"I wondered if in the water behind a break like a large rock is there gravity pulling the trout down stream or with the break is the only pull if any strait down." Mike
Mike, Feeding trout like protected areas where they don't become food themselves for raptors and otters. Wherever they can hide and feed at the same time is a good place to find them. Recognizing these spots is part of the art of fly fishing. Every stream is different, and our river changes many times along it's length. A calm spot behind a rock is sometimes a good place to look for trout (protection from the flow), but depending on the structure details, the front of the rock may be an even better place (like the bow plane of a boat), as a trout there would have 1st pickings of food floating by (an would thus be a bigger trout). It's the same with any structure- rock walls, downed trees, sand bars, etc. Think like a trout. If you wanted first pickings of drifting food, but wanted protection from predators and from the fast flow, where would you hold up? Answer: As close to the front of the structure as possible, near the flow but not in it, and as deep as possible. Example: There's a spot here at a famous river launching area (Gray's Reef) where I see fishermen fishing it 'wrong' all of the time. It's a classic rock wall across the river with an area 15' wide where the normal flow goes through. Everyone fishes the area just below the flow where it eddies into the calm water behind the rock wall. (One would normally think that is the best lie for the fish.) Once in a while they catch a fish- usually a small one. Actually, the big fish are actually stacked up in front of the fast flow going through the break. Drift a fly through there deep for a fun and productive hour if you give them 5 minutes after each fish to re-stage themselves. I watch the foreigners (Coloradoans, aka 'Greenies' ;o) time and time again wade through the best fish-holding spots on their way to 'greener pastures' on the other side of the river. (The fish don't know what side of the river they're on.) I've taken some very nice trout in one special hole right at the river's edge by approaching quietly and drifting a fly deep less than 2 feet off the shore. I have never seen another flyfisherman fish this run- in fact, I've showed up and seen them standing in it. The trick is not to approach the shore edge but to stand well back so as not to alert the fish before drifting the fly. If this spot was on the other side of the river, they'd be wading over to it and drifting a fly through it. But because it's in the near side of the river, they ignore it. So in short, don't limit yourself to just the 'classic' holding areas. Try to read the water itself around structures, especially structures below the surface in deeper water. Sometimes it's hard to get a fly deep behind a bolder because the fast water along the sides drag the fly away before the presentation occurs. Try the front side of the rock (or structure) first- you might be pleasantly surprised. DonO ----- Original Message ----- From: Michael Bliss To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2007 12:15 AM Subject: [VFB] trout lays Okay here is another question. I was out today on the Truckee River in CA. In one area the river dropped a fair amount and the water was quite fast. There was lots of structure. I wondered if in the water behind a break like a large rock is there gravity pulling the trout down stream or with the break is the only pull if any strait down. I wondered because I was trying to decide if it was worth fishing the areas behind the rocks in the fast water or move to a bit calmer run. (This was very fast) Mike ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.467 / Virus Database: 269.6.6/794 - Release Date: 5/8/2007 2:23 PM
