Downstream Fishing

[SurfCowboyXX]

I've never in my life seen so many people fish downstream. In clear, low water. In the rare cases they manage to not spook every fish, they seem perplexed as to why they can't seem to hook the fish that eat their flies. The first thing I learned was to fish upstream. I don't get it. Unless you're fishing wets or streamers (and they weren't), it doesn't make much sense to me.

 

[Foxgap239]

Surf, there are rare occasions that I have to fish dry's downstream but it is rare. On those occasions, you have to do that "God Save the Queen" thing to make sure you don't pull the hook out of the fishes month but almost always I'd agree upstream or across stream with dry's.

 

[dryflyklesse]

Opening day on kettle creek in north central pa every fly fisherman fishes like that and just let's there nymph hang in one spot using the current to move it side to side. Never Tryed fishing that way before but it works great! I have always fished from down stream up to not spook fish. I have also seen a show on sportsmans channel where they were fishing for bull trout the same way, but with 5-7" steamers. I guess as long as you don't spook them it's a great method. But on the other hand when I'm fishing below a pool and a yahoo walks down stream around a bend the entire spot is ruined!

 

[Chaz]

There is a methos used to fish nymphs downstream, and in fact it was at one time the only way anglers fished nymphs, but I'm thinking most anglers aren't doing it correctly. I've used on rare occasions, but I don't like to.

 

[Stevie-B]

Surf,

It depends on the stream and the situation. There are many times that I fish downstream, as well as up. And I catch fish both ways. if you can fish downstream correctly, then there is little chance of lining a fish since the fly gets to the fish first. There may also be instances were the only way to reach a spot is to fish downstream. Don't limit yourself because "that is the way it should be done" and you just might surprise yourself.

 

[trowpa]

I've been surprised several times by accident...letting my fly hang in the current downstream while i fiddle with a glove, some gear, a tangle etc....and have a trout grab my fly.

If it happens by accident, it sure as @#$# can happen when you do it carefully!

That said - i simply enjoy fishing upstream more - but will fish downstream when needed.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

Don't discount the effectiveness of fishing a dry fly downstream. I have had success doing that. At times the fish may lie in a spot that is very difficult to reach from below and you have no choice but to fish downstream. If you do it correctly you can get REALLY good drifts. The major drawback is pulling the fly straight out of his mouth without hooking him.

 

[wildtrout2]

I will almost ALWAYS fish upstream for obvious reasons. If I can't fish upstream of where I'm able to park, or otherwise access the stream, I'll hike downstream (even miles) to a given point and fish up. The important thing is to stay away from the stream as much as possible on the hike down. You spook a wild trout, and it's game over!

WTT, I love your new avatar!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

I actually caught my biggest trout down stream. Just kind of a placement issue. I was walking downstream on the Pine, saw him laying in there, thought, "I got one chance at this" so I drifted my nymph downstream, he turned and took it. I actually coudln't believe it, but I'm glad I tried downstream that day!

 

[Fishidiot]

I'll also add that there are indeed times to fish downstream. For example, when I'm fishing trico spinners I usually present them quartering or almost straight downstream and sometimes do this with midges too.
My guess would be that what Surfcowboy is seeing are beginners who are fishing this way because it's easiest (or seems easiest) and are probably unaware that fishing a downstream approach on skinny wild trout water requires tremendous stealth.

 

[IloveBrookies]

I've caught plenty of fish by fishing downstream. If that's what the situation calls for, then that's what I'll do! A lot of times there are ways to do it without spooking the fish.

 

[pete41]

I use to fish nymphs that way a lot at the paradise,then watch for the pink-[when the fish opened its mouth] these were 22 nymphs.
Actually works great where the fish are use to traffic.

 

[RichFishbelt]

I have learned that on some rivers, the only way to catch bigger trout is to present the fly down stream. Believe it. I fished with friends, who would not hear of this. They caught fewer or no fish at all, while I had very good success.
I don't exactly know why this holds true. However, particularly on clear and larger streams or rivers, the larger fish will not take a fly if they see the leader. Yet, on smaller streams, I can catch fish all day long, while casting a dry fly upstream.
After giving this much thought, perhaps, bigger water is exposed to more light since there is little or no foliage or canopy to block the sunlight. For this reason, the fish have a better view of the line and leader while it is in the air overhead and on the water.

 

[csoult]

I fish a wooly bugger downstream all the time. I always try to work/walk my way upstream though.

 

[mcwillja]

I midge fish almost exclusively downstream and also dry fly fish downstream a lot on tailwaters and high pressured rivrers and streams. The fish will see the fly before the line or leader.

 

[wgmiller]

I'll agree with csoult. Drifting a bugger downstream, then "pulsing" it upstream can be very effective. Get that marabou "breathing" in the water and you might just get a good take.

I typically fish upstream most of the time (for obvious reasons), but there are those occasions where sneaking into the head of a pool/riffle and drifting downstream can be very effective.

Just keep it as a tool in the toolbox!

 

[The_Sasquatch]

When I fish wet flies, I like to snake them downstream.

 

[WildTigerTrout]

wildtrout2 wrote:
I will almost ALWAYS fish upstream for obvious reasons. If I can't fish upstream of where I'm able to park, or otherwise access the stream, I'll hike downstream (even miles) to a given point and fish up. The important thing is to stay away from the stream as much as possible on the hike down. You spook a wild trout, and it's game over!

WTT, I love your new avatar!

Thanks it's one of my two Wild Tigers.

 

[SurfCowboyXX]

Streamers and wets, no doubt. But for fish in the middle of a run, I don't get it. The guy got struck. A bunch. It worked to generate strikes, but no hookups longer than a second. I worked the same spot from downstream and stuck every one that hit. And if you're using 7x, you really shouldn't have to worry about fish seeing the tippet. I think once you're using flies smaller than 20 or so, the hookup ratio drops steeply from upstream. You pull it right out of their mouths. You can wait extra long as if you were fishing a popper for bass, and this helps, but you'd still be better off downstream with regard to actually bringing fish to hand. I do it occasionally when a rider behind me drives me nuts with the blooping and gurgling until I can no longer concentrate on the fish in front of me. At that point, I'm either catching or spooking that downstream fish. But I have to be driven to it. Just a low percentage play.

 

[englishprof]

Before our first trip to the West Branch of the Delaware a few years ago, I read Paul Weamer's book. He strongly suggests fishing dries downstream with a reach cast in the slower long pools. Finally tried it with sulphur emergers last year and did very well. By the way, the reach cast is simple. Also, our neighbor in Deposit was doing it all day and cleaning up.