The grass was green yesterday. Recent weather swings even have the deer beginning to wonder if they should keep their winter coats. Photo by Joe Forma

If you’ve stepped outside in Western New York this April and thought, “What season is it?”–you’re not alone. Mother Nature seems to be spinning a wheel each morning: rain, snow, sunshine, 70 degrees… sometimes all before lunch.

It’s less a forecast and more a sampler platter, locally known as a full “Henry’s mix.” For anglers, this has made the start of fishing season feel a bit like showing up to a game where the rules keep changing.

Take trout, for example. Stocked fish are typically released into streams with the expectation they’ll stick around long enough for anglers to catch…and enjoy a fresh pan-fried meal. But with heavy rains swelling creeks and pushing water levels up, many of those trout have had little choice and decided to take an unexpected trip downstream. Not exactly the plan — but not a disaster either.

Sure, it may mean your favorite fishing hole isn’t as productive as usual, but those fish didn’t disappear. They’ve just relocated — like seasonal renters who found a better deal a few miles downriver. And here’s the silver lining: fewer caught this year means more survivors growing bigger for next season. Think of it as a long-term investment in bragging rights.

Of course, this does mean anglers might need to work a little harder. The days of casually strolling up to a well-known spot and landing your limit may be replaced with exploring new water and actually — brace yourself — reading the stream. Look for calmer pockets, deeper pools, and areas where fish might be hiding out from the current. In other words, fishing just got interesting again.

On the lakes and ponds, things aren’t much more predictable. The crappies that usually move into canals to spawn when the water warms, have been stuck in a bit of a weather-induced identity crisis too. One warm day brings them shallow and active. The next cold snap sends them packing back to deeper water like they forgot their jacket.

For anglers, it’s a bit like trying to meet up with a friend who keeps changing plans. “They were here yesterday” has never been more accurate or more frustrating.

Meanwhile, the woods are having their own seasonal confusion. Trees that started budding during the brief warm spell have since hit pause after a reminder that, yes, it’s still early April. Snow on fresh buds might look strange, but it’s just nature hedging bets. We cannot complain, that’s part of the charm.

Even when the fish aren’t cooperating and the weather can’t make up its mind, there’s still something to be said for simply being outside. The quiet of the woods, the rush of a high stream, the occasional sunbeam breaking through — it’s enough to remind us why we go in the first place. It doesn’t hurt to bring your fishing rod in the truck at all times right now. In a season like this, tomorrow might actually be perfect.

If you really want to stay ahead of the curve (or at least laugh about it with others), consider joining a local outdoor or conservation club. These folks track conditions at their meetings and social gatherings, share stories, and help make sense of the weather chaos. More importantly, they remind us that unpredictable seasons are part of a bigger, ever-changing system, and that’s what keeps the outdoors interesting.

So yes, this spring might be confusing. The fish are confused. The trees are confused. Even the forecast is confused. I know I’m confused each time I read my electric bill. Maybe that’s a point to share, because in Western New York, if you wait for perfect conditions and an affordable electric bill, you might need a better forecast. Keep smiling. You might find that 5-pound silver lining casting an egg sac off the Dunkirk Pier. Steelies are swimming around there, no matter if it rains or snows!

Gotta love the outdoors.

Outdoors Calendar

April 7: Niagara Musky Association, monthly meeting, 7 p.m., Eldridge Club, 17 Board St., Tonawanda.

April 7: Children in the Stream, Youth Fly Fishing program, free, Costello Room, Rockefeller Art Center, SUNY Fredonia, 7-8:30 p.m., 12yrs old and older, info: 716-410-7003 (Alberto Rey).

April 11: NYS Hunter Education Course, Carroll Rod & Gun, 1111 Frew Run Rd., Frewsburg, NY, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.: students register online: https://dec.ny.gov; students must complete homework prior to class. Info: 716-569-4337. Submit calendar items to forrestfisher35@yahoo.com at least 10 days in advance.