Techniques

Efficient Fishing

The great variety of water on some rivers can cause a problem in itself as it means we have to think more about what we are doing. How often do we wander up a river, casting left and right, using whatever technique we are comfortable with; but not really thinking about the fishing?

• Do we consider if the standard dead drift nymph really is the best technique for this fast riffle ahead?
  
• Is it the most productive way of fishing the deep, slow pool above?
  
• Is that beadhead nymph that you always have on, really right for this time of the year?
  
• And is your usual 3.5 m leader quite appropriate for the pocket water ahead?

We are all guilty of falling back on the tried and true when we encounter a new river – none more so than me. Yet if we applied the principles we would use in a work situation, we might do things a lot differently and perhaps a lot more efficiently.

If you started a new job, what would you do? Hopefully, you would analyse the requirements of the work; listen a lot to those that knew the job; observe the other workers as they carried out the required tasks; and then work out a plan to attack the job in the most efficient manner.
Those of you, who do go through this analytical process when on a new river, will undoubtedly catch a lot more fish than the rest of us. I guess many of us anglers are just ready to relax when we reach the river and are not too concerned if we are as efficient on the river as we are at work.
But I must admit, every time I have sat down and thought about how I was going to fish the unfamiliar water in front of me, I have fished better. When I have just charged in, using my favourite technique, chances were that it only worked half the time.

There is a lot of satisfaction to be gained from successfully analysing the fishing situation and working out the best technique and tackle to use. On many rivers, you can encounter every sort of water and before starting, it is worthwhile to consider what is the most efficient way to fish a particular type of water. Let’s consider the water one might encounter:


Riffles – these are usually the prime lies in any river as they provide both shelter and a food source for the trout.



Good stretch of riffly water










Fortunately for anglers, they are easy to fish, as drag is not a problem and the fish take freely. The angler can get quite close to the likely holding lies and fish with a reasonably short line.
Likewise, the leader can be kept to no more than 3 m to make it easy to guide the fly through the joggly water. An indicator is essential, and one that can be moved to suit the water depth is an advantage.
The most successful flies are a choice between attractor nymphs or dry flies. The nymphs should be medium-weighted with a bit of a flash like a beadhead or flashback strip.









Attractor dries need to be large and bushy like Wulffs or terrestrial patterns.

Runs – also prime lies as the depth gives trout some sense of security.

Food is brought down at a more leisurely pace so the fish have more time to inspect it than in a riffle.






This means drag will see a refusal and good mending skills are important. The angler needs to be more cautious as the water surface is usually quite calm and the trout’s window is very effective.
Reasonably long casts are required, as long as the mending can still be carried out. Leaders should suit the depth of water but around 3 m is usually about right. Indicators are optional but should be dispensed with if the water is less than 2 m deep.
Nymphs are usually the best choice unless the fish are feeding on the surface. Usually a double nymph rig will work best, with a smaller tail fly more likely to be taken than the weighted one. Imitative nymphs like the old faithful Pheasant Tail nymph are hard to beat.

Pools – can be divided into three main sections:

Head of pool – a lie favoured by large trout, especially in the ‘eye’ of the pool. In this position, a trout can see every morsel of food coming into the pool, yet lie just off the main current. A backswirl can make for difficult fishing and ability to control drag is critical.
Anglers are easily seen by the trout, as usually the casting position will be from the open shingle bank so long casts are an advantage. Similarly, a reasonably long leader is useful to avoid lining the fish. If the trout is lying just over the lip, then it is necessary to get down fast or the fly will be swept over their heads.
In many places, use of a sinking line and fishing down to the fish from the safety of the rapid above is a good ploy.
Soft-bodied wet flies work best in that situation. Otherwise, a well-weighted sinker nymph with a small tail fly will get down to the fish quickly. Beadheads work well in the strong-flowing water, with a small mayfly nymph at the tail.

