How would you fish these?

[afishinado]

How would you fish these spots? (lines, arrows, symbols, and numbers welcome)

 

[JackM]

I would use 4 casting positions (approx.) execute several broadcasts in order from 1-4 position, casts broadcast right to left from each position, thusly (assuminig shadows don't dictate reconsideration):

 

[govtmule]

i agree with Jack M...for the second one....first a cast or 2 behind every rock/soft spot closest to you (a dry/dropper) then the runs/water in front of those 2 big rocks on the far bank...they look like they could be pretty good

jeff

 

[David]

My first cast would be from position 1, but drift right down along the bank I am standing on...there's gotta be an undercut there. My second, third, fourth casts would be the same.
I would then fan out as Jack has done.

Between 2 and 3, I would very carefully position myself an equidistance from 1 to 2 - upstream from 2. I would drift straight back to me down that riffle, as well as let a fly sit in that back eddy for a little while.



The second picture, I would come up the opposite bank (because I'm left handed) and cover the water pretty completely...there's gotta be little holding pockets all through there.

 

[osprey]

I don't have the graphic ability so i'll borrow from JackMs excellent graphics and using his spots and lines i'll explain what i'd do. In picture one while fishing upstream i would begin by casting a dry fly , ant , from slightly below the point JackM calls 1 i would cover the entire pool with a dry fly from there and would probably move up to somewhere between 1 and 2 and after that i would walk up to the next pool or oppertunity. From the looks of the pics that would be just about where 4's casts are landing. I would try to cast and cover that next pool as much as i could from there and then move on.


Picture 2 looks like places on Bob's creek , i'd stand on the mossy boulder/rock in the foreground or close to it and try to cover as much of that water from there with a dry fly , probably an ant , next i would move accross and slightly below the small white rock in the center of pic and try to cast up toward the larger white rock near the center of the pic , i would view the upstream situation from on or near the larger white rock near the center of the pic , when all was over i would have caught 3 fish , one from the first pic and two from the second , a brown and two small brookies.

 

[MKern]

For the first pic I would fish it from the left bank and really consentrate on the bank because of the shelter it creates.

 

[wgmiller]

I like the "#4 casts" in Jack's first picture diagram. There has to be a small eddy created off to the side and I'm sure a hungry fish is awaiting...

In the second pic, I'd probably be concentrating behind the rocks...

 

[flipnfly]

well me for the first one i would first cast from downstream to avoid spooking any fish the water looks pretty clear if it were a lil stained i would fish it from jacks approach i also like mkerns idea it looks like there a back current so a lil downstream on the left side would do as for pic 2 i think govt mule hit it on the head fish the pockets and seems and anywhere else a trout my be hiding

 

[jayL]

For spot one, I would work area 1 from spot A, 2 from B, and 3 from C. If I didn't have a very heavy nymph or streamer on by C, I would put one on then.

My casts would be up on to the shelf before the drop off, so that the down welling sinks my flies quickly.

Interestingly enough, I would prefer dries for 1, nymphs for 2, and a heavy streamer or bugger for 3. I highly doubt I'd fish this pool effectively. Note that area 3 includes all of the stream edge, but I was too lazy to enclose all of it in a polygon. 2 also includes the broken water immediately above area 1, but again... too lazy. Also note that I would be much farther from the water than indicated. I'd be out of the frame for A and B, and would ensure that only my rod tip was over the water from C.

For spot two, I would do my best to cover every X and the few feet downstream of it. Streamers are, by far, the easiest/most effective way to do that. Second choice is dry/dropper, and third is nymphing. If I felt like being thorough, I would tight line nymph it by working my way across the stream, moving up a bit, and working back. In a few zig zags like that, I could effectively catch a few fish and spook the hell out of the run for the next guy.

Rarely do I fish optimally, but if I was feeling up to it, that's what I'd do.

 

[afishinado]

The second photo depicts a nice, but real tough run to fish; all kinds of obstructions and changes of flow. I knew Jay would start flinging his streamers, and that would probably be the best way to catch fish there.

I would try a dry or a dry/dropper. That would be a lot of fun and a challenge. I would try to approach as close as possible and keep my rod high with my line and leader out of the water to eliminate drag. I would make short casts to the mini lanes of current, get a foot or two of drift and recast. This may be a place for skittering or skating flies too. Lots of fun!

