Teach me to read the river

[just a newbie]

So I have been fishing fish creek the last couple weeks with limited success (spin rod), tried the slow moving water left of the parking lot all the way up to the boat launch and only managed 1 pike, 30incher but still.... So I ask you pros out there to tell me what to look for when fishing the river, I won't ask for exact spots because I need to find one to claim m own lol. I have been chucking rainbow, brown rapalas and wolly bugger if you guys are interested. I would love to know how to look for pools and how to fish them, any help is much appreciated

[Soon2flypat]

I'm pretty much a newbie as well. One thing that helps to find fish for me is to just sit and watch the water for a while. Especially late in the evening when the fish start rising.

[Daceminnow]

This is a very good read. If you can dig up old episodes somewhere of Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing, Tom also did a very good one on reading water.

http://midcurrent.com/techniques/reading-the-water/

Dace

[stob]

there are a couple of old fly fishing books on the subject,,, cannot remember.. investigate literature on river hydraulics

[Lornce]

Hit the river a lot.

[Ruger1022]

Hit the river a lot.

This is your best advise..

[fish gunner]

A little dity for ya
Foam is home
Made in the shade
Deep in the sweep
Roots hold brutes.
Gives a guy a good place to start.

[just a newbie]

This is a very good read. If you can dig up old episodes somewhere of Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing, Tom also did a very good one on reading water.

http://midcurrent.com/techniques/reading-the-water/

Dace

Thanks for the read Dace

[walking buffalo]

Spend some time just sitting back and read the river.

Most of the time we are in too busy fishing to actually see what is going on. Take a break, sit down and just watch. Secrets will be revealed.

[densa44]

If the river has pools, sweepers, large rocks, over hangs, floating logs, I used to like to try the ones that were hard to fish. For example a spot where a spin fisherman couldn't get to, evidence is in the tree above the pool, or stuck on the log across the pool. With a floating fly line and careful wading I was very successful.

[Legend Boats]

Here is a great link for what exactly your looking for. He's a great author and the book is very informative. Enjoy
Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o9hg0DoSdt0

Henry Nguyen
Legend Boats

[LCCFisherman]

Different angles for presentations also helps alot. You can look at a section and pick out the primary spots that "everyone" casts to, find the secondaries and so on.

[coppercarbide]

This is a very good read. If you can dig up old episodes somewhere of Orvis Guide to Fly Fishing, Tom also did a very good one on reading water.

http://midcurrent.com/techniques/reading-the-water/

Dace

Great article. Thanks!

[WayneChristie]

The bigger the pile of garbage the better the fishing spot. Unfortunately. Look for something different, speed and direction changes, eddies and the like. Anything that can shelter a fish or collect food is a good start. And explore, a lot. All these can change daily or seasonally so dont hesitate to retrace your steps after weather changes or rain too.if its hot out look for deep holes with cooler water

[LCCFisherman]

A wise LKST fisherman once told me that look for small pattern changes on the water surface, this tells you the substrate changes underneath. From rock, to sand, or to a drop off or vise versa. This really only applies to the SSR and NSR but its really the best tip I've gotten in a while for sturg because they park their butts there like a bus.

[-relk-]

http://howtoflyfish.orvis.com/video-lessons/chapter-eight-reading-water

Lots of great videos there

[lifesaflyin]

there is a video called the underwater world of trout. WATCH IT!

its available on torrents I dunno if its still available on youtube

[tight line]

This is your best advise..

Whats wrong with it?...why say this and not add any input...to the OP the more time you spend on the water the more you learn about it, if you catch a fish in one spot, chances are if you go back you are going to cast to that same spot. Put your time in, pay attention to the structure, watch for fish activity(jumping, flashes, cruising shallows etc.) get some polarized glasses, they will help you see under water structure and the fish better. try fishing upstream, blend in, if im fishing a freestone river i wear grey, willows along the bank green or brown. this way you can get as close as possible and have a good look at the hole and possibly pick out some holding fish with out spooking them. find out what they are feeding on and immitate it! cast well above them. Put in your time and you will be rewarded!