Stew
09-05-2004, 02:24 PM
This article is courtesy of <font color="red">The Fly Fishing Shop in Welches, Oregon </font>
READING THE WATER
by J. Morgan Jones
The more that I watch other people fly fish- the more that I am convinced that many of us do not, or cannot, “read the water.” This should be a basic skill. Your catch rate is going to suffer if you are not presenting your fly where fish are holding. I think that perhaps many of us are catching fish as a result of fishing in places that we are familiar with, or perhaps places that someone else has shown us. While this method works, we are missing good holding areas as a result of not reading the water.
The first step in reading the water is understanding why fish hold where they do. Trout, Salmon and Steelhead all normally hold in very specific areas for different reasons. Salmon are transitional, and therefore tend to hold in “resting” areas until reaching their spawning grounds. Try to imagine what the Salmon are enduring while ascending the river to spawn. The Salmon needs to pass through long fast broken water areas in the course of their journey. They seek places to rest as soon as possible after these long and difficult passages. At the “top” of riffles, or, fast water (also called the “head” of a riffle) there is usually a deeper area that offers a refuge of little current which is the first chance of resting after a long and energy consuming run through faster water. Keep in mind that this is “resting” water (as opposed to “holding” water). Salmon, like Trout and Steelhead, prefer to hold in protected water.This is usually at or near the bottom of a river and can be a depression that has little current or a deep area that has a good deal of structure. Large boulders are the most common structure in many rivers. These fish prefer overhead cover at their holding areas. This is usually thought to be a physical object such as overhanging trees or undercut banks. Many of us fail to realize that a broken water surface (sometimes called “textured water”) is also overhead cover. The key here is that fish are wanting to avoid overhead predators, so most any condition that restricts visual contact can be interpreted as overhead cover. Salmon are not here to eat, so keep in mind that they do not need to be in feeding lanes.
Steelhead are similar to Salmon in what they are looking for in resting and holding water. You should consider that steelhead do not usually rest in community areas, but in individual spots. This means that there can be many steelhead holding in a “run”, but not in pods (groups) as other types of fish will hold in. Steelhead are not here to eat, primarily, but they do eat while in the river. When Salmon are present in the system,many steelhead are pushed out of traditional resting areas to hold in “pocket” waters. These are small resting areas large enough for one fish to lie in. Remember, good resting and holding areas are always places to fish. Regardless of the season, fish will always know a good spot to rest by instinct. Successful steelheading is a result of recognizing these spots, or “lies.”
Trout are a different world. The key to understanding where to find trout is to recognize what is called a “prime lie” (this is not something that you tell your fishing buddies, but rather, actual places). Trout are looking for three things. The first is cover, then a holding area with adequate oxygen, and access to food. Once again, cover is not only solid objects, but also can be broken water. The best holding area will be in areas of no (or very little) current, but next to (or under) moving water.
The moving water is what brings the food to them. They tend to hold on the slow side of current seams, below ledges, behind rocks and in river bottom depressions. While these are the most common, they are not exclusive by any means. When an insect appears in the current next to their holding spot, they move out, take the insect, and return to the holding area. When you find a place that has all of the ingredients, fish it. This is what is called a “prime lie”. When the direct sunlight is off the water surface, the trout are more confident about taking emerging insects and dry flies and can move into more open areas. Many evenings the fishing seems to get better as the sunlight fades. The diminishing light can trigger insect activity and is interpreted by the fish as cover. Almost any condition that restricts visual contact into, or out of, the water, is protection from overhead predators. The safer that the trout feels, the more confident they are about feeding.
Trout can almost always be found in riffles, the 1-4 foot deep nymphing runs or the back eddies. Always look for movement in these areas and you will find trout.
There are many more spots that hold fish than most of us are aware of. The better you read the water, the more spots you will find that are fishable. The next time you get to the river, look at areas that you have never fished before. In addition to looking at new spots, look closely at your favorite ones. Chances are you will recognize the things that make a good fishing area. Apply what you have learned when scouting new water and you will find yourself becoming more confident as a fly fisher. Remember that none of this is etched in stone. The fish do not read the same books that we do, so they tend to make mistakes. Be patient with them.
