Stay out of the water except when you have to go in. Many times the fish are right where you want to walk into the stream.

Sometime though with a high bank and no other way to approach the hole without being silhouetted against the sky, getting into position by being in the water then becomes an important alternative for me.

Also in my state the stream is like the sidewalk. As long as your feet are wet, you are not tresspassing. While I don't take advantage of this often, it is one more approach to inaccessible water.

Don't forget the wading staff, even on smaller spring creeks. Sometimes 2 foot wide and 3 foot deep.

Rick