We've all been waiting for it for many months, and now it's finally here. The opening of fishing in the first category is imminent and will take place this Saturday, March 12, 2022.
To mark the occasion, I've decided to share with you my selection of lures, rods and reels for the 2022 season.
The opening will take place on the small streams of Finistère in search of lady fario. This will require equipment adapted to the specific constraints of this type of fishing.
Rod and reel selection
This is not the subject I'm going to dwell on. The places fished will often be crowded and narrow (less than 5 m), requiring the use of a fairly short rod. A 2-piece rod will allow you to dismantle it to get into the most crowded places.
For the past few seasons, I've been relying on a North fork Composite (NFC) blank, the FW-662-IM distributed by Rodhouse and fitted by myself. This rod measures 1.98 m and offers a power of 2/7 grams. Perfect for propelling small lures with great precision.
A small reel in size 1000 with FIIISH PE 0.5 braid completes this lightweight package.
Change your habits
The rivers I'm going to target are not very wide and not very deep. Areas exceeding 70 cm are rare. This may change between now and the opening, with the possibility of swollen rivers if there's a lot of precipitation between now and then.
I did, however, scout the area. The water is relatively clear, with a fairly low level for an opening, but this can change quickly.
As with all the fishing I do, I try to have a selection of simple but effective lures to avoid diversifying too much at the risk of not knowing what to choose!
Traditionally, I've only used fish between 3 and 5 cm. These brought me excellent results. However, on some courses, the fish became fussy due to the fishing pressure, and the number of catches diminished.
So I decided to change my strategy and use soft lures more often. The choice naturally fell on the FIIISH brand and its Black Minnow range. I use these products all the time at sea and have total confidence in them.
The transition to freshwater and river fishing was a natural one!
My selection of Black Minnow
The range is vast and every fisherman will find the right products for his area.
For my part, I have targeted 2 sizes given the small rivers I fish, but also the relatively shallow depth:
- The Black Minnow 70 (size 1): a 7 cm lure with heads ranging from 3 to 4.5 grams. The new Zincky lead head, lead-free and therefore non-polluting, will also be used with the Black Minnow.
- The black Minnow 90 (size 2), a small 9 cm lure, will be used in deeper areas, or to select the best trout. It's not the one I'll be using the most, but it's important for me to have it in my tackle box.
Black minnow 70 and 90 mm colors
As for the colors I've chosen, I've decided to go for the sure-fire, more natural-oriented brands!
Of course, the absolute must-have treat is the minnow color, specially distributed by FIIISH for the opening.
They are available as a double combo, mounted in 3 and 6 grams for size 1 (70 mm) and as a double combo, mounted in 5 grams for size 2 (90 mm).
Additional colors include khaki, as effective in the sea as in the river, and 2 glitter colors.
The idea is to be able to offer alternating colors depending on the water's hue and light conditions.
Power Tail, the secret weapon!
Not all sectors lend themselves to the use of black minnow. I'm thinking in particular of areas with strong currents, such as riffles, or when fishing against the current, from downstream to upstream. Some lures, including soft ones, tend to stall.
In these areas, which are home to many fario trout, I have no hesitation in choosing the FIIISH Power Tail in sizes 30 and 38 mm to cope with strong currents.
Each size is available in 3 versions:
- Slow: for shallow waters or those without too much current.
- Fast: for areas with stronger currents or deeper water.
- X fast: for deep waters or strong currents.
For trout fishing in the small rivers and streams of North Finistère, even if some areas are exposed to the current, the slow version is perfect. If necessary, I compensate by increasing the weight with the 38 mm size for 4.8 grams.
There are plenty of colors to choose from, and here again, I'm going for the basics with tried-and-tested values:
- Natural Trout and Natural Minnow in size 30 mm for 2.8 grams and size 38 for 4.8 grams.
- Wakasagi when the waters are more tinted.
Think single hooks!
Whatever the brand, most swimming fish are supplied with treble hooks as standard. I can only advise you to replace them with single hooks!
Don't worry, you won't land any more fish!
By using single hooks, you greatly reduce the risk of injury to these magnificent little fish from our beautiful Breton rivers.
So I added a few single hook pouches to my opening tackle to equip the Powers Tails.
Now you're ready to open in the best possible conditions. The second focus will be on the sector, to make the right choice for a successful day.
We'll find out in the next article.
