1) Locate the locations
Spending time at the water's edge in the days leading up to the opening can be very helpful on the big day. During this scouting, you should be alert to the water level and temperature, the progress of the vegetation and the presence of white fish. Look for conditions that pike like at the beginning of the season.
This scouting allows you to eliminate some places, prioritize others and start thinking about the equipment you will need. In an unfamiliar area that you are discovering, it really helps to maximize your opening.
2) Check the weather
The weather is one of the essential points in fishing, that we consult throughout the season. It allows us to have an idea of the day we will meet, and to select a fishing place according to it, like a bank sheltered from the wind or waiting for the end of the rain.
A rainy day can be a great opportunity to go to a busy spot, hoping that the rain will discourage people from going there. On the other hand, a sunny day can be an opportunity to test remote areas, where few people will venture.
3) Check the water level of the rivers
The site Vigicrues is an indispensable help throughout the year. With the habit of frequenting a river, one knows where to find the fish according to the water level. Monitoring this site continuously allows you to follow and predict, by looking at what is happening upstream, the rise and fall of water levels.
Moreover, in order to avoid moving for nothing, it allows to know if the conditions are good or not. With experience, we already know where to go, even before going to see the river!
4) Don't do what others do
Quite often, at least what I've seen in my area, there are a lot of people at the waterfront in the morning, first thing in the morning, and as the day goes on, that attendance fades. I get the impression that a number of people go to the waterfront as a tradition not to be missed, and once the magic of the opening is over, their day is over.
Indeed, this moment, during which all generations meet around a common passion, is to be lived at least once. Anyway, once this flow is over, this is the moment I recommend to go out.
We are at the beginning of the season, and very often, the evening shot is better than the morning one. The waters are still cold, and the fish start to move when the sun warms them up to the maximum. In the same spirit, favoring evening fishing during the week is a good way to avoid the crowds at opening time, and it allows you to be on the water at the best time of day.
Of course, if you know of places that are not very popular, go there whenever you want! When they open, they are often the ones that hold beautiful surprises.
5) Don't put pressure on yourself
It is better to take the time to observe and focus on two or three promising areas, rather than trying to do all the spots you know in a day, and ultimately spend more time traveling than fishing.
The same goes for lures, there is no point in spending all your box. A few good references well chosen allow you to put all the chances on your side, you must trust yourself.
The opening is an easy and complicated time. The fish are coming out of a period of no fishing pressure and spawning. Simply put, they are less shy and they are hungry! But on the other hand, it's a time of transition with rapidly changing weather and water levels, which can make it difficult to find and bite pike.
The opening of the fishery is subject to a lot of speculation, questioning and interrogation. Everyone has their own strategy, and this is what makes this moment so special. It doesn't matter what the outcome is, anyway, the season is just beginning, and there are nine months left to enjoy it. Above all, it is the moment to find one's friends and nature, to spend a good time together.
Finally, even if pike spawning is over, this is not the case for all species, such as asp, carp and zander. It is advisable to respect the spawning areas of these species and not to fish there.
