Kenny Romero Spring Fishing on Spinney Res

Throughout the Spinney fishing season, Kenny Romero will be providing updates on fishing conditions and tips and techniques at Spinney and other local stillwaters.    Angler’s Covey will be offering Stillwater classes and float tube classes throughout the year.  Watch this space and our Calendar page for updates!

 

by Kenny Romero

 

Those of us that have ventured out onto Spinney Mountain Reservoir  have been well rewarded with excellent quality Gold Medal trout!  Spinney is one of the West’s great trout fisheries and has been since its opening in 1983.  Due to its location, reservoir depth, and abundant food sources, Spinney trout grow big and they grow fast.  We are fortunate to have this world class fishery in our backyard!

 

Fish weathered the winter just fine and in my estimation picked up a little size in girth and length.  Rainbows have been very active near the shore but that will all soon come to an end as they wind down their annual spawn.  But that doesn’t mean the outstanding fishing at Spinney will come to an end. In fact, the opposite is true: the fishing will only get better from here. With the right strategy and equipment you can enjoy outstanding nymph, dry fly, and streamer fishing all year.  Since opening day, big healthy fish have been landed from the shore with short indicator rigs using, egg patterns, scuds, various chironomids, hares ears, aquatic worms and a variety other flies including streamers.  The north boat ramp, dam, and south bay areas close to shore have all been very productive. 

 

But as the spawning activity winds down, these large fish will start moving out of the shallow rocky structure into deeper water.  You can have great success catching trophy-size trout throughout the entire year by adjusting to the changing seasonal conditions.  Regardless of the time of year, having mobility and accessibility to the trout is key.  A boat, float tube, or pontoon boat (single or larger pontoons) will provide you with that mobility and accessibility.  Having access to feeding fish is the key.  Boats allow you to get out on the water where the fish are.

 

To get your stillwater fishing off to a great start this spring, here are some tips and techniques.

 

The first major insect hatch on Spinney is the large black Chironomid, sometimes referred to as the Buffalo midge.  These large chironomids are the main food source in the early spring.  Both pupa and regular chironomids are productive.  Fish Chironomids from a strike indicator rig using a very slow retrieve or twitching a static rig occasionally are effective.  Stillwater nymphs like the Rickards Stillwater nymph are deadly stripped from a boat or float tube.  A good reliable spring rig set up includes chironomids, scud, hares ears, Stillwater nymphs in a variety of sizes and colors.  And, various woolly buggers stripped at various retrieves and depths are effective all year. 

 

So, to ensure you have good success on Spinney or any stillwater in our area, be aware of the ever changing conditions and food sources, be equipped with the right gear, be mobile, and seek advice and guidance.  Most importantly — be safe out there! 

 

All of us at Angler’s Covey can help point you in the right direction with the right gear and the right spot for a great day at Spinney or any stillwater in our area!  Check our website for “where to go” for great local stillwater spots, come by the shop, or call us at (719) 471-2984.