Body of pool – can hold good fish if reasonable cover available. Otherwise, medium-size trout frequent such lies. The water has lost momentum and the fish have a lot of time to inspect their food. Long casts and long leaders are essential, as the line must be kept well away from the trout.
A low profile is also prudent, especially when casting from a bank. Often the best approach is to fish the far bank where the fish are less likely to be disturbed by the fall of the line, as it will be landing on the faster, centre current.
Flies need to closely imitate whatever is coming down the river. This is the time to have a look under the rocks or scoop insects from the surface and match the natural as best you can. Small nymphs and dries work best in this delicate water.

Tail of pool – tough fishing position.

Often holds the odd good fish in the morning but they will move up to the security of deeper water when the light hits the water.




The best position to cast from is down in the rapids below so that only a long, fine leader is landing on the smooth water.
A small, light nymph is best, as trout don’t often rise that early in the morning. Something sparse like a Willow Grub or small Caddis can work well.
The other good approach is to fish a small wet fly down and across the tail of the pool, as there will be less danger of ‘lining’ the fish.

Plunge pool – this is pool formed where a torrent of water pours down a small rockfall into a large pool.
This is a lie favoured by large trout as they can lie to the side of the main current and feed leisurely. They may also hold in the cave that is often formed under the rockfall by the backwash water. These pools are difficult to fish as the fish can lie quite close to the waterfall.



It is hard to get a fly down to them if they are lying deep. A sinking line, short 1 m leader and a weighted nymph is worth trying.
Otherwise a heavy nymph on a strong 3 m leader is the best bet. Where it is legal, a split shot or two clamped on one metre above the fly can prove very deadly. A foam indicator would then be essential to keep the line floating.
Big Hare’n’Coppers or large nymphs like a Bitch Creek work well.

Glides – extreme fishing!

I avoid them unless I am desperate as they are too frustrating for us ordinary anglers, even though you will often see several fish lying there.







The problem is the smoothness of the water and the width of the glide. The fish lie out in the open but are extremely wary, as they know they are exposed to predators.
Any unnatural event will see them scurry for the deeper water. This may be the line landing on the water, the drag of the fly, or movement by the angler. If you do try fishing glides, it is vital to keep low and well back. Fish a long line with a long, fine leader, maybe down to 1.5 kg.
Five metre leader lengths are normally the minimum. It is hard to get drag-free drifts as mending can often scare the fish. Better to use an ‘S’ cast and don’t mend at all. It is best to avoid putting the fly close to the fish, as even a gentle landing of the fly will scare the fish.
Due to the clarity of the water, they are be able to see the fly from some way off and will move quite a distance to intercept the fly. Very small imitative dries and nymphs will work best.
Fly sizes down to 18 might be necessary in tough situations. The only time glide-dwelling trout get a bit easier to catch is when they are rising strongly during hatches. If you enjoy testing your trout fishing skills, this is the water to try.

The above guidelines are only general as each pool has its own specific characteristics that make it different to any other pool in the river. But it does show how you must vary your tactics to suit the water. If you think about what technique will best suit the water in front of you and then change your rig to suit, you will have a good day on the river.

Match the Hatch

Basic entomology means knowing that nymphs are actually the larvae of an aquatic insect. When mature, the larvae will ‘hatch out’.

In most cases, this means that on maturity, the larvae will ascend to the surface. They do this by either swimming or by using a bubble of gas to lift them to the surface. T






his is when they are most vulnerable to trout and why techniques, such as the Leisenring Lift, are so effective when the larvae are rising to the surface.

Remember those times when you inadvertently hooked a trout while your fly line was fully extended downstream by the current? What happened was that the taut line lifted your nymph and a trout was attracted by the natural rising action of the artificial.
When these emerging nymphs reach the surface, they are often trapped in the surface film. Here, they may struggle to shed the nymphal skin as well as to break through the surface film, especially in slow water. This is when those ugly- looking, scraggly patterns come into their own. The ‘emerger’ patterns are now definitely worth a try.
If you have nothing specific in your fly box, then a rough Hare’n’Copper will do fine.

