Reading Water

[Beweav]

I've been thinking of ways that I can improve my fly fishing and I have identified the area of reading water as an area for improvement. I have learned a ton from my personal experience, by reading info on here and by watching videos on youtube. I am a very visual person and I have never been on the water with a more experienced angler fly fishing, so I get a bit confused or unclear when I hear people mention things like pockets, riffles, ect. Something that I would find very helpful is actual stream pictures with people labeling the place they would fish. The types of streams I've been on have presented a nearly unending array of current seams, flow types and bends so I though that seeing some photos from various people as a reference would helpful for those of us learning to read water. Most photo editors can draw on pictures So I thought this could be good way to pass these wintery days... critiquing each others choices and so on.

I'll start. I labeled where I would fish first and second. Tell me where else to fish, and also what you would call the different sections on this piece of water. Then add picture of your own with it broken down! I'd love to see some bigger water but also don't want to encourage spot burning so I'll leave that up to your judgment.

 

[Swattie87]

I've been thinking of ways that I can improve my fly fishing and I have identified the area of reading water as an area for improvement. I have learned a ton from my personal experience, by reading info on here and by watching videos on youtube. I am a very visual person and I have never been on the water with a more experienced angler fly fishing, so I get a bit confused or unclear when I hear people mention things like pockets, riffles, ect. Something that I would find very helpful is actual stream pictures with people labeling the place they would fish. The types of streams I've been on have presented a nearly unending array of current seams, flow types and bends so I though that seeing some photos from various people as a reference would helpful for those of us learning to read water. Most photo editors can draw on pictures So I thought this could be good way to pass these wintery days... critiquing each others choices and so on.

I'll start. I labeled where I would fish first and second. Tell me where else to fish, and also what you would call the different sections on this piece of water. Then add picture of your own with it broken down! I'd love to see some bigger water but also don't want to encourage spot burning so I'll leave that up to your judgment.

View attachment 1641240093

I think learning on small streams, like the one pictured, is a little easier because it’s usually pretty obvious where a fish will hold…Look for combinations of depth (which can be relative) and cover, and areas with moderate or even fast current, right next to areas of slack water. Try to fish the “seam”, or right where the faster and slower currents meet. On small streams, there’s only so many places like this. You may walk 100 yards in between locations like this. Part of the deal. The area in your picture I’d fish, but isn’t what I’d call primo habitat on a small stream. If this holds a fish, more than likely it’s fairly small and not capable of holding a better lie/hole/run/whatever in the stream.

You’ll learn quicker on bigger water, but it’s tougher IMO because there are many more spots that have that combination of depth/cover/current. And it can kind of seem overwhelming at first. A common response you will get is “just break it down into much smaller sections.” And there’s merit to that, but IMO the best way to learn to read big water is to to spend a day fishing with someone who’s experienced in doing it. I was a really bad nympher on big water for a long time, largely because I wasn’t very good at reading it. It’s still not my strong suit, but I can pretty reliably catch fish using that method now. The key for me was spending a couple days with guys who were really good at it, and watching them. I was mostly interested in the spots they chose to fish, versus the spots they didn’t. Some spots may look similar, but some are better than others, and an experienced angler will help you differentiate between them so you can focus on the “best” spots.

Keep an eye on the meetup forum for get togethers, and the annual Jamboree near State College in May. There will be a ton of guys fishing the big limestoners there who would be happy to take you under their wing for the day.

 

[sixfootfenwick]

1 and 2 have you best chance at the larger fish.
Especially 2 near that little bit of cover.

Larger trout like the slack water at the tailouts of pools and riffles, especially near cover that they can retreat to when danger approaches. They expend far less calories holding in that water.

So many anglers spook the best fish right at their feet when looking up through the run and often don't know it.

 

[SmittyTheSquatch]

I'd say one of the biggest lessons I learned from fishing with more experienced people is to fish all of the reasonable spots, but do it efficiently and methodically. 2 or 3 good casts/drifts through each area and move on. Especially in a small stream like this and especially with a dry or streamer. Sixfoot is showing the way. I'd say I'd be more excited about 5 and 6 more than 1 - 4. =)

 

[wildtrout2]

Larger trout like the slack water at the tailouts of pools and riffles, especially near cover that they can retreat to when danger approaches. They expend far less calories holding in that water.

So many anglers spook the best fish right at their feet when looking up through the run and often don't know it.

So true. I spooked the biggest wild brown I've ever seen by doing exactly that. He immediately retreated to a nearby undercut root system.

 

[Swattie87]

Good points made since my post earlier in the thread. IF there was a “big” fish in the OP’s picture, and “big” on a stream like this may be 10 or 12”, or even smaller if it’s all Brookies (pretty sure I know the stream and it has both Browns and Brookies though), I agree the most likely spot it will be is under that small brush pile on the far left edge of the picture. I missed that looking at the picture the first time.

