Posted by Jim E (69.92.166.54) on January 06, 2005 at 19:27:53:
Feeding Lanes
Place your road kill (a.k.a. offering, fly pattern etc.) in the right lane and the watery scavengers will have their way with it.
When looking at a section of water think of it as a highway map. On most any map we will find Interstates, State highways, county roads and sometimes un-improved dirt roads. The same can be said for river currents. Identifying these “lanes” and following them will lead you to the more productive areas of the rapids. Just like an Interstate, there is often a “major” run of current that is pretty straight and carries a higher percentage of the flowing water than any of the other runs. Because of the higher water volume, the current will be a little bit stronger there also. It also stands to reason that there will be more food flowing through this “Interstate” run too. But for the fish, this food abundance can come at a price. They must exert more energy to acquire each morsel, fighting the stronger current. Sure they can and do find current breaks in and near these lanes but they still have to dart in and out to snatch their prize. So again think of these runs more like an Interstate. All things are moving at a faster rate and the room for error is reduced since fast reactions are required. Good for the fisherman, bad for the fish. Fish won’t have much time to inspect your offering and may rush to judgment making the mistake we are hoping for.
Next would be the State Highways. It stands to reason that the traffic would be a little less here than an Interstate, again just like the current flow. They might be a little bit more difficult to locate, but they are there. These runs can carry a fair amount of food and therefore fish also. Don’t overlook them.
Studying our “current” map one might see some country roads. Often overshadowed by the wider, smoother roads with shoulders but these roads are traveled too. Fish will be here if they haven’t been disturbed and have a little bit of cover. Not as much current flow and not as much food but what comes down the country road is easy pickin’s.
The last current flow would have to be the un-improved dirt road. This would be any water that is not carried by any of the aforementioned roads and is still flowing downstream. (Not sure what kind of road eddies would be ?). Very little current so then little food, right ? Well sometimes yes, sometimes no. These roads will have a lot of the leeches, free living caddis’, various nymphs and so on lumbering about. Any insect that can withstand a little current and not be swept away will forage here also. Fish that dare into these waters and are willing to root around can be rewarded but the dangers of exposure and the distance back to the safety of cover are hard for them to overcome.
Now, country roads can be hard to fish. The current flow isn’t very definite and sometimes it’s hard to keep a fly in and it still look natural. The surface current can be deceiving while the subsurface current continues its course. Oh but larger fish can lurk these trails, lazily feeding when they have the urge. I once spotted a decent fish in just such a lie with his nose barely visible from my point of view. Seemed as though he wasn’t actively feeding, not even moving. But yet he was there for some reason !! Numerous drifts, but still not able to keep my nymph on his road. The surface current wasn’t as defined as the deeper current where he was located, forcing my fly away from him. Finally, one drift I did it right or some other factor caused my fake to wander his way and….whammo !!! The fight that I had been trying to pick with him for several minutes now was happily underway.
Why did I have to tell that story ? Well NOT only because I like to remember past fish but it “learned” me a lesson. I had been fishing the Interstate in that area for a while and also the other two State Highways. I never noticed the road “less traveled” until I spotted the fish. That country road led me to a good ‘ol country boy and a root tootin’ ride I won’t soon forget.
Map out your next area of rapids and venture down some roads others have overlooked. You might just be surprised what you hook into. YEE-HAW !!!!
Thanks for reading and comment as you like.
Jim Enns <*;))))))))))))>< (I’m alright, really…I think. Do they make spurs for wading boots ?)