Why is it the best fly ever? I feel it is because it represents very well that mess that is an emerging nymph. Pluck a natural out of the water sometime and see what I mean. These emergent larvae have bits hanging everywhere, just like a rough-tied Hare’n’Copper.


It is important that you make or buy such patterns, ‘rough-looking’. Tidy, pristine patterns are not what you want when the nymphs are hatching. The rougher, the better.
How many articles have you read about how some angler caught a dozen fish on one fly – and the more unkempt it got, the better it worked. The reason might be that the rougher the fly got, the more it represented the emerging insect.
The time when rough emerger patterns do not work so well is in slower waters where a more accurate imitation is needed.
Then flies as small as size 18 may be needed and a close copy of the natural is often essential.
There are a huge number of specialist ‘emerger’ patterns. A list of the more successful ones would include: Pye’s Sedge, CDC Emerger, Hoffman’s Emerger, Starling Emerger, Blue Dun, Emerging Caddis and probably the most effective; the Klinkhamer Special.









The feature of most of these emerger patterns is the ball or clump of light-reflecting material tied in as a thorax. This is to represent the shiny gas bubble that many nymphs use to take them to the surface and this type of thorax will also help to suspend the nymph in the surface film. Such flies should be used whenever trout seem to be taking insects just below the surface.

Once the larva sheds its outer skin, the mayfly emerges as the subimago or dun. It may sit on the surface for a while drying its wings. At this time, they are in great danger of becoming trout food and producing what we know as an ‘evening rise’. When the wings are dry, the dun flies off.
But it’s not all over yet. After a day or so, the dun is transformed into the sexually active adult or ‘spinner’. The mating dance that follows is usually rather short and when it is over, there is an event that is of huge importance to the trout fisher. Once the procreational duties are completed, the adult insect dies and often falls onto the water as a ‘spent spinner’.
Any non-angling person reading our more literate, entomologically-bent writers would be stumped by that expression. So what on earth is a ‘spent spinner’? It is not as complicated as it sounds. All that happens is that the exhausted and dying mature insect falls upon the water but the critical difference is that the wings of the dead insect are spread out on the water.
And trout are smart. They can immediately recognise that this is an ‘easy feed’. It is not going to disappear in a hurry. But if you are fishing to these trout with an upright-winged fly, you will be lucky to hook a trout.
They are amazingly ‘picky’ when it comes to a fall of spent spinners. If you don’t have a reasonable approximation of what is falling on the water, you won’t catch many trout.

It is one of the few times in New Zealand that we have to worry about ‘matching the hatch’. It really only happens regularly in eastern Southland, especially on the famous Mataura River. It seems that this river is particularly suited to having a large mayfly population.
This is a function of the stable, gravel bed of the river and the algae that feed on the nutrients in the farm run off. This provides a unique food source and stable conditions that encourage an exceptional mayfly population. In most other areas, a well-presented generic representation of a common aquatic insect will catch the average New Zealand trout.

In New Zealand, it is not often that the trout will be very selective in their acceptance of the fly being presented. If the flyfisher can recognise the most common aquatic insects and know their equivalent imitation, that is enough entomology to become a competent angler.

Fishing Terrestrials

When we talk of ‘terrestrials’, most of us think of cicadas.









But there are a large number of other ‘terrestrial insects’. It always pays to have a few of the particular pattern around the time that the natural normally appears. The most common terrestrial insects found in New Zealand are:

Brown Beetle – the beetle of interest to anglers is the grass grub beetle. It usually appears in October or November, with the adult insect emerging from grassy surroundings in the early evening. At times there can be hundreds of the beetle flying around, many of which land on the water. The fly to use is a simple foam beetle pattern in a mid-brown colour. If you prefer to use more traditional patterns, then the ubiquitous Coch-y-Bondhu is the best representation.

