Posted by Jim E (24.116.99.140) on May 13, 2004 at 17:00:55:
Overlooked holding areas
Trout often surprise me by the places they choose to hold in. The different areas can be for the ease of feeding or just hanging out. Some places are out of the current while others seem to be in some of the heaviest current available. Understanding the “why they are there” will help the fly fisherman in their possible catching some of the finned creatures.
To start with, no better tool can be had than a good pair of polarized glasses. Being able to observe a fish and possibly determine its reason for holding in that location will help you discern your “plan of attack”. Knowing that a fish is feeding because of the obvious rise is fairly easy. But learning what a fish is doing subsurface is more complicated. A fish feeding on or near the surface has already given his intentions away. A fish underwater can be actively feeding even more than his porpoising partner above. Or the same said fish could be just sulking and not interested in anything more than just plan ol’ existing.
The funniest holding area I have seen is a fish with its head stuck up underneath a log or rock with his tail still sticking out, in plain sight. Just like a baby playing peek-a-boo. The child covers his/her eyes and therefore is hiding because he/she can’t see you, so you surely can not see them. Another funny holding position, is just down stream of a wading angler. A current break they are not interested in but it is an easy meal they are after. As I’ve said before, I call these fish “welfare fish” but truly they are some of the bravest fish around. They lie in wait for the wading anglers boots to free/kick up nymphs and larvae or whatever else hides beneath the rocks that, once exposed, will surely meet its demise. Well enough of the odd stuff and on to more useful areas.
An often, overlooked holding position is in front of a midstream boulder. Yes, that’s right, in front of. Even in heavy current there will be a pillow of non-turbulent water there forming a place for a fish to take advantage of. Lying in relative comfort waiting for the current to bring potential meals by. Another holding spot that I love to find fish in is super shallow fast water. It is not often that they are here but when they are, they’re serious about feeding, potentially making them easier to catch.
Fish can be found holding under a heavy water fall forming what is called a hydraulic. This is extreme white water where the river will head upstream trying to fill in the void that the plunging water from the waterfall causes. This is a very turbulent area. But what the fish know is that the water at the very bottom of the hydraulic is just starting to gain current to start going down stream again, making for another easy place for them to hold and ambush hapless prey.
Although not a very unusual holding area, eddy fences are occasionally left un-checked by fisherman. Eddy fences are the point where two opposing currents meet. (The main downstream flow meeting the upstream flow {eddy} caused by a boulder or some other obstruction.) An eddy fence can continue for several yards depending on the factors that create it and the can easily sit right in the “fence”, waiting and watching the buffet that passes by in the main current.
Once you learn to read the water, locate and ascertain some of the better areas you won’t have to rely on being able to see the fish to know that they are there. It’s just more of “fishing the whole area” and not giving up because the best looking eddy didn’t produce. A thorough fisherman will hit every spot an area has to offer until finding the fish. The next problem is finding what they are interested in.
What other common areas of a river do you find to be often overlooked ?
Thanks for reading. Please comment and provide your input.
Jim Enns <*;))))))))))><