wisely. What flies should you use super early in the season? To maximize your chances of seeing your strike indicator go under, you need to choose flies that represent food items found in the water year-round. It’s too early for caddis, mayflies, damselflies and most chironomids to be moving. Leeches and scuds are two of your best bets. Both stay active all winter and trout will most certainly recognize them as a great food source. You can also do well hanging a blood worm pattern over sandy and muddy bottoms as these wiggly guys do come out from their burrows in the winter season and are an easy meal for a fish. All of these patterns are excellent fished under a strike indicator which allows them to stay at a steady depth without a lot of movement.

The first trip of the year can be an exciting one and set the tone for the whole season. Remember that ice-off fishing is not like the rest of the season and you need to slow it down. Be ready for the conditions and have patience. At some point during that day the fish will get a bit hungry and be ready to snap your fly!