Reading the Water

[NewSal]

ryansheehan wrote:
Maybe it is generic but alll those things change according to what kind of water is in front of me. 90 percent of fishing is half mental

agreed

 

[Swattie87]

ryansheehan wrote:
90 percent of fishing is half mental

110% of the time.

 

[ryansheehan]

Hook sent you a pm with my email.

 

[afishinado]

I think every one of us guys are half mental....

That's why we FF....

Sarce, above pretty much stated what I was about to post.

I too teach newbie FFers all the time and reading the water is something that must be taught to them the same as casting and knots and rigging, etc.

Also I agree with Ryan's list above. Learning to read the water is step one and determining the best way to present a fly is the next step.

Long and short, it all comes down to experience on the stream.

 

[foxtrapper1972]

Reading the water becomes second nature just like casting etc. After a while you are one with the whole pursuit....in the zone as they say. That's the real magic.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

For me reading the water has to do with understanding where fish are on a favorate creek or river and applying that same skill to other creeks and rivers that I have not visited before.

There is no guarentee that every location that I cast to has a trout just waiting to hook up.

Some of the most challenging areas for me are where there are several currents coming together and I want to cast to all of them and have my line drag free while it travels through.

 

[Hook_Jaw]

Penny that's a good point the last one I like spots where you can stand in the middle and cast to deep banks on both sides.

 

[Bopper]

Here is a link to an interesting article by a western guide on reading water .
http://www.backdooroutfitters.com/featured/reading-river-water

 

[PennypackFlyer]

Here is my observation of reading the water.

Reading the Water 101.....knowing that the blue-er the water the deeper it is and which way the water is flowing.

Reading the Water 102....Understanding slow moving water vs rapids. And where there are channels in the creek/river. Understanding drag.

Reading the Water 201....Understanding how fish use channels/rocks/underbrush to hide or to relax.

Reading the Water 202.....knowing where to stand in order to cast into several different currents. Understanding ticking the bottom and line length in order to get your presentation in the best strike zone. And where to put that dry fly in perspective of where the trout are rising. When to use weights on your line.

Please add to the list if you would like.