Polarized glasses are great tools for observing trout. Keep the lenses real clean.
READING THE WATER
by J. Morgan Jones
The more that I watch other people fly fish- the more that I am convinced that many of us do not, or cannot, “read the water.” This should be a basic skill. Your catch rate is going to suffer if you are not presenting your fly where fish are holding. I think that perhaps many of us are catching fish as a result of fishing in places that we are familiar with, or perhaps places that someone else has shown us. While this method works, we are missing good holding areas as a result of not reading the water.
The first step in reading the water is understanding why fish hold where they do. Trout, Salmon and Steelhead all normally hold in very specific areas for different reasons. Salmon are transitional, and therefore tend to hold in “resting” areas until reaching their spawning grounds. Try to imagine what the Salmon are enduring while ascending the river to spawn. The Salmon needs to pass through long fast broken water areas in the course of their journey. They seek places to rest as soon as possible after these long and difficult passages. At the “top” of riffles, or, fast water (also called the “head” of a riffle) there is usually a deeper area that offers a refuge of little current which is the first chance of resting after a long and energy consuming run through faster water. Keep in mind that this is “resting” water (as opposed to “holding” water). Salmon, like Trout and Steelhead, prefer to hold in protected water.This is usually at or near the bottom of a river and can be a depression that has little current or a deep area that has a good deal of structure. Large boulders are the most common structure in many rivers. These fish prefer overhead cover at their holding areas. This is usually thought to be a physical object such as overhanging trees or undercut banks. Many of us fail to realize that a broken water surface (sometimes called “textured water”) is also overhead cover. The key here is that fish are wanting to avoid overhead predators, so most any condition that restricts visual contact can be interpreted as overhead cover. Salmon are not here to eat, so keep in mind that they do not need to be in feeding lanes.
Steelhead are similar to Salmon in what they are looking for in resting and holding water. You should consider that steelhead do not usually rest in community areas, but in individual spots. This means that there can be many steelhead holding in a “run”, but not in pods (groups) as other types of fish will hold in. Steelhead are not here to eat, primarily, but they do eat while in the river. When Salmon are present in the system,many steelhead are pushed out of traditional resting areas to hold in “pocket” waters. These are small resting areas large enough for one fish to lie in. Remember, good resting and holding areas are always places to fish. Regardless of the season, fish will always know a good spot to rest by instinct. Successful steelheading is a result of recognizing these spots, or “lies.”
Trout are a different world. The key to understanding where to find trout is to recognize what is called a “prime lie” (this is not something that you tell your fishing buddies, but rather, actual places). Trout are looking for three things. The first is cover, then a holding area with adequate oxygen, and access to food. Once again, cover is not only solid objects, but also can be broken water. The best holding area will be in areas of no (or very little) current, but next to (or under) moving water.
The moving water is what brings the food to them. They tend to hold on the slow side of current seams, below ledges, behind rocks and in river bottom depressions. While these are the most common, they are not exclusive by any means. When an insect appears in the current next to their holding spot, they move out, take the insect, and return to the holding area. When you find a place that has all of the ingredients, fish it. This is what is called a “prime lie”. When the direct sunlight is off the water surface, the trout are more confident about taking emerging insects and dry flies and can move into more open areas. Many evenings the fishing seems to get better as the sunlight fades. The diminishing light can trigger insect activity and is interpreted by the fish as cover. Almost any condition that restricts visual contact into, or out of, the water, is protection from overhead predators. The safer that the trout feels, the more confident they are about feeding.
Trout can almost always be found in riffles, the 1-4 foot deep nymphing runs or the back eddies. Always look for movement in these areas and you will find trout.
There are many more spots that hold fish than most of us are aware of. The better you read the water, the more spots you will find that are fishable. The next time you get to the river, look at areas that you have never fished before. In addition to looking at new spots, look closely at your favorite ones. Chances are you will recognize the things that make a good fishing area. Apply what you have learned when scouting new water and you will find yourself becoming more confident as a fly fisher. Remember that none of this is etched in stone. The fish do not read the same books that we do, so they tend to make mistakes. Be patient with them.
Polarized glasses are great tools for observing trout. Keep the lenses real clean.