FISHERMAN'S CALENDAR
SO—season opened (or opens); SC—season closed (or closes).
C—clear water; D—water dirty or roily; M—water muddy. N—water at normal height; SH—slightly high; H—high; VH—very high; L—low; R—rising; F—falling.
WT50—water temperature 50°.
FG—fishing good; FF—fishing fair; FP—fishing poor. OG—outlook good; OF—outlook fair; OP—outlook poor.
TROUT: MEW YORK: Most Catskill streams are L, C, need rain despite showers last week. Green Drake mayflies should be hatching on lower Beaverkill and east branch of Delaware this weekend, with big browns feeding on surface by daylight (and by dark as Drakes return to river as "coffin flies"); hatch will progress upstream, should be above Junction Pool by June 2 or 3.
PENNSYLVANIA: Allegheny forest and most northern tier streams L, C, WT60-68, FP/F as hatches are erratic and skimpy and rain is needed to reactivate fish; good mayfly hatches are due on water through next two weeks and OG if levels hold, with #10 March Brown and fanwing Royal Coachman among top-producing patterns. In western Pennsylvania best bets are the big-water sections of Tionesta and Oil creeks (but Spring Creek, tributary of Clarion River, and Salmon Creek, feeding into Tionesta, should produce well on assorted dry flies . Potter County's First Pork and Kettle Creek were L, C, WT60-66 at press time; dry-fly experts were tying on 6X tippets and looking through fly boxes for 18s and 20s.
OREGON: FG, OG most coastal areas. Siuslaw River N, C, FG for cutthroats, with weighted wet flies most effective and OG. In central Oregon, Metolius and Deschutes rivers are N, C, FG with fish rising nicely to dries and OG through next week. SO May 29 for lakes within National Forest lines but deep snows on ground make OP.
NEW MEXICO: FP/F in most waters as first heavy rain in years raised and roiled streams last week; Cimarron River VH, D, OP; Red River H, F, D, OF; Chama River SH, OF; Brazos River SH, OG with black-and-white woolly worms best fly; Gila River in Mogollon Mountains N, C, FP, OP. Snow and ice above 9,000 feet.
TENNESSEE: SO last week in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, with fishermen abundant, trout less so.
BRITISH COLUMBIA: Vancouver Island lakes getting big play and producing well, with both Campbells, Gooseneck and McIvor hottest; trollers and spinners in majority but OG for fly fishers as trout are on surface and should fancy Grizzly Kings and other old reliables. On mainland. OG for Kamloops fans as most lakes below 4,000 feet are open (but Ta-weel and Lac Le Jeune were still under ice at press time).
WASHINGTON: Most streams are in good shape and FF/G generally, with smaller tributaries best bet this week. High lakes are mostly under ice above 2,000 feet and lower lakes still FP, OF. Best westside lakes are McIntosh, Tanwax, Martha, Haven. Mineral, Yale Reservoir, Cushman. Mrs. Sophia Montour flipped a worm from shore of McNeil Island Reservoir, reeled in 14¾-pound rainbow.
CALIFORNIA: Lakes are producing most trout as streams are still H, D. Lake Crowley is still best bet on east slope of Sierras with Topaz Lake near Nevada line runner-up when winds slack off. Big Bear Lake (only 100 miles from L.A.) yielding many rainbow limits after slow opening. Upper Owens continues as top stream of east slope with streamers and woolly worms best fly-rod lures, spinners and minnows better producers. Hot Creek is fine fly water with trout favoring #16 Ginger Quills and Adams. West slope streams H, SD but Kern, Kaweah and Tule FF. Best bets for fly fishermen are Truckee River, from Truckee to state line, upper Sacramento, McCloud and Pit rivers, with wets and nymphs fished deep. Lake Alamor is producing a few rainbows to 6 pounds for trollers; OF/G.
COLORADO: SO May 21 and State F & G Dept. estimated 150,000 anglers turned out for the fun. Most streams were H, D after rain and snowfall but most fishermen took fast limits on bait or hardware, made big dent in 4,000,000 trout that state will have planted by end of season. Best fishing was in mountain reservoirs and lakes. Arkansas River SH, R, D mornings, F, C in afternoons, FG, OG; Colorado River H, R, FF, OG; Roaring Forks H, R, clearing, FF/G with bait or spinners, OG; St. Louis Creek (where Ike wets line) SH, R but clearing, FG with bait, OG; Gunnison River F, C, FG and OG.
MONTANA: SO May 22 with OP until high water subsides; most fishermen await Yellowstone Park opening May 30, when Firehole River should provide good sport with fly.
WISCONSIN: Brule River N, C, WT50-55, FF/G with few big rainbows caught but lots in 2-to-3-pound class, OF through next week.
IDAHO: FG for mackinaws and dolly vardens to 18 pounds at Priest Lake (with best action around Kalispell Island); Coeur d'Alene and Hayden lakes report OG for trollers. Top spot in state for mackinaws and big natives is Bear Lake, with best fishing on southeast side with bait or wobbling spoons and plugs.
MUSKELLUNGE: WISCONSIN: SO May 21 with many fishermen but few fish reported; most waters are L, C, in need of rain; OG and improving through June.
TARPON: FLORIDA: 60-to-80-pounders are thick in Boca Grande Pass as boats are converging on this perennial hot spot from both Florida coasts; biggest fish to date is 150-pounder; OG through June. Sizable schools reported in Ten Thousand Islands and Shark River areas with most fish under 50 pounds. Fly fishermen can find fine sport with trout rod and maribou streamer on Myakka River as "baby tarpon" to 5 pounds provide fast action when schools are located.
MEXICO: As tarpon hit lures and bait at Tampico, Veracruz. Coatzacoalcos and Campeche, Mexican sport-fishing clubs are protesting to government against dynamiting of tarpon by commercial interests.
LOUISIANA: Tarpon are plentiful and frisky in Grand Isle area; John Lauricella took his third of the season last week (but couldn't top the 126-pounder he led off with).
BLUEFISH: NORTH CAROLINA: Blues are still main attraction at Kitty Hawk. Nags Head, Oregon Inlet and Cape Hatteras areas with good catches coming from surf and offshore, largest going to 3 pounds. Old-timers in Dare County predict another red-hot season for blues along entire route of migration, north to Massachusetts. At Morehead City the run has slacked off but anglers found solace in fine run of black drum and signs of early king-fish invasion.
STRIPED BASS: CALIFORNIA: Best season in years is at hand with many limits by trollers at Santa Clara Shoals and San Pablo Bay.
MASSACHUSETTS: School stripers being taken at river mouths from Plum Island south to Buzzard's Bay mostly on spoons.
SOUTH CAROLINA: Good concentrations in deep water above Pinopolis powerhouse.
