Popular Spot
Fished the Rush last night from 7pm to 9. Water was slightly off color and flowing strong. The added water at this time of year is great. Many times at the end of June the water conditions are clear and low. To have cool, slightly stained water is a plus. Although there was little hatch activity the cool overcast weather was comfortable. During the last few days of water flows falling the fish have located on the slow down seams and shoulders between faster currents. These spots have been money. There were six cars at the popular spot I chose for the evenings fishing. Mostly the anglers that I talked to were having little luck at catching.There was a mix of dry fliers and nymphers. Most of the anglers were concentrating on the main runs, drops and pools. As I watched them and others fishing over the last few days it occurred to me that each took the same approach at the same spots. Each casting numerous times to center currents, flat middle sections or slow water banks, all with the same results….do da. These features are all likely spots, and would appear to any angler as the most likely areas to target. But why no fish catching? Wrong pattern? Bad presentation? Not from what I saw.
Successful anglers have learned to be more creative when fish catching is tough. The main features in popular rivers are pounded to death by anglers. It is the secondary, marginal, or difficult to cast spots that anglers need to look for and learn to identify to have success on any piece of water that they fish. The 1 foot slot between two submerged rocks, the pocket in front of the rock instead of just the pocket behind, the 8 inch slow down trough off to the left of the main trough, The 2 foot by 2 foot drop underneath the overhanging tree. When you stop and really, really look at the features of any piece of moving water there are a multitude of these spots. You just have to look and see. The last few days, the fish were there…….eating. I realize that making effective casts to these areas is key when it comes to presentation and that accuracy and creative casting is learned, but if you never imagine that fish are anywhere else but in the main, slap you in the face water features, you will never learn to see the other spots. If you don’t open your mind, see, and challenge yourself to hit that 6″x6″x 3ft shoot that slides into a 2′ x 2′ scoop you will continue having the same success as you are having now. Next time you are out, stand back and look, really look. All it takes is a small spot to hold a nice fish. Sometimes these critters love to get off the super highways and travel the back roads. It is just up to you to find that gravel road. It is never far from the blacktop.
BEWARE: The Wild Parsnip is out along the roadsides and river beds, learn to identify it or you will pay dearly with your skin. scroll down on link page for pictures.
5 users commented in " Observation-Popular Spot "
Follow-up comment rss or Leave a TrackbackDear Andy,
I am amazed people don’t just move onto the next bridge. There are so many places to fish in western WI. Why not try a place without six cars? Once you get to this many I wonder what the landowner is thinking? That seems like putting up with a lot. At this point, more than tolerant. Although your advice is sound I would go a step further and suggest anglers spread out to other areas if they want to increase their success rate. I used to hit that spot all the time however no longer. It is a beautiful scenic spot upstream and down however more where that came from just around the corner.
A insightful comment Mark and one that folks should take notice of. Believe it or not there are times when I do not mind being among other anglers. I brought along a few beers on this night knowing full well that this spot would surely have a bunch of folks there. Sometimes I fish for social reasons and sometimes to challenge myself to see if I can still catch fish in those tiny little niches that I know others have missed, sometimes both. It is part of the fun for me. I shared those beers on that night and had some nice conversations after a evening on the water.
Nice, informative article Andy and it’s appreciated.
But you’re puttin’ on weight…*g*
Jeremy.
Great advice on fishing. Better reminder on Parsnip.
My wife decided to go fly fishing for trout(important distinction from “fishing”) with me this past weekend. I gave her the most comfortable pair of wading shoes and neoprene socks that I had as she wanted to wear a skirt and not waders because of the warm day. I told her that was cool. Damn. I wore my crummy wading boots with wool socks stretched to my knees and shorts only because the wool socks were about as thick as the neoprene. Guess which one of us has blisters on their ankle?
Lesson learned very very very poorly.
Eric
The good news is most anglers are allergic to walking so even when there are six cars at an access point if you are willing to walk more than a few hundred yards you can almost always find solitude.
On your second point it never hurts to be a better caster. Many anglers are one-dimensional in their casting,,,straight. Unfortunately when you have conflicting currents straight is seldom the way you want to cast. When you can throw aerial mends and put the fly exactly where you want it, catching gets a lot easier.
Good news is that on many days the fish are very generous and they are willing to get caught even when we don’t present the fly properly.
The last three days the crowds have thinned considerably.
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