Sorry all you winter-weary anglers, but conditions for Opening Day of our trout season don’t appear very rosy, at least as I write this. The forecast calls for another coastal storm moving up just offshore that may bring snow, cold rain and perhaps a mixture of both tomorrow(although the worst weather may be southeast of us). Coupled with stream conditions that were already rather unfriendly to fishing, the opener could be a trying time for those hardy enough to wet their lines.

If you fall into that category, you’d be well advised to dress warmly and plan on fishing the smaller streams and headwater branches where water levels should be lower and the brook trout more susceptible to catching. If, however, you must fish the larger main streams, concentrate on the largest and deepest pools and either fish on or near the bottom and very slowly, as any trout there are apt to be very lethargic due to the cold water. If you plan to use worms as bait, better start looking now, or purchase a supply ahead since the ground is still frozen in many areas.