Everybody knows how great the trout fishing can be out West in July and August. But many people miss that magic window of opportunity that

opens each April after the snow and ice come off the water but before the milky runoff happens in May and June. Not only can this be some of the clearest water to fish all season, but many trout are bigger and hungrier than those you’re casting to at the end of June. And if you’re lucky enough to hit it just right, and the weather cooperates, there are usually at least a few days of truly spectacular early-season fishing, when it’s warm enough to get some bugs hatching–usually blue wing olives or midges–and warm enough that a trout’s metabolism kicks into a higher gear and gets him thinking about eating bugs off the surface.

One good way to find out if the window is open or closed on your local river is to visit the USGS sites that list the traditional high and low flows for this time of year. Peak runoff usually doesn’t vary more than a week or two from year-to-year, so you should be able to tell from those graphs when flows start to dramatically increase, get off-color (or muddy), and eventually ruin fishing for four to six weeks.

Instead, get out there now when the rivers are less crowded, the waters more clear and the fish are more hungry. And bring your bluewings with you.