April fools!
As most people think about April 1st, they start thinking of ways to trick their friends or family and make some jokes. When you open up social media on the morning of “April fools”, you’re not sure what to believe when scrolling facebook or instagram! But for some other people, it’s not so funny as its the “official” start of trout season here in New York State.
A few years ago, our trout regulations changed for the better. Most trout waters were closed statewide until “April Fools”, which was basically a holiday for trout anglers. They were finally able to get out and fish waters they haven’t been on since October of the prior year. The regulations didn’t make much sense, as they streams open were mostly higher quality, trout spawning streams. So the lesser quality streams were “closed”, but the select higher quality water were open through both brown and rainbow trout spawning seasons, allowing people to catch these fish and walk over the fine gravel “beds” used for spawning in the fall and spring. These new regulations allow anglers to fish all trout waters, catch and release, artificial only from October 16th to April 1st. A win for the select wild trout waters that were open and a win for anglers, as we can now fish a wide variety of trout waters through the winter months.
April fools with the one eyed trout!
April 1st has always been one of my favorite days. Not just cause its an “opener” or it brings some nostalgia from fishing with my mom and dad as a child, but I look at it as a transition period of the weather getting warmer and fish becoming more active. Water levels are usually really good, water temperatures can be in the 40’s, and fish start to feed on the macro-invertebrates which are moving around subsurface. These few early weeks of April statistically are when most of my larger trout are caught.
As anglers enjoy the nice weather we have been blessed with on this 4/1, I hope memories are being made and fish being caught! I am looking forward to the precipitation inbound this week, bumping water levels and providing some “hunting” conditions, looking for those select Western New York trout that make you say “wow”.
April 1st is also our unofficial start of “hatch season”. One of a few guide services in the WNY region that offers drift boat trips for trout. This western style fishing is unique to the “716” area and allows anglers to fish from a drift boat to target large brown and rainbow trout.
Dates currently available:
April 16th, April 28th
May 1st, May 6th, May 12th , May 20th, May 26th.
These dates will not last long. Please contact us to get your trip scheduled!
We are still looking to fill the hosted trip to Idaho on the Henrys fork!
You can click on this link to get more information, or scroll up to our “destinations” page.
