April 15th River Report - The “feed bag” is on!

18” Smallie crushed this white articulated streamer

First came the warmer temps…Then the water crept up into the mid-high 50’s…A little rain moved in, and IT WAS ON!

As the steelhead run nears its end, the Smallmouth and Pike fishing has been excellent the past couple weeks. While the water still is lower than average for this time of year on most of our rivers, the couple bumps in flow have definitely led to successful days.

Right now we are in the pre-spawn period, where the biggest fish are actively and aggressively hunting. Dredging crayfish patterns on the bottom will likely get it done, but if you want to see some great strikes, try throwing big, white articulated streamers. Target the deeper, slower pools around rocks and other structure. You might even lay into a surprise pike or two. An 8wt is our go-to this time of year for throwing big flies, to big fish.

Line/leader suggestions: I’m a big fan of the Scientific Anglers Full Intermediate lines with the Titan Tip. They turn over big flies easily and cast like a dream. I’m going heavy with the leader right now. Bass/Pike aren’t particularly line shy and most water still has a bit of a stain to it anyways. I’m running about 3’ of 35# flauro to about 3’ of 20# flauro. I like to connect the 2 sections with a small barrel-swivel to allow the streamer to swim more naturally.

Just a reminder, that while Bass and Pike aren’t as delicate as trout species, we still need to handle them with care. It can take 10 years or more for a Smallie to reach 18”. If they’ve survived that long, they deserve to get back to the water as quickly as possible.

Good luck and be safe out on the water!

TK