There was a time when trout fishing started in the spring. These days of course we can fly fish for trout throughout the winter as well. However, for many of us, spring is still the traditional start. So how do you go about catching trout on still waters in March and April?

First, choose your fishery. Large reservoirs can be pretty forbidding places in early spring but the fishing is usually good due to a high density of new stock fish being available. In my area, Arlington, Bewi, Darwell and Weir Wood are the pick of the reservoirs. Also good are the larger type of small still waters like Lakedown, Albury, Halliford and Enton.

I would advise sticking to bank fishing in early season. Plenty of fish are going to be in range of the bank angler and, in cold early season weather, it is far more comfortable than boat fishing. However, be aware that fish tend to shoal up tightly in the spring. They are not difficult to catch provided that you can locate them. An ability to cast a long line, cope with rough conditions, and a willingness to keep on the move are prerequisites of early spring success.

Deep water close in is usually, but not always best. Headlands, dam walls and steep sloping bank areas are the sort of spots that I look for. Also, fishing into or across the wind is a good idea as you will be fishing where food and hopefully trout are concentrated. Of course, every fishery has its hotspots and the more familiar you become with a fishery, the more you will get to know where they are.

As far as tackle is concerned, British anglers often tend to hopelessly over gun themselves. Even on big waters in spring, the heaviest tackle I would recommend is a 7-weight system. This will cope with the conditions and still offer decent sport with average fish. A 9 to 10ft. fast taper rod, matching reel and WF7 lines in floater, intermediate and ultra fast sinker, will cover all eventualities.

As far as techniques are concerned, you need to keep an open mind. However, I have found that there are three types of conditions commonly encountered in early spring and each condition brings out the best in a specific method. These are as follows-

Low pressure, mild, overcast, south or west winds, often wet and windy

These are possibly the best conditions of all. A simple approach with mini lures and an intermediate line works best. I use a clear airflo intermediate line with a I Oft clear intermediate poly leader and a 6ft tippet of 61b kamasan clear nylon. Any marabou type lure can be used, small ones being far more effective than "dead budgies"!

My favourites are the goldhead cat's whisker and viva woolly bugger, both dressed on a no.10 wet fly hook. The cat's whisker has a fluorescent lime green suede chenille body, white marabou wing and tail, and a 4mm gold bead head. The woolly bugger has a lead wire under body, a black chenille body over wound with a black hackle, a fluorescent lime green chenille butt and a black marabou tail.

With this method, you countdown to different depths and try different retrieves, figure-of-eight, twitch, strip, fast, slow, you get the picture. Keep mixing it up, the trout soon get fed up of seeing the same thing moved in the same way. More often than not, the trout will be in the top 6ft of water in these conditions. Also, don't be afraid to try similar lures in other colours like yellow, orange or olive. Occasionally they work even better, but normally black or white based lures are best.

High pressure, cold, north or east winds, often bright

These conditions can prove very difficult. The trout often stay deep and are reluctant to feed. Easily the best method for these conditions is booby fishing. I use an ultra fast sinking Teeny T200 fly line (any high density sinker will do) with a short 4 to 6ft level leader of 61b kamasan clear nylon. My boobies are tied on no.10 wet fly hooks with shaped plastazote heads, micro fritz bodies and marabou tails. Once again my favourites are a cat's whisker version (white head and tail, lime green body) and a viva version (black head, body and tail, lime green butt). However, I also frequently use all yellow or all orange versions.

Technique is simple. Seek out deep (at least 10ft.) water. Make as long a cast as possible and allow plenty of time for the line to sink. Give it at least one or two minutes, as it is imperative that the fly line is hard on the bottom. The retrieve is slow, either figure-of-eight or twitch, but don't be afraid to impart the odd fast strip and pause. Takes can be supremely confident, the fish usually hook themselves against the drag of the line.

Warm, calm, sprins days

Ah bliss! These are lovely days to be on the water but the fishing can be tricky. Such days are likely to see hatches of midges and the trout actively feeding on them. A light imitative approach is now necessary for success. I use a floating line and a long 1 8ft tapered leader with a 61b low visibility riverge flourocarbon tippet. If the rules permit, I will usually have a single dropper about 6ft up from the point of the leader.

Primary insects will be midge pupa (buzzers) or larva (bloodworm). Choose a slim but heavy aerodynamic point fly so that it will turn over the leader and sink quickly. A lighter fly should be used on the dropper to hopefully catch fish feeding higher in the water.

For the point fly, I choose either a blakestone buzzer or an epoxy bloodworm. Both are tied on no.10 or 12 grub hooks. The blakestone buzzer has a curved black floss body with a pearl lurex back and a silver wire rib. The thorax is black tying thread wound over a few turns of lead wire topped with peacock herl with two strips of fluorescent orange floss, one strip on either side to represent wing buds. The epoxy bloodworm has a sparse tail of scarlet marabou and a curved body of fluorescent red floss coated with clear epoxy resin.

On the dropper, I use either a small pheasant tail buzzer or a diawl bach, both tied on a no.12 wet fly hook. The pheasant tail buzzer has a slim curved body of natural pheasant tail fibres ribbed with copper wire and a thorax of natural hares body fur topped with pheasant tail fibres. The diawl bach has a straight body of bronze peacock herl ribbed with pearl lurex with a throat and tail of brown hackle fibres.

This method requires patience and concentration. The flies must be allowed to sink and then moved very slowly. A dead slow figure-of-eight retrieve is effective, even better, cast out across the breeze (if there is any) and simply let the flies drift around. Takes can be surprisingly violent but you need to concentrate on the tip of the fly line for signs of more subtle takes. However, if the rules permit, you can employ a strike indicator. I use a 2 inch piece of fluorescent pink yarn called "loon strike-out". This is highly visible and very buoyant and is fitted at the fly line/leader juncture. Don't use hard plastic, cork or putty indicators as they will not pass through the rod rings!

Finally, don't worry if you cannot see any trout rising. Chances are that they will be feeding on the pupa or larva deep down. Provided it is relatively warm and calm and there are some midges in the air, this will almost certainly be the most effective technique.

Conclusion

So there you have it. These are simple techniques using just a handful of simple fly patterns. Early spring trout fishing is not rocket science. Just remember what I said about keeping on the move in order to locate the fish and matching techniques to conditions, and you shouldn't go far wrong. Tight lines.