March 27, 2011

23 Feb: Lance with a henThis is going to sound like a broken record, that’s for sure. As I look back over past fishing reports for March, I see I’ve already used the term, “hard nut to crack.” But, indeed, that’s what March is. So, to lift my own spirits, I’ll post a photo of the last fish of February. Lance got the hook-up on a black stone.

Without doubt, March is my bleakest month (on the Sturgeon, at least). Water temps remain doggedly in the very low 30’s despite the warming air temps. That’s certainly not hard to understand. Even though daytime temps are hitting the 40’s, when snow melts, it’s still depositing 32F water into the river. Fish are still lethargic at those water temps.
Shortly after the middle of the month, water temps were up to 35F. But, then a cold wave pushed in, giving us single digit nights, and water temps fell back to 33F. During the brief warm-up, I was able to manage a 14-er brown trout on a “shock and awe” streamer.

Another problem that the melting snow and warmer air temperatures brings, is the influx of fair-weather spawn-dunkers. I never see these guys during January and February, but by mid-March, they are out in full force. Even though fresh fish haven’t entered the river in any significant numbers, the warm weather brings these guys (and their rank spawn) out of the woodwork. They clean up the last of the winter First Streamer Fish of 2011fish, dragging them out for their smokers or grills. It’s slim pickings for those of us that opt for yarn and feathers. Oh, well. That’s life.

Well, if there is any consolation, the Sturgeon's spring steelhead run is not especially strong. These local guys lose interest fairly quickly. By the middle of April, I have the river to myself, again. In the meanwhile, I’ve got a new Discovery 9 IR pontoon boat by Outcast to tinker with. I’m really looking forward to floating “new” water.