Week of 15, 2026: Lucky
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! In my family, St. Patrick’s Day is celebrated with particular intent. Lillian, my paternal grandmother, was Daly before meeting my grandfather and she decorated her home with an Irish motif throughout the year. We memorized Irish blessings and my brother and I were constantly told to remember how “lucky” we were - and she was right, too. While not terribly religious or known for her cooking in general, Lillian’s corned beef, cabbage, and soda bread were the cornerstone of St. Patrick’s Day and for me it is as memorable as other holidays. In fact, uncles and cousins from my dad’s side came back to New Jersey this weekend more reliably than for Thanksgiving or Christmas. The tradition has only diminished in the number of people at the table since I was young, but their spirits and our tradition lives on and my children start asking about the meal in February and signals spring.
Spring's advance is apparent on the rivers, too. Stoneflies are in the air and on the water. BWOs and midges are more prolific. The days are longer and levels are running above average after some heavy rainstorms and melting ice. The shock of a few very warm days galvanized the system and as if people needed a jolt to get outside:
The snow is melting
and the village is flooded
with children. - Issa
Then, rain and cold came back and levels made wading questionable for a few days. Still, people fished right on through and I heard and saw, on phones in the shop and social media, fish were found. I have not had much luck so far this month despite getting out - even on the questionable days.
Stoneflies, BWOs, and the variants that mimic them, are at the top o’ the list. It is streamer season, too, especially on high water days with rising temperatures. The fact of changing temperature is as interesting as the actual water temperature, if that makes sense. This Sunday morning I read 41 degrees at around 7 am. I have been fishing outside the TCAs before they close for stocking on the 22nd, hoping for wild or holdover trout. Memorable trout seem to come at this time of year. Once the sun hits the water and air temps rise, the bugs go into action and the trout, also warmed up and with more room to run, seek out the blooms of bugs, as when we see flashing trout in early spring. Once temperatures level out, however, this activity slows down like a subsurface hatch. Late winter is a great time to test your skill and, I suppose, luck, as this is the longest possible stretch since a state stocking. The dearth of fish at this point frustrates a lot of anglers and many point to this time to support our stocking program. It is tough. Whether success fishing is luck or skill is anyone’s guess. I’ve come to think there are usually too many variables in the universe to point to “luck” as a reason for success, but instantly I can think of anecdotes whose outcomes can’t be reasoned or explained.
All-in-all, we are looking lucky for this last week of winter. A bit of rain and warm weather give way to temps in the 30s mid-week until Friday when we see 55 on the vernal equinox and the seasons change on the cosmic scale. Enjoy a warm, sunny spring weekend of fishing before all publicly stocked rivers and streams close on March, 23rd and remain closed until April 11th. Note the is a change to this year’s regulation: “All trout stocked lakes and ponds [...] are no longer closed during the preseason stocking period” (NJFFD, 16).
TCAs are open, but it is totally catch and release fishing during the stocking period.
We are open, too, and have everything you need (and more) to get out before or be ready when the 2026 Spring Trout Season officially begins. Fly Tying 101 and Thursday Night Tying are winding down. The New Jersey Fly Tyers Guild will continue to hold monthly tying nights, on the final Thursday night of each month, but check the Guild’s website to confirm time and location: njtyersguild.org.
The 101 classes this year have been great and this past weekend was even more special with AJ Dewey leading and really crushing scud patterns; I don’t think my students picked up the whip finish as quickly as the folks who joined us on Saturday. Check out AJ’s streamers near the register and keep a few for those days after a storm when trout are stalking the bank, or for summer time smallie fishing.
Even though I was not helping out with 101 this week, I was lucky to receive a wonderful loaf of soda bread from Corey B., friend, local artist, angler and tyer. More, I learned how to properly cut the loaf - in quarters first. Two quarters are frozen for our family meal on Thursday.
The best time to be a fly angler is approaching! Dry flies (Mayflies) and Caddis are down there, getting ready.
May the trout rise up to meet your fly…
Roy B.