Opening Day on a Class A stream

Opening Day on a Class A stream

By David Orlowski

It was a cold start to the day, frost on the the ground with the temperature in the twenties. Regardless of the weather I was going to be out for the opening day. After a quick bowl of cereal I made sure my gear was in order and then I was off in search of trout.

My first stop was at a bridge where the stream gets stocked well. After visiting and watching the anglers for a short period of time there was very little action. The cooler night time temperature had made the stocked trout some what lethargic. Knowing this I knew the trout wouldn't feed 'till the temperature warmed up later in the morning.

Thinking about it for a few minutes I knew what my game plan was going to be. I decided to head upstream a few miles to the headwaters where it's classified as a Class A stream. Knowing the weather doesn't affect the native trout like it does stocked fish I knew I'd find plenty of action. Once stream side, I found the water to be crystal clear and very low for this time of year. The first pool I came to had a undercut bank with a log across it.

After assessing the situation for the best approach due to the water clarity, I worked my way from the lower end of the pool upstream. In the next half hour, I caught seven bright colored brookies that measured between six to eight inches. Definitely some exciting action on and ultralight rod using four pound test. After fishing the entire pool I took a brief break and thought about the many fish I'd just caught and released.

After a quick can of soda it was time to move upstream to a section of stream hidden beneath the forest canopy. I came up on a big boulder in the stream on the opposite bank that the flow drifts back underneath. Casting a wax worm baited hook into the upper current the line barely drifted three feet before the line jerked tight. After a short battle a beautiful brown trout came to net. He was at least ten to eleven inches long and surely was a wild fish. His fins were sharp and perfect, no flaws at all like stockies. His coloration was beautiful being a dark brown with brilliant red spots, along with a golden brown belly.

Over the next twenty minutes the action continued with four more brown trout similar in size being landed. After all the excitement, I completed my fishing for the morning by ten o'clock. As I headed home I thought that's enough action for the day as I knew I 'd be back again soon. Since this stream doesn't get stocked it provides a special sort of getaway that I return to several times each year. It's not about the size of the fish, but the fight they provide and a way to get away from the crowds.