MAINE - Life in the Slow Lane
Top picture I would look for pockets fish a Pheasant tail or Hare's Ear. Second picture same flies along the foam line on the right maybe swing a wet fly . Then I would try fo fish under the over hang with a dry on the left . Just to test the fish. Sometimes fish may not be rising but with a well place fly you can draw one to strike. Then fish it right down the middle . A Caddis with a WD-40 as a dropper If these attepmts fail rip a small streamer across the run. Short little strips.
Okay I like this question the best of your What would you do's, thus far Zig. I have seen stretches of river that look just like your first pic,a nd I have no idea how to fih them. Where there are pools and the current transforms into glass, I can usually catch a fish, but the rapids yield little hope for me.
This is something I have to learn, because as I understand it the fish hunker down in this sirt of water as the sun rises, around the rocks, but I have tried and tried on my last trip to Pittsburg to no avail. I got really frustrated. I hope you figure it out because both me and my other bud coming were puzzled by what to do in this water.
Flat water I guess doesn't scare me so much. I have fished it for so long I have ideas as to how I should attempt to catch fish, but rivers I was clueless until recently. Now I have ideas, but I need to learn to apply them. I grow very impatient when I know how to fish the pool above or below and have a hard time practicing knowing that. And I am a fairly persistent person, as you have seen/heard.
Got to run to work. Take care ya'll!
Hi Guys
In regards to fishing fast water with rocks.
Look for pockets of water ahead off and behind the rocks...
There is reduced water volume in those spots and fish are a lot like
us...They like the easy places..
I the fast water can be very frustrating . I have to tell you a story . About 10 years ago I took my fishing buddy from Ohio fly fishing deep into the back woods on spring creek. We walked about 3 miles to a nice run . We caught some nice wild browns and we were having an awesome time. Once the action slowed We went a little further down stream and came across water pretty much like the top picture. My buddy walked right on by this stretch . I yelled to him where you going ? His reply there are no fish in there the water is moving to fast and its shallow. I have to tell you guy's what I take great pride in . I am able to fish fast water better then slow runs. call it luck or maybe skill but I have a knack of pulling nice fish out or water most people don't even look at. I put on a pheasant tail and pointed to a very small pocket. I told my buddy there is a fish right in there a nice brown . He said where ? I said right in there. i pointed like Babe Ruth did for his home run. He said there is no way a fish is in there. To tell you the truth I wasn't really sure if there was either but I wasn't going to let him know that. The water was just a moving to. The good thing about fast water you can get closer to the fish and make a terrible cast and they have no idea your there. I made my cast and hot the fly right above the fast moving water and the my line jerked . I set the hook and landed a nice 16 inch brown. He couldn't believe it . To tell you the truth neither could I . I did this 6 more times with the same result except smaller fish. He talked about that trip for years to our other fishing buddies. The one thing I learned from that day is. Never give up on water . There might be the biggest fish of your life in water that just doesn't look like it would hold a minnow. If luck is on your side it could be the best day of your life. Dave V
Dave funny i have a similar story and enjoy fishing the white water just did something similar the other night although i did not call it , i have just learned over time white water is fun to fish alot times hard to get the fly in front of the fish but of you can you will be surprised. i have caught all the species in this type water and will not pass a white water section with out throwing a heavy bugger or such in it a few times.
I learned this a few years back when i caught a 18" brown at the bottom of a dam . i threw a black wooly bugger in the outlet and wham got beautiful fish . got another after that was nice smallmouth bass same white water. what i couldn't belive was that they actually could see the bugger. i have caught big browns with small nymps in fast water it is alot of fun ....
It's amazing what fish can see. I know what your saying Zig. I don't know how they pick up a size 20 fly in white water but some how they do. It's mind boggling. Dave V
You come across nice river you have never fished before. You take a walk and look at it some. Where do you start fishing and why? what do you try for flies and why? water temp mid 60's. No bugs present, no top water action? Is there a Fly anyone uses to just scout a river?
+Hunting and Fishing "Thats What I Do"