Yesssss! It’s almost here! Trout season officially opens this Sunday, April 1 throughout New York State. I’m sure if you’re reading this you’re probably just as excited as I am.
I don’t even know where I’m going to fish yet. I’ve been going back and forth between heading to a river with a few friends as if it were a holiday or something, and hiking in to my favorite little stream by myself to try to land a few brookies in peace and quiet. I guess I’ll decide Saturday night or Sunday morning.
I’ve got some new gear in preparation of the season opener, and thought I would share with you..
My birthday was a few weeks ago, and all I ask for every year is fishing gear. This year I was given a pair of hip boots, a nice lightweight net, and a fishing vest with more pockets than I know what to do with. But hey, if I have more pockets than I have gear, I guess I’ll just need to get some more gear, right?
My girlfriend got me a magnetic release for my net, so it can just hang on my back until I’m ready to use it, and if I happen to drop it I won’t have to chase it down the river. Thanks Liz!
The hip boots are pretty nice, and I’ve always wanted a pair for the smaller streams when I’ll only be in the water up to my knees. They have canvas legs that can be folded down when walking/hiking if need be.
Last night I headed down to L.L. Bean in Colonie to look at some chest high waders for use on larger bodies of water. I’ve been considering a different pair of waders every week since my blog post back in August. I got some good feedback from you guys, and decided to go for a pair of breathable stocking foots.
Honestly, I have a hard time not going with L.L Bean when it comes to stuff like this. They’re customer service is the best in the business, and they make top quality products. I looked over the selections of waders online over and over again before I went down to Colonie to try a pair on. I ended up going with these Emerger II Stocking Foot Waders.
These were a little more expensive than the bottom line Flyweight II’s, but these seemed like they were constructed with higher quality materials, and the gravel guards looked to be more suitable than their cheaper counterpart. Since L.L. Bean stands by their products so well, I figured I would buy the pair that sits in the middle as far as price and quality goes.
Breathable waders can be worn all year by layering up in the spring and fall, and wearing only shorts underneath in the summer. They are also easier to pack away for a hiking/camping trip than neoprene’s would be. These were the two main selling points for me.
I think for now I’ll wear an old pair of sneakers or hiking boots over the stocking feet, I’m not ready to buy a pair of wading boots yet.
Are you guys (and girls) ready to go for opening day? Have you been gearing up? I’d love to hear about your new stuff, or any tips & tricks you might have for early season trout fishing.