 

[JackM]

On #2, my hot zones for dry flies and my likely casting position for each:

 

[Stevie-B]

I'll use Jay's diagrams to keep things simple.

First I would ignore spot 1 unless I saw something that warranted my attention (ie. could see fish). Being that the water is deep and the current flows around it, I would assume that it is used as a resting area and not for feeding. Of course if I was actually there I would make a cast or two because I couldn't resist but only after I had fished the other two spots.

I would fish both areas 2 and 3 from the exposed gravel across from C. I would work the seams on either side of 2 with a dry first. A few of the casts would drift into the undercut bank at B. From that side I could also put the dry into the back eddy at 3 and control the line enough that it would sit and swirl for 5 sec. or so.

Then I would put on a nymph and fish 2 again, paying particular attention to seam between 2 and 3.

For the second picture, I would fish every seam and current break with a dry/dropper.

 

[pcray1231]

I'd fish the first spot similar to Jack, however, with far less casts.

From position 1, or even downstream of there, I'd fish the flat water out of the current. First cast to the close shore, second to the middle, third to the far edge. You could cover the length of that with a good drift.

From position 4 or a little downstream, I'd probably throw two casts into the upper current and let them drift down through the broken water, trying to get on that current edge which I think it is the hot spot of this hole. Then I'd cover the bottom of the next hole up, cross the stream, and come back to the backwater area (Jay's #3), and let a dry just sit in there and go round an round, maybe even twitch it a bit.

For the second picture, eh, I'm not sure. I like streamers for this water, but if I already have a dry on I'd probably not change. The two close midstream moss covered rocks, I'd want the fly to go right between them, then settle out in Jack's #1 yellow shape thingy. Then I'd go after Jack's #3 yellow shape, except cast higher closer to the riffle. I'd probably then throw 2 casts to Jack's #4, that looks like a money spot. First one into the current and drift on down through, second one is gonna hug the rock. Jack's #2 is gonna get ignored, I shoulda hit that from downstream, and if I'm already where the camera is, I either just missed it or didn't think much of it.

 

[GreenWeenie]

Where I’d fish the first picture all depends on the angle of the sun. But in looking at the picture the water looks pretty clear and relatively shallow so the first thing I would do is sit back from a position where I didn’t cast a shadow and just watch for a few minutes to see if anything moves. If something moves, then I'd plan my strategy and fly selection accordingly. If I didn’t spot any movement I’d be very inclined to high stick a weighted soft hackle wet fly right along the current seam and let it swirl around in the hole in the lower left hand corner.

The second photo depends on the time of season. If hatches have been occurring, a #14 Wolff style dry in the current could be good followed by high sticking a weighted nymph. I’d fish the stream in small 3-5 foot long segments specifically targeting prime holding areas right along current seams and rocks. I would also consider weighting a streamer, fishing it upstream and letting it bounce along the bottom.

 

[pcray1231]

the first thing I would do is sit back from a position where I didn’t cast a shadow and just watch for a few minutes

Ha. By that time I'd have fished it and be 3 holes upstream....

 

[wetnet]

How do you do the line thing?

 

[JackM]

wetnet wrote:
How do you do the line thing?

Go here,
http://photofiltre.free.fr/frames_en.htm

On the left, click "Downloads."

PhotoFiltre works much like Photoshop but has way less features.

 

[jayL]

If all you're doing is lines, why not use MS Paint? It's already installed.

 

[David]

So that's how you do it? Who would have guessed I studies CS in college?

So here's a pic to better show my approach! I would carefully hit position 2.5 after hitting position 2 and before moving to position 3.

David wrote:
My first cast would be from position 1, but drift right down along the bank I am standing on...there's gotta be an undercut there. My second, third, fourth casts would be the same.
I would then fan out as Jack has done.

Between 2 and 3, I would very carefully position myself an equidistance from 1 to 2 - upstream from 2. I would drift straight back to me down that riffle, as well as let a fly sit in that back eddy for a little while.



The second picture, I would come up the opposite bank (because I'm left handed) and cover the water pretty completely...there's gotta be little holding pockets all through there.

 

[afishinado]

2.5 is it! That's where I would expect the active fish, waiting for the current to drift the insects to them.