Beyond that, OP, you’re generally on the right track with the areas you circled. But, that area in general wouldn’t strike me as being all that fishy. Worth a couple casts for sure, then move on. Definitely better habitat than that on that stream.

 

[rrt]

Post #2's suggestion of fishing seams of water where two currents of different speeds bump into each other might be the best hint you can get here, especially if there is a little bit of deeper water beside the slower seam.

When trout are rising to feed on floating insects, however, they might be just about anywhere, and you fish to the risers. (To me, that is the most fun in fly-fishing.)

 

[PennKev]

View attachment 1641240093

In fairly gentle current (low flows?) like this you are liable to find fish anywhere in that picture with except maybe that barren looking patch by the eroded bank. I would expect fish in that middle slot all the way through this stretch of creek. Really, anywhere in that pictures where the stream bottom has texture could hold fish, particularly the bottom and bottom left corner of the pic. Now, if you double or triple the flows, fish will likely be more concentrated in the sort of areas you circled, and also in any deep downstream pocket where the current tapers off. However, the conditions shown in this pic would be a situation where carefully stalking and covering the water all the way through this stretch from bottom to top is warranted. Rushing to get to your highlighted areas will likely result in spooking fish up the bottom stretch of stream.

 

[Bamboozle]

A couple of things I always do, ESPECIALLY on small streams...

I always fish upstream. I also always enter the water in the shallowest, most gradual spot I can find as far away from the hole I THINK will be a good first target, even if that means walking even further downstream to find shallower water.

After that, I always start fishing the water closet to me FIRST, short casts lengthening gradually, methodically covering ANY spots where a fish will fit until I catch something. Once I determine what those spots are, I'll move S-L-O-W-L-Y upstream looking for the same kind of holding water and fish IT before the textbook holding water.

This is especially important because I can't tell you how many times I've fished with a buddy at a small stream with a really good population of wild fish and I discover the fish are holding in water barely 8" deep. I start casting to those spots and I am catching fish after fish moving SLOWLY upstream and hitting the YouTube holes when I come across them.

When I hook up with my buddy at the end of the day he reports catching one or two fish. When I ask him if he targeted ALL of the water it inevitably turns out he ignored the unlikely spots and concentrated on the FIRST & SECOND holes in the OP's photo.

The problem with that is EVEN if those holes hold the bigger fish you want, you end up spooking a ton of other fish by moving more quickly upstream to find those spots than you would if you fished the creek inch by inch until you came upon a great looking hole. The other problem is some of those fish from the unlikely water are also moving upstream into the textbook holes and giving those fish the jitters.

Of course as the day progresses or the stream structure changes these holding spots can change as well. However, if you are covering all the water you will quickly make that discovery versus stubbornly only fishing one likely holding spot or another.

I quickly learned this "fish ALL the water first approach, AKA hitting the unlikely spots" from fishing heavily pressured stocked trout streams in SEPA. Then there are the many, many times I've fished a larger wild trout stream and end up catching more fish in a stretch in the shallower water on one side of the creek versus the deeper more enticing water on the other side.

I realize it takes patience to fish methodically for 15 or more minutes as you slowly work yourself up to that luscious spot you can see just 40 feet in front of you, but the rewards will be worth it, especially if you discover the best water was right at, and/or barely deeper than your feet.

Bottom line, I'd explore every inch of the creek in the OP's photo until proven otherwise because fish can't read or watch videos to learn where they are supposed to lie...

 

[Beweav]

Thanks everyone for all that great info!
One clarification, what exactly is meant by "slack water"
Here is another picture. Where would you focus on a stream like this? Lots going on here so if you want to just zoom in and focus on the for ground, that'd be fine!

 

[Beweav]

Good points made since my post earlier in the thread. IF there was a “big” fish in the OP’s picture, and “big” on a stream like this may be 10 or 12”, or even smaller if it’s all Brookies (pretty sure I know the stream and it has both Browns and Brookies though), I agree the most likely spot it will be is under that small brush pile on the far left edge of the picture. I missed that looking at the picture the first time.

Beyond that, OP, you’re generally on the right track with the areas you circled. But, that area in general wouldn’t strike me as being all that fishy. Worth a couple casts for sure, then move on. Definitely better habitat than that on that stream.

Yeah, it wasn't all that fishy. It was one of the only pictures of a stream on my phone! 😂
You probably are thinking of the right creek, I believe we had a conversation about this area last summer.

 

[Beweav]

In fairly gentle current (low flows?) like this you are liable to find fish anywhere in that picture with except maybe that barren looking patch by the eroded bank. I would expect fish in that middle slot all the way through this stretch of creek. Really, anywhere in that pictures where the stream bottom has texture could hold fish, particularly the bottom and bottom left corner of the pic. Now, if you double or triple the flows, fish will likely be more concentrated in the sort of areas you circled, and also in any deep downstream pocket where the current tapers off. However, the conditions shown in this pic would be a situation where carefully stalking and covering the water all the way through this stretch from bottom to top is warranted. Rushing to get to your highlighted areas will likely result in spooking fish up the bottom stretch of stream.

