Early spring lake fishing is officially underway. Haystack, Chickahominy, and Lake Billy Chinook offer some of the first open water options each year, with Haystack leading the pack for bank and tube anglers chasing large rainbows on balanced leeches.
Twin Lakes should be fishable by mid-April, and Crane Prairie’s opener on April 22nd will mark the start of the high lake season.
Leeches and chironomids fished under indicators are staples, but stripping streamers on intermediate or Hover lines can produce as well, especially on warmer days. Don’t be discouraged by cold surface temps—trout feed well in the shallows even when the water’s in the 30s.