Pull on the waders, break out the flies and landing net and head for the streams. Saturday is trout fishing opener in Minnesota.

"It should be a good opener for what we've seen in fish population," said Jeff Weiss, fisheries specialist at the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Fisheries in Lanesboro.

There are 720 miles of trout waters in southern Minnesota. The Lanesboro fishery provides fingerlings to 26 streams and rivers in the southeastern Minnesota.

Brown trout are native to these waters and there are a few pockets of brook trout. The fisheries stock 'catchable' rainbow trout -- 11-12 inches -- in a few streams, Weiss said.

"We stock fingerlings -- 3-4 inches -- because they will grow up in the streams and you can't really distinguish them from the wild fish," he added.

Weiss said the DNR has bought easement that is clearly marked on the rivers in the area. For those stretches where anglers aren't sure about ownership of the property, he suggests that they ask permission of the landowner.

Choose your lure

Now that we know there are fish, what is the bait of choice for anglers? And, where do anglers find the illusive trout?

Don 'Hootch' Hanson at the White Whale bait and tackle store in Austin said he expects the fishing for Saturday's trout opener to be about the same as last year. He said the rain will create murky water conditions -- and for fly fishers, clearer is better. The smaller streams will be dirtier after the rain.

For those anglers who fish with bait or lures, brighter lures are better. If the water isn't clear, beginners might try the 'woolie bugger fly' or large 'flashy nymphs.' The Caddis hatch is on and mid-afternoon looks good, Hanson said. Size 16-20 flies also are his tip for beginners.

"It seems like the numbers of fish are up and fisherman will experience many of the same conditions as last year," Hanson said.

He recommended the upper end of the Duschee Creek. Also, he recommended the Lanesboro trout hatchery stream, which clears up pretty quick.

"Gribben, Diamond and Beaver Creeks should have good fishing as well as the Mabel Sportsman Pond," Hanson said. "Lanesboro Pond is good for kids. They stock before the opener and there is a park there."

Why a fly?

Dave Anderson is a high school English teacher in Byron and a fly fishing guide. He explained the way he chooses his fly.

All of the flies are made to resemble aquatic insects that live in streams. Flies lay eggs in the water where they hatch. They go from the nymph, to emerge to adult stage where they leave the water, only to return, lay eggs and die.

Anderson said that in the nymph and emerger stage they are called wet flies and the flies resemble those stages. The dry flies resemble the adult fly in color. Wet flies sink whereas the dry flies float downstream like the actual fly.

The best time to catch trout is when the fly is between the emerging and adult stage. "They are at the surface and the wings haven't dried yet so they can't fly. The trout come to the surface and dimple the water. It looks like it's raining," Anderson said.

According to Anderson, there are no DNR designated trout streams in Mower County. However, he said, there are quite a few in Dakota, Rice and Goodhue Counties.

He has a word of caution for anglers, "streams are still gin clear and very low, so fine tippet, long leaders and some stealth are the key.

Anderson has more fishing tips and can be reached at theis e-mail address: davecoly@venturecs.net

Call Ailene Dawson at 434-2235 or e-mail her at :mailto:ailene.dawson@austindailyherald.com