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For many fly fishermen, the third Sunday in September marks the end of trout season. Fall?a magnificent season known for its colors, morning frosts, mushrooms, and walks in the woods, but also for its fishing action?still offers plenty of opportunities for fly fishermen. Extended seasons in certain first-class sections, grayling fishing in second-class sections, nymph fishing for carp in open water, and streamer fishing for game fish... There?s still plenty of opportunity to keep fishing.
Trout: The season may be extended in some departments
The general rule is well known: in Category 1 waters, fishing is permitted from the second Saturday in March through the third Sunday in September, inclusive. But there are exceptions. Depending on the department, and for various reasons that I won?t go into here, it?s possible to continue fishing after the general closure on certain first-class rivers or lakes. For the angler who loves to travel, this is also an opportunity to explore other regions and venture into unfamiliar waters. Fall on these waters offers a very special atmosphere: often fewer people, different light, the first signs of fall colors, and sometimes still plenty of insect activity during the best fishing hours.
The affected areas are defined by prefectural ordinances. Be aware of local regulations: check them before you leave.
The Reservoir: The Season Continues!
Fall also marks the return of reservoir fishing. It?s a chance to extend the season and?why not??catch up with friends by the water. Dry flies, wet flies, or streamers: you can use any technique you like! And when temperatures start to drop significantly, a reservoir trout on the end of the line is sometimes enough to make us forget that the river is closed. The reservoir also offers a chance to test heavier gear and work on your casting technique
Common Shadow:
After the first season closes, the brown trout offers a great opportunity to continue fly fishing. During the second season, fishing for brown trout is generally permitted through December 31. Be sure to check local regulations, however?make sure to review them before you head out.
Fall is a fascinating time of year that offers magnificent days by the water, bathed in the soft light of the changing seasons. Fly fishing during midday hatches is magical, almost sacred. Fishing isn?t always easy there, but anyone who has seen a sheet of fog rise from the river amid the red leaves, with that coveted circle taking shape on its surface, has experienced the essence of fall.
It's not just salmonids
The end of trout season can also be an opportunity to shake up your routine. Fly fishing isn?t limited to salmonids. Other options are particularly interesting: nymph fishing for carp in open water and streamer fishing for game fish.
Carp Fishing with Nymphs in Clear Water
For an angler accustomed to tracking down trout using the NAV method, the transition to carp fishing is actually quite natural. The principle remains the same: find the fish before you fish. This technique is mainly practiced in rivers, but it can also be used in ponds. Above all, you?re looking for fish that are actively feeding. A carp that?s rummaging the bottom, moving slowly in search of food, or regularly showing its tail is obviously much more promising than a fish that?s simply lying still and inactive. Observing before casting is the number one rule.
Once you?ve spotted the fish, you need to understand its path. It would be a mistake to cast immediately. It?s better to take the time to observe so you can anticipate its movement and present the nymph along its path. The cast must be precise and unobtrusive. The goal is to place the nymph far enough ahead to give it time to sink and allow the fish to discover it naturally. Nymphs, which are often large, mimic crayfish, leeches, or shellfish and can easily be worked.
It?s a form of fishing, a hunt, a passion that relies above all on observation, discretion, and precision. Once you?ve hooked a carp, it will very quickly remind you just how useful backing is!
Fly Fishing for Predators: Bring Out the Streamers
Pike and perch offer fly fishermen a fantastic playground in the fall. The pike is probably the iconic fish of this sport. That?s when we set aside the light rods and fine lines and switch to heavy lines and powerful rods. It?s time to step it up a notch! Beware, faint of heart! The strikes can be violent.
If you're looking for a more refined approach, pole fishing is an option that allows you to fish much more lightly. When pole anglers target baitfish, it can be particularly spectacular.
Eventually, there comes a time when the weather, water levels, or simply a change of heart brings us back home. For some of us, that?s when we gather around our vise?alone or in a group?to engage in a very special activity. Those in the know can appreciate these moments of escape spent among feathers, hairs, and tungsten beads?those magical moments when, in the fly tier?s hands, flies come to life, carrying dreams and, perhaps even, bites?
At the end of the day, being a fisherman isn't about the season?it's about passion.
