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Each lake calls for own plan By MARK FREEMAN Anglers will flock by the hundreds to several area lakes Saturday for the start of spring trout fishing, and where they fish likely will dictate how they fish. Each lake sports its own special way to catch the stocked rainbow trout on Opening Day, and matching techniques to the waters is the best way to outsmart the finny critters. Diamond, Hyatt and Howard Prairie lakes all open to fishing Saturday as they do every fourth Saturday in April. Also, destinations like Fish Lake and Emigrant Lake will draw interest from anglers looking to catch their complement of trout. In all these waters, anglers are allowed to catch and keep five trout per day, as long as the fish measure at least 8 inches. Only one of those trout, however, can be over 20 inches long. The angling rules also are the same. One licensed angler can fish with one rod and one hook at a time, but the hooks can have one, two or three points. Also, when a particular angler catches his or her limit of trout, he or she must stop fishing for that species. There is no sharing parts of limits; three anglers do not get 15 fish among them. No one has fished these newly opened waters since Halloween, so what will or won't work Saturday is really just an educated guess. Here is a look at the different waters, and some of the specific techniques recommended by experts. DIAMOND LAKE -- This lake in southeast Douglas County should be mostly ice-free when anglers arrive to fish Saturday morning. The lake is scheduled to be stocked with legal-sized rainbow trout this week as well, but the lake's "hold-over" trout that spent the winter in the High Cascades lake are the target of choice. The lake's big rainbows -- possibly as big as 12 pounds -- ought to be patrolling the shallow waters in search of food. Trolling these areas 6 feet deep or less could be excellent, particularly for anglers using Flatfish or other lures that imitate the tui chubs that have overpopulated Diamond Lake. HOWARD PRAIRIE -- Trolling, fishing while anchored in a boat, or casting off the bank are all popular choices at Howard Prairie Lake, the local water that draws the most interest among Opening Day anglers. And most will be trolling, says Mike Lester, who has doled out fishing tips in his 15 years at the Howard Prairie Resort. Slowly trolling Needlefish lures in the top half of water 15-20 feet deep likely will work best, because the shallower spots are warmer and will house the bigger rainbow trout patrolling for food. That means trolling closer to shore, as opposed to the deep portions of the lake favored later in the year. Some anglers like to anchor in coves, bays and other near-shore areas in hopes of intercepting some of the larger trout cruising the shallows. Still others will line the banks near the resort and waterside campgrounds. For still-fishing or bank fishing, most anglers will try waters less than 10 feet deep and use any of an assortment of PowerBait colors, Lester says. Orange and chartreuse will be popular starters. HYATT LAKE -- This small neighbor of Howard Prairie Lake is cooler and almost 500 feet higher in elevation. And early season angling differs as well. Last year, Hyatt Lake was iced over for Opening Day. The lake is ice-free, but the water remains cool. Most Hyatt-o-philes fish from boats that are anchored in areas where shallower water meets deeper water, or tied up to any of several dozen trees or snags in the lake. From there, anglers use small balls of PowerBait (chartreuse, flame orange or rainbow are the most common flavors) with a small treble hook and a light weight. The bait is cast out and allowed to sink, with the weight on the bottom and the PowerBait floating a few feet above the mud. Staff writer Mark Freeman covers the outdoors for the Mail Tribune. Call him at 776-4470, or e-mail him at [email protected] ) Outdoor Journal Today's Edition : News | Sports | Business | Weather | Tempo | Classifieds Mail Tribune Mail Tribune � 2000 -- Medford, Oregon USA