Green Beetle – of several green-coloured beetles, the one most favoured by trout is the Manuka Beetle. It is more commonly known as the green beetle due to its iridescent green back. This beetle usually follows the Brown Beetle a month later and is generally seen in November or December. The same basic foam beetle pattern can be used. It should be a size smaller than the Brown Beetle, with a brown underside and a bright green back. I find green Mylar makes for an effective fly but bright green raffia works just as well.

Blowfly – the most common blowfly is the Blue Blowfly. Love’s Lure is a good imitation that focuses on the fat body and the iridescent blue colour of the natural. This dry fly is often used as an imitation and works very well on still waters. Blowflies will be around through the hottest months of summer.

Cicada – there are several species and more importantly, several colours of the body of this juicy trout morsel. When fishing still waters, it is often important to get the body colour right as the trout has time to more carefully inspect the imitation being offered. The insects found in the southern lakes are not the dark olive-green bodied cicadas found further north but are much lighter-coloured.

Natural deer hair or yellow bodies will work better on lakes like Mavora.







Adding wings (or quills to give the impression of wings) is up to the individual flytier. I must confess, I do not have a firm opinion on whether the winged versions work any better than the non-winged. Perhaps it is better to have the body silhouette and colour correct and not worry too much about the adornments.

Grasshoppers – not used enough in New Zealand to my mind. Trout love them. They are just as big a feed as a cicada and just as easy to catch as they wallow on the surface after falling from neighbouring vegetation. Again there are many different patterns but I always like those Whitlock Hopper patterns for their sheer artistry. Dave Whitlock has a great eye for the features of the natural that appeal to trout and his creations are more like art than artificial.

Bees – although bees are very common, they are not easy to imitate. The fatness of the natural makes it hard to match with a fly. There is the odd pattern like an Irresistible Adams that gives a reasonable imitation but not sufficiently convincing for me to use regularly.

The best technique when fishing with terrestrial flies is to ambush the cruising trout. Remember that trout, especially big ones, love to attack helpless or struggling prey. This is a lot more energy-efficient than tearing around chasing some fast-moving bully. The ambush technique entails spotting a cruising brown, casting several metres ahead of it and leaving the fly lifeless on the water. When the trout approaches within a metre of the fly, give it a twitch. This is to attract the trout’s attention and let him know - here is a poor struggling, defenceless insect. If the trout takes your offering, just be careful with the strike. Remember, the slower the water, the slower the strike. Unless it is a slashing strike when the trout will virtually hook itself, then it pays to make sure the trout has turned back down with the fly before striking.

Trout Needs

. It is part of the genetic makeup of a trout for it to seek protection from its predators and shelter from the current. No matter how much the river changes, the trout will have the same basic needs. If we study and get to understand these needs, we will better recognise water that will hold trout, when we see it. This means less wasting time on unproductive water and more time spent fishing water that we have assessed as more likely to meet the needs of the trout.
So what are these needs? They can be summarised quite simply as:

Quality of water
Adequate food supply
Protection from predators
Shelter from the current

Let’s examine those requirements in more detail:

Water quality – if the water is too warm, trout will not be present. Warm water means not only a lack of oxygen but also an increased rate of metabolism and an according increase in energy expended by the trout. This means more oxygen will also be required in the warmer water and these demands will result in trout mortality when the water temperature reaches a certain point.
Generally speaking, this will occur in water temperatures over 20 degrees.
Rainbows and browns differ only slightly in their ability to handle high temperatures and water above this temperature will kill both strains.

Other factors of water quality include pH and turbidity. PH is not a big problem in New Zealand and most of our rivers are fairly neutral. Trout can tolerate pH ranges from 6 to 8 without problems. It is only when there is some disaster like an eruption, that our rivers show excessively high or low pHs. Turbidity or water clarity is more of a problem, as discussed in more detail in the Motueka chapter.
Excessive amounts of silt are deadly to trout as the silt clogs their gills as well as killing off the insect life and ruining the spawning redds. Trout can survive a silty river for a limited period but not when that situation becomes permanent.