Thanks for that reply! Could you explain what a deep downstream pocket would look like? I think of the still water behind a large rock when I think of a "pocket". Something like this?

 

[wildtrout2]

A couple of things I always do, ESPECIALLY on small streams...

I always fish upstream. I also always enter the water in the shallowest, most gradual spot I can find as far away from the hole I THINK will be a good first target, even if that means walking even further downstream to find shallower water.

After that, I always start fishing the water closet to me FIRST, short casts lengthening gradually, methodically covering ANY spots where a fish will fit until I catch something. Once I determine what those spots are, I'll move S-L-O-W-L-Y upstream looking for the same kind of holding water and fish IT before the textbook holding water.

Great advice here, ESPECIALLY "always fish upstream". IMO It's the single most important aspect of fishing for trout.

 

[Nocktavius]

It sounds like you would really benefit from a day out on a larger waterway with a guide! (Whether that’s informally with another forum member or with a paid professional). Most of these questions are not nearly as easy as pointing to spots in a photo. Reading cover is only one part to the puzzle, there are a whole other slew of constraints to consider (wind, sun angles, subtleties and directions of current, high vs low flows, water turbidity, where bugs/fish are actively feeding during stages of a hatch, and more!). It’s what makes fly fishing a lifetime learning sport.

In terms of what makes water “fishy” I tend to use the rule of whether or not I can’t quite see to the bottom. This of course applies primarily to wild trout in non stressed situations, but I always advise newer folks to be searching for areas where the bottom has a bit of murky mystery and the same speckled appearance as a trout itself!

 

[FollowTheBlueLines]

This is a great thread with a lot of solid advice. As someone who is also trying to wrap their head around these same concepts, I can recommend the latest version of The Orvis Guide to Finding Trout by Tom Rosenbauer. It is packed with all kinds of info about hydrodynamics and how different water types/conditions affect fishing and how to identify likely holding water.

Of course, experience is the best teacher, and as others have mentioned, going out on the water with an experienced angler will be your best bet to shorten the learning curve. But knowing what to look for is an advantage if you do not have those opportunities.

 

[Nocktavius]

Great advice here, ESPECIALLY "always fish upstream". IMO It's the single most important aspect of fishing for trout.

I almost always fish dries downstream to actively rising fish, but otherwise I agree

 

[Beweav]

Most of these questions are not nearly as easy as pointing to spots in a photo. Reading cover is only one part to the puzzle, there are a whole other slew of constraints to consider (wind, sun angles, subtleties and directions of current, high vs low flows, water turbidity, where bugs/fish are actively feeding during stages of a hatch, and more!). It’s what makes fly fishing a lifetime learning sport.

Thanks for the advice about a guide! I have considered it.
I understand this, and I'm not trying to make it overly simplistic. I'm also not looking for a fly fishing 101 class that introduces me to all the nuances of fly fishing. I am just interested to see where other anglers would focus their attention in various situations! It's interesting and informative to hear you all break down the water pictured as they have been doing. Also I was a little unclear on some of the terms used on here, like slack water, riffles, runs... that sort of thing.

 

[afishinado]

Here are some videos to watch that mirrors some of the info given above >

Reading Water in Levels, Lanes and Seams (with VIDEO)

Reading water is a base level skill for every river angler. Levels, lanes and seams are the features of your favorite water. This is how we read a river.

troutbitten.com

How to Read Water | Fly Fishing | Flies and Techniques

When going on a fishing trip, the ideal would be to locate the fish as soon as possible to ensure a successful experience. Reading the water means using different techniques and knowledge that enable you to determine where the most fish lie accurately. In this article, you'll learn everything...

drifthook.com

 

[Swattie87]

I almost always fish dries downstream to actively rising fish, but otherwise I agree

To actively rising fish, I agree fishing from slightly upstream and across from them is the most effective positioning to get a strike and good hookset. More commonly done on larger water. I usually like to cast well above a rising fish, and beyond it, on a slight (less than 45 deg) downstream angle. Then drag the fly back into the fish’s feeding lane, still well upstream of the fish. This imparts some slack in the line/leader, and ideally gives you a decent stretch of a relatively drag free drift down to the fish.

On small streams, yeah you see a fish rise on occasion, but usually you’re blind casting to likely spots. This is more effectively done from downstream, fishing upstream.

 

[Broodstock]

So true. I spooked the biggest wild brown I've ever seen by doing exactly that. He immediately retreated to a nearby undercut root system.

Just curious, did you move on or wait him out? I have done the same and spooked fish that were worth waiting for. Some never come out, but a lot of them come out after about 30 mins. I take a slow retreat and find a spot to wait and watch. The key, I have found, is to never take your eyes off the water.