Paddle (or pedal) into solitude on opening day!

For many, opening day of trout season is a ritual, or perhaps more accurately: a rite of passage. For some it’s the unofficial start of fishing season, for others it’s a time to reflect on early memories of fishing with fathers and grandfathers, or for introducing their own young ones to the sport.

As someone who loves to fish, it’s awesome to see the excitement that so many people feel, and especially seeing all the kids getting their first real taste of fishing.

Crowd Surfing

The upsides of opening day create their own downside and that is the crowds. Pick a popular spot and you could find yourself elbow to elbow with hundreds of other fishermen and their skill level will be as varied as the faces that line the shore. You might have a guy to your immediate right that’s throwing PowerBait tethered to a 4-ounce bank sinker, while the lady to your left continually crosses your line without realizing it (and without apology). These frustrations are part of that opening day charm, but they don’t have to be.

What if you could just paddle or pedal off into your own little corner of the lake, free to fish in solitude, or with a few buddies, close enough to the madness to experience the unique flare of opening day, but far enough away to just observe? You can, all you have to do is strap your kayak to the car and glide away from the melee.

True, it’s likely to be cold and opening day doesn’t have the best track record, when it comes to precipitation and wind, but if we have the weather you really can’t beat it. Maybe we’ll get lucky and this will be one of those years where it’s 80 degrees out and you end up with a sunburn to go with your stringer of trout. No matter what the weather is, the kayak will get you out past where the shore crowds can cast and give a wide span of fishing options.

Power & Stealth

The two main reasons why I think a kayak is a better choice than walking the bank or going by boat are that being in a kayak affords maximum versatility in the smaller ponds allowing you to cover water to find the fish and a kayak allows for an unequalled level of stealth, which is important when stalking trout. Once stocked trout get acclimated to their new pond or river, they will move around to find food and find comfortable locations where they can stage and hunt successfully. A kayak allows you to hit many likely spots in a day and if you have electronics, you can isolate ledges, rocky areas or other structures where trout might lie in wait.

If you have the choice between multiple kayaks, there are advantages to consider for both power options, pedal vs. paddle. Many stocked waters are very weedy and in these places I recommend a paddle kayak, for the simple fact that you will spend less time removing weeds from your drive and they effortlessly glide over weedy patches. However, for deeper ponds that are less weedy I’d suggest using a pedal yak because they can cover so much more water.

An anchor is a must, if the wind comes up or you find a particularly fishy spot, you’ll want to be able to hold your position. For lakes and ponds, a small mushroom or folding grapnel anchor are fine choices. If you’re fishing a river, consider a brush grip or a heavy-duty cable clamp on a rope. Clipping onto a sturdy overhanging branch allows you to hold your position in the current without the risk of an anchor rope getting tangled in your drive or flipping the boat in fast water. As such, it’s always a good idea to have some dry clothes in your vehicle, a sweatshirt, pants, socks and a beach towel. To cover the “just in case” factor.

Permission To Launch

Launching your kayak on opening day can be a bit of a social experiment, shore anglers will often be grumpy if they feel you are disturbing their spot on the shore. If you’re showing up after the official 6 a.m. start, be mindful of the fact that many of these anglers have been holding their spot for a few hours. If the pond you’re fishing doesn’t have a designated launch area, try to find a location where you have ample space between anglers to shove off from and be quick about it if you can. Try not to be ‘that guy’ that’s screwing things up for the shore anglers, trust me, they will let you know! Show some courtesy, give them plenty of space and stay out of their casting range, even if that area seems to be where the best bite is.

Another option is to fish “second shift”. Most of the crowd won’t fish much past the threshold of a late breakfast, and by 2 p.m., most of the diehards will have headed home. The early bird may get the worm, but the bird that shows up late to the party will have the place to himself. My experience has been that there are still plenty of willing trout between 2 p.m. and dinnertime and they come without the hysteria of opening morning and the stresses of launching in a lineup. Another plus is that a sunny spring day may see surface temps rising by 2 or 3 degrees between first light and late-afternoon, which may bring on a spike in feeding. Perhaps best of all, you won’t have the competition of 900 other baits and lures splashing down constantly!

I’ve rarely missed an opener since I was a teenager, and what I would have given to have a fully-rigged kayak like I do now. Still, my canoe more than served its purpose until I made the kayak switch four years ago. For the last 20 years I was building submarines on second shift, so getting out there at 5 a.m. wasn’t an option. I remember one particular opener, I pushed the canoe off the shores of Browning Mill Pond at 2 p.m., gliding through the coontail weeds, and there was barely a soul on the shoreline, just their footprints left in the mud. But the fish were ready and willing. I don’t remember the final tally, but it was a lot of fish, often leaping clear of the water with a few throwing the hook! What an exciting way to start the new season!

Tackling Trout

I like to keep things simple for trout, you really don’t need top of line gear. Pretty much any 6 to 6-1/2-foot medium/fast action rod paired with a mid-tier 2500 size reel will be more than adequate for stocked trout, even if you tie into a really big one. This may surprise some, but I prefer 8- to 10-pound monofilament line over braid. I find it easier to manage on the chilliest days and easier to tie knots with when my fingers are cold.

OPENING DAZE

Not all New England states have an official opening day, here’s the skinny on spring trout fishing across the region. Maine: April 1st (North and South Zones). Rhode Island & Vermont: Second Saturday in April. (April 11 in 2026) Connecticut: Second Saturday in April (April 11 in 2026), Catch & Release season open March 1 to Opening Day. Massachusetts: Year-round New Hampshire: Trout season open January 1st – October 15th.

I tend to stick with the classics when it comes to lures, some of my favorites are the Mepps Plain Aglia Spinner in gold or ‘firetiger’, the Thomas Double Spin in nickel/gold and the E.P. Spin in nickel/gold. For spoons I like the Thomas Buoyant Casting, in whatever color I can get my hands on. For stickbaits it’s hard to beat the old faithful floating Rapala in perch, gold/black or fluorescent red. Stocked trout are reactive feeders and bright or reflective colors often draw the most attention from the fish.

It’s wise to go out with options, and if the trout are not hitting artificials, it’s always good to have bait as a solid Plan B. Nightcrawlers, ‘trout worms’ and mealworms are all tried and true options that catch lots of fish. A good tackle box bait option is a jar or two of PowerBait. Personally I get bored of still-fishing, waiting around for a trout to grab the bait, but sometimes that’s what it takes and I’d rather soak bait than pull a skunk.

Another important tool is your net, go with a rubber mesh net; it’s better for any fish that will be released and it’s much easier to deal with if a lure becomes entangled in it. I remember several years ago, I had Rapala get so stuck in my poly net that I had to remove the hooks from the lure and untangle the mess back at home!

This opening day divorce yourself from the crowds and give your kayak a shot. You’ll cover more water, derive more enjoyment from the purity of that opening day excitement and, odds are high that you’ll catch more fish, too.