Walking vs. Working - which type of FF'er are you?

[dreamsofstreams]

To me there are two distinct type of Fly Fishermen:
1. The guy that works every possible seam/riffle/head/tailout/run/swirl of a given spot or pool that he knows holds fish

and

2. The guy who covers miles of stream only taking a couple casts into what look to be the "fishiest" areas or each spot or pool then promptly moves on

So which one are you and why?

 

[MKern]

I'm a hybrid.

I work each seam in the water, but I don't spend much time on each; 5 cast max, or 2 prefect presentation (what I deam to be perfect).
Most of the time I hook up with a fish on the first cast to a "fishy" area.

I think hovering in 25 yeards of a stream for hours is wasteful and the fisherman is not giving proper presentation, the fish aren't there, or he has caught the couple that were.

I always say, especially to beginners, there are plenty of fish that will eat that fly, why focus on the one or two that you can see rising or believe to be in that riffle.

I think stockers and pressured wild trout (like Spring Creek) a few more cast are usually needed to pursuade them.

 

[dreamsofstreams]

I should answer my own question -

I am a worker, then walker. I like to find a good spot and work it hard to determine what flies I'm getting takes on and what is being ignored. Once I'm comfortable knowing I'm using the right fly or combination thereof, I start walking.

I feel like I can maximize my catching the more water I cover with the right flies.

but that's just my .02.

I've seen guys outfish me many many times using both approaches.

 

[pete41]

Assuming we are talking about free stone that would depend on the size of the river and type.One with a lot of large pools or one which is one long series of rapids and riffles.
On a really big pool type river there will be a lot of none trout holding water that you learn to recognize through experience.So you can cover a lot of water fishing them.Smaller pool types it's compressed so there will be less dead zones and you might not cover as much distance in a day.
Constant rapids and riffles the fish can be anywhere so so there is nothing to gain be rushing ahead and a long walk back.
So I could fit in both your camps,depending on the water.Evasive-lol

 

[BPS]

Walker for brookies

Worker for Browns (Especially if I know theres Bigguns in there)

Mix for Stockies and Steelhedz

 

[Phish_On]

I also do a little of both. Sometimes i work a section real hard, other times not so hard. It really just depends on if i want to work a section hard or do i want to see some wildlife and enjoy being in the company of nature. I usually mix the two.

 

[wrangler412]

I would also consider myself a hybrid depending on the water. I often times walk to the golden areas while quickly trying some pocket water and riffles and runs. I will stay at a nice fish holding spot for a good amount a time, only to leave and fish my way to the next spot.

 

[jayL]

I tried to answer this question, but all I could determine is that I am not a generalizer.

 

[teacreekfreak]

walker, i just like to be out, catch a fish or two (always nice to catch more though), enjoy the scenery, company etc... I dont nymph much either, so no need for me to work one spot all that hard

 

[pcray1231]

hehe. Like everyone else here, my answer is "it's situational". And I'll add a 3rd category.

3. The guy who doesn't move. He's got a spot he knows holds fish, maybe a pod of risers, and works them for hours.

I'll try to generalize to throw some reasoning in, but it is a generalization, there are plenty of exceptions, and many of them for no better reason than thats what you feel like doing at that moment. I don't always choose the "best" way for that date and time. If I feel like workin, I'll work. If I feel like walkin, I'll walk. And if I feel like sitting on fish, I'll sit on fish.

Smaller streams favor the walker style. The stream ain't that big, and it doesn't take very long to cover the water in front of you. There's also more likely to be extremely shallow riffles and such which you know won't hold fish. On big water, it simply takes more casts to cover the holding water within range, and there's more holding water between the banks that a cast or two doesn't cover. Also, a "riffle" might still be 2 or 3 feet deep and is often the best water. A much greater % of stream has potential to hold fish.

Less fertile streams steer more towards the walker style. There's less fish per water, but they're more aggressive. You don't need to put it right in their face to get a strike, they'll go 5-10 feet. They'll also hit in the first few casts. If they haven't, they likely won't, and there's always a danger there's NO fish there. Best to move on. In more fertile waters, there's fish in every likely spot and you know it, and you gotta put it right in front of them, with perfect presentation, and even then it may take numerous casts before they hit. Working makes more sense.

Cold water steers more towards a worker style. Unactive fish don't always hit first cast, they take some working.

Crowds tend to steer towards #3. It's often a mistake from a logical perspective, you tell yourself that you should look hard for unmolested fish, and you're probably right. But in crowded waters, it may be a while before you find a decent spot with at least 100 yards or so to yourself again, and when you do, it's possible that spot has been worked over just like the one you're in, no way to know. Maybe you should move, but you're there, the fish are there, your having enough fun, got yourself into that trance, just go with it.

 

[gfen]

I obsess over things, so I hover for way, way too long.

 

[bam]

On small to mid-size streams, I'll move on if I'm not catching... but that's after I get several good casts and drifts. Generally it takes me a few casts just to get a feel for how a particular run should be fished. If I see active fish, I tend to stick it out until I blow a hookset or put them down with errant casts. With bigger water, I can spend a couple hours picking out the various seams within a proven section of water

 

[Squaretail]

The fish determine what kind I am on any given day.
More often than not, if I've had a poor day you can bet I covered some water.

 

[JackM]

Is the hatch sporadic? Walker. Then again, I have stood in the Yough for hours on end without moving 50 yards in either direction.

 

[sipe]

I'm a walker. Mostly because I dont have a clue what I'm doing

 

[wildtrout2]

I'm a walker, always have been. It just stands to reason the odds of catching more fish go up with the more stream that you cover. I'm talking about wild trout here. These trout will usually spook after a couple have been caught, then it's time to move on. I'm one of those guys who HAVE to see what's around the next bend! It's the adventure and the scenery added to the fishing that makes me fish this way.

I'll walk right by water that looks marginal to get to what looks like good holding water. I'm there to catch trout, so I do what I need to do to achieve this. I don't travel 5+ hours sometimes to just catch a couple trout. I'm a numbers guy, and the more trout you catch the better odds you have of catching a big/rare fish. I'm convinced sheer numbers of trout allowed me to catch my only wild tiger trout. It's like catching a 10"-11" native, you usually need to catch X amount of fish before you'll get one that size. This is just my thinking, as others have different reasons for fishing the way they do.

 

[Fishidiot]

Definitely a walker.

 

[TimMurphy]

Dear dreams,

Like many of the respondents I'm a hybrid, or mix, of styles.

A lot has to do with the water I'm fishing. Some places lend themselves to more active movement and fishing while other places are best fished by remaining in a general area and working it thoroughly.

Once I fish a particular stream successfully I do tend to stick with what worked in the past and don't often vary my tactics. That may or may not be a good idea, for there really isn't a correct answer or failproof system for fishing.

Regards,

Tim Murphy

 

[k-bob]

most of the best streams I know require I walk in, a walk out, or both. but I can park for a while on a good hole. definitely like to see more stream. but on small streams, you can work your way up to where the stream fishes less well, just too small.

 

[nimrod]

I'd call myself a walker until I find an area/fly formula that works. If I'm catching fish in a pool/run/riffle with relative frequency I'll stay there until it slows way down. Can't remember the name of the book I read this in but the advice was "Don't leave fish to find fish". Works for me.