Food – trout have to be energy-efficient. They cannot expend more energy chasing food than that which is contained in the food. So they must position themselves in a location where there is a constant supply of food that can be intercepted with a minimum of effort.
This may mean moving from their secure pool to a feeding position. We all have seen how the biggest trout in the river has the best feeding position. If it is caught, all the other trout move up a notch in the ‘feeding position’ ladder.
The more aggressive browns may even chase out a larger rainbow to gain the best feeding position. If food is scarce, as we see in silted-up rivers, trout lose condition rapidly.
The attraction of food will, on occasion, override a trout’s need for protection from predators. That is why we get the chance to fish to big trout when the cicada hatch is on. Trout forget that natural caution and literally ‘throw caution to the winds’ as they chase those big chunks of food. Other insect hatches have the same effect.

Protection – the larger the trout, the more likely it is to be found in a position that provides security. How many large trout have you seen in an impossible-to-reach position? Below a logjam, under a blackberry thicket, between sunken branches – you know what I mean.
There is not so much need for protection from avian predators in New Zealand. Young trout are susceptible to attacks from shags and kingfishers but once a trout reaches maturity, it is unlikely to be threatened by birds. Man is no doubt the greatest predator and it is mainly from us anglers that the trout will seek protection. This may be found deep in a pool or in a fast riffle where the ruffled surface will conceal it’s presence.

Shelter – as discussed in the food section, a trout cannot expend more energy than it ingests. So it will seek a feeding or resting position where it does not have to battle the current. Getting tired from swimming while feeding is not a viable option.

The trout will use the natural obstructions of a river to gain relief from the unceasing flow of water. This may be at the edge of the main current, behind a large boulder, in front of a boulder, among the rocks on the riverbed or behind a protruding bank.

When resting, a trout will find a secure but calm part of the river so that minimum energy is being expended during this time. Often the bottom of the pool is the favoured spot. How many times have you seen a good trout lying on the very bottom of the pool; showing absolutely no interest in anything being thrown his way?
When his siesta is over, he will probably move up into the riffle to feed. His chosen feeding position will enable him to see any food coming down the river but will be sheltered from the power of the current.

The angler that has these trout needs in mind, when out on the river, will be the one that finds trout more often than the ‘chuck and chance it’ flyfisher.
The smart angler will be studying a particular stretch of water to determine if it meets the needs of a trout.
A barren-bottomed pool won’t.
An exposed glide in the middle of the day won’t.
White water rapids won’t.
A shallow pool in the middle of summer won’t.

It is not worth spending time on such stretches if we know that they normally won’t contain trout – or a decent one anyway. When we approach the eye of a pool or a deep rocky run or a bubbly riffle, then it is time to look closely for trout or blind fish it thoroughly.


