The more fish you see, the more you catch.
Look, then fish Before you start casting, look for
targets, casting blind may spook wary fish.
Get high. Elevation helps you see into the water.
If you can, climb a high bank, but keep a low profile
while you scout the stream.
Double team Working with a partner is fun and effective.
One person spots the fish from on high and calls out directions
to the angler in the stream. Plan ahead how you will mark the
fish - "two feet upstream of the big boulder." Switch after
each fish.
Wear polarized glasses Good glasses matter and can
mean the difference between success and failure. Polarized
glasses remove glare from the water's surface and provide a
better view of the river bottom. They come in different
tints to help you see better under a wide range of conditions.
Fish at high noon. From 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock, the
high overhead sun illuminates the streambottom, allowing you
to easily see into the river.
Put the sun at your back so that you can see better,
but be aware of your shadow.
Look for water windows. In broken, turbulent water,
intermittent flat spots move downstream with the current.
Look through these windows as they move downstream and scan
the river bottom for fish.
Know what to look for. Trout take on the color of
their surrounds. Instead of looking for an entire fish,
look for signs that betray their presence – shadows
on the stream bottom, a waving tale, flashes as the fish
feeds on nymphs, or certain species – specific
features such as a brook trout's white-tipped fins or
a rainbow's red sides.
Look for feeding trout. They are the easiest to
catch. Signs trout are feeding include rises, white
mouths, flashes, and fish suspended in the water column.
Trout hugging the bottom, fish not moving, or fish that
are swimming away probably have lockjaw.
These are just a few to work on. The best thing you can
do is to realize you have areas where you don't know much,
yet. And then concentrate on improving your skills in that area.
This can be just great fun. Enjoy! ~ The LadyFisher
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