When it comes to fishermen who don’t enjoy ice fishing, spring is the finest time of year since they can once again pack up their gear and head to their favorite fishing sites in the warmer weather. Summer is, without a doubt, everyone’s favorite season, but you do not have to wait until next summer to enjoy it. More experienced fishers are well aware that the early spring fishing season is a good period for catching big fish.
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Simple tips to follow when fishing at the beginning of spring
Before we get into what kinds of freshwater species you might expect to encounter during this season, let’s go over some important information for anglers. For starters, you should bring a large quantity of live bait along with you. A new generation of freshwater fish is just getting started, and they are starving for nutritious nutrients. When given with nice delicacies, the fish can even become overindulgent, and you should take advantage of this basic truth to your advantage.
Another wonderful advice that you should follow is to concentrate your efforts on fishing in the afternoon hours. Early in the morning is not a particularly good time to go fishing because it is too cold for fish to venture out on the hunt for food in the first place. They favor the afternoons since the weather is becoming warmer and the water temperature is rising, which creates the ideal conditions for feeding.
Consider the little and the slow. Winter has a way of making fish sluggish, and as a result, larger prey is not something that they are very interested in pursuing. Another consideration is that it might be fairly slow, so you must match its pace. When retrieving the fish, make sure to go slowly enough so that you may catch the animal.
Freshwater species that are easy to catch in early spring
Catfish is an eager eater
If you plan on going fishing in the early spring months of March and April, you will not be disappointed if you are after catfish. Catfish can be considered a scavenger at the very least, as it feeds on all of the dead animal tissue that has accumulated at the bottom of the body of water where it lives. This fish acts as a sanitization machine, devouring everything in its path and thereby making the water healthier and cleaner. Anglers have a distinct advantage in this type of activity since it allows them to catch more fish. Catfish are voracious feeders who will eat anything and everything that comes their way, even your bait, so be prepared for this to happen.
Walleye travels to shallow waters
Another fish that can be caught fast in the early spring is the walleye. This fish awakens after a long winter with only one goal in mind: to travel towards breeding grounds in order to reproduce. That is, it migrates from the depths of the bodies of water where it spent the winter to shallow areas where it can feed and spawn since the water is warmer and provides a better environment for these activities. Remember to concentrate your efforts on streams and tributaries, since this is where you will have the best chance of catching walleye with the least amount of work.
Northern Pike is spooky in spring
Despite the fact that this species is well-known for being easy to catch in the summer, there are no noticeable changes if you go after it in the early spring. Using the identical baiting procedures as before, with one minor exception, can be accomplished. As a result, it is recommended that you reduce the size of your spinnerbaits and spoons because the cleaner water will make your bait more visible. Because it tends to spend more time at the surface of the water, the Northern Pike can rapidly grow agitated by your presence and become afraid of you. Approach with caution if you want to avoid getting hurt.
Trout requires a different baiting method
If the thought of catching trout conjures up images of clear mountain streams on brisk summer mornings in the Rockies, you might rethink your early spring trout fishing plan. Because of the runoff, the water has become muddier, and there is minimal clarity, making it difficult to identify trout in the water. Nonetheless, this does not rule out the possibility of capturing trout in the future. All you’ll have to do is switch from using surface flies to using sinking flies as a tactic. The latter will have the appearance of little worms and baitfish, and trout will be immediately attracted to it and try to capture it.