Seasonable Fishing

Many rivers change character completely over the fishing seasons of spring, summer and autumn. Spring fishing is often characterised by inclement and changeable weather resulting in heavy river flows and often-discoloured water. The resident trout are more likely to be found in the lower reaches of rivers, especially if these are frequented by whitebait or smelt. The fish tend to lie deeper in the water at this time of the year and weighted flies are needed to get down to them. Rarely will rising fish be seen as it is too early for hatches and terrestrial insects are not airborne as yet.
The riverbeds are clean from the winter freshes and the nymph population may be low, as the heavier winter flows have flushed them away. Perhaps this lack of food is why the trout move downstream during this time. Trout often feed freely and it is probably the easiest time to catch a trout, as they have not seen an angler for months.
They are more often found in the pools proper and not so often in the faster water such as rapids and riffles. Nymph or wet fly fishing works best with the beadhead versions normally the first choice.
As summer approaches, the fish tend to move upstream into their regular home waters. Observant anglers can often witness battles over territorial rights and the best feeding spots. The incoming larger fish, especially the browns, will displace a smaller resident from the prime lie.
There may be large numbers of fish present in the better sections of the river. Better for the trout that is, with an abundance of food and security of tenure; in the shape of cover or depth.
There is a more stable river flow that will often decline as the summer progresses, unless the river is fed by snow melt. The riverbed accumulates algae and other plant growth that provides food for nymphs. Their numbers increase and so provide sustenance for the great numbers of trout feeding on them.
As the nymphs hatch, the trout start to feed more on the surface, particularly in the low light hours. It is time to look for visible fish and cast a dry fly over them. Caution is essential and long fine leaders are mandatory, as the trout get wary from the constant angling pressure.
The trout will then seek protection from the marauding angler by seeking concealment. This can be under banks and overhanging foliage, or in the faster water.
Fishing the runs and riffles is the first choice for blind fishing, be it on the dry or nymph. The most exciting fishing is when cicadas are falling onto the surface. There is nothing like the thrill of a large trout smashing your big cicada as it tumbles down the riffle.
In autumn, things change again. The weather can be changeable and river flows vary considerably. In the drier eastern areas, there may not be much rainfall until well into April.
Up to then, the fishing can be hard and the fish extra spooky. They may also have suffered from the drought and this will be reflected in their condition. Usually, the better fishing is to be found in the areas that have had some rain. This ‘freshens’ up the rivers and the fish respond to the greater flows by thinking of procreation.
They may start the move to the spawning gravels, which will be found in the headwaters or up the tributaries. The fish, especially the rainbows, will be aggressive with changes to their colour and behaviour.
The tactics to use depend greatly on the amount of water in the river or stream. Where there is adequate water flows, nymphs with some flash will do best. This may be a beadhead or a flashback or have some sparkle yarn incorporated in the body material.
If the river is still low, then summer fishing tactics are still required. The fish can be anywhere in the river and all likely water should be carefully examined. The trout are often found in surprisingly shallow water and may feed freely. It is a possible to fish the smaller streams with a light rod, as the greater flows in the tributary will bring fish up from the main river.
The fish can be in very good condition, as they will have spent the summer building up this condition to be ready for spawning. Be prepared for some strong-fighting fish. Autumn can provide some very good quality fishing and the fish will usually be a bit easier to catch than they might be in the middle of summer.

The angler that gives some thought to how the season affects the trout’s behaviour will do better than the angler that just uses the same tactics year round. There is a great deal of satisfaction to be gained from working out a tactic to use at a certain time on a certain river.
There is even more satisfaction when a large trout succumbs to the tactic that best suited the season. Then you can fairly claim to be a ‘seasonable’ angler.

When the fishing gets tough

When the going gets hard and you are not getting any takes, it is time to make a few changes to rig and technique. The options include the following:
• change to a copolymer leader – the invisibility of the copolymer may make the difference. A fluorocarbon leader will sink and may tend to drag the fly under.
• lengthen the leader – the further the fly is from the flyline, the less chance you will scare the fish.
• reduce the thickness of the tippet – a thinner tippet may not be so obvious lying on the water.
• deshine the leader – the reflection of a shiny leader may be deterring a fussy fish.
• sink the leader – coat the leader with sinkant to make it less visible.
• change the size of the fly – a smaller fly might just make the difference.
• alter the fishing depth – if nothing is happening on top, try fishing deeper.
• change the flyline – if you have one with you, try a clear or camouflage line.
• look for cover – try to hide behind some bankside foliage and ambush the cruiser.
• if all the above fails, seek solace in the nearest pub!


Lake Features

When fishing a rather featureless lake, it is essential that an angler is very watchful for any natural feature that might provide food or cover for a trout. The obvious ones, like incoming stream mouths, are known to most anglers and fishing will often be concentrated at these points. Of course, the fish will be too, especially during the low light hours and it is then that any angler would have a good chance of picking up a decent size fish. But, during the day, it is the angler that can think like a fish and suss out their likely feeding beats, who will do better on a bright day. Lake anglers should focus on the following lake features:

Incoming streams – stream mouths are frequented by trout for several reasons. The most important of these is that the incoming stream is a great source of food.
A trout does not have to swim around the lake shore searching for food but can stay in one position and feast on the constant supply of insects being brought into the lake by the stream. This will include both nymphs and terrestrial insects. There will also be a number of smaller baitfish drawn to the stream mouth by the abundant supply of food. If there is a lip with deeper water beyond or some ruffling of the incoming water, then the trout also receives protection from predators while it is feeding. During the heat of summer, the stream mouth will also provide some relief for trout from the increasing lake temperatures. The incoming water is cool and trout will congregate at the inflow point to take advantage of the more comfortable temperature there. This is especially so if the incoming stream is spring fed and the water is much colder than the lake. The other time that trout will congregate at stream mouths is when spawning time is approaching. If the flow of the stream is low, the trout will hang around the mouth, waiting for the right conditions to run up the stream to spawn. This will usually happen after rain when the swollen stream will have the depth to provide cover for the running fish.

Outlet of lake – most lake anglers are familiar with the high concentrations of trout found at the outlets of lakes. Trout densities as high as 300 trout per kilometre have been found at the outlets of lakes like Sumner, Brunner and Rotoroa. And even smaller lakes like Tennyson and South Mavora are known to harbour good numbers of trout at their outlets.
The reason for this is again the amount of food that is being concentrated in one place. A lake may have many incoming streams but usually will have only one main outlet. The current through the lake will funnel an unceasing supply of food to that point and it is easy for trout to sit above the outlet or in the river just below, feasting on that steady source of food. It is also a very stable position, in terms of water movement, not subject to the hugely-varying flows of the incoming waterways. Floods and freshes are absorbed by the body of the lake leaving the outlet with a very stable flow.

Drop-offs – these are easily found in a lake by the colour change. The shallow areas are those where the lake bottom can be readily seen and the darker places beyond indicate depth.
Where there is a sudden change from shallow to deep, is called a drop-off and these find favour with trout due to the security the depths offer. The foraging fish can cruise the food-rich, shallow littoral zones and shoot back into the deeper water at the first sign of trouble (usually my line landing on the water above). Drop-offs are a great place to fish streamer lures, especially koura representations, by casting into the deeper water and crawling the fly back up over the lip into the shallows. If the drop-off is at the mouth of an incoming stream, then success is almost guaranteed, as the trout will have both food and protection. In summer, trout are more likely to be found near the drop-off regions as the water will be cooler in these deeper areas. From here, they can feed in the shallow, warmer areas and quickly drop back into the cool depths as the water warms up during the day.
Weed beds – these also provide a good source of food. Snails and aquatic insects are to be found clinging to the weeds, harvesting the algae that grow there. These and other creatures provide easy pickings for trout that cruise along the weed beds, nosing out the juicy morsels. Again the weeds also provide a certain degree of shelter and the trout feel reasonably safe while feeding thanks to the cover the weeds provide. Weed beds often grow at the margins of drop-offs providing protection for the feeding trout.
Channels – an inlet channel leading from the deeper water towards the shore is a likely route for a foraging lake trout. The depth of the channel provides some security as the trout cruises towards the food-rich shallows. When the trout starts to feel uncomfortable about the lack of protection afforded by the decreasing depth, it will turn around and head back for the depths along the same route. Observation of these channels will provide opportunities for anglers to set ambushes for trout as they move towards the shore in these channels. There are also the channels between clumps of weeds or rushes and these are popular with foraging fish. These spots can be difficult to fish as often the clumps of weed are floating, just waiting for the footfall of the unwary angler. If you can carefully get out amongst these clumps by working your way from island to island on the more solid ones, there is often good fishing to be had, as the trout tend to feed freely in such places. The larger clumps also offer the angler some concealment from which to fish for cruising trout.
Lake shallows – less protection is offered by the shallow areas of a lake but they can be very rich in food and so tempt a trout out of the more secure deeper areas.
The trout will feel safer if there is overhanging vegetation and it pays to target those shallows that are protected by trees, shrubs, rushes or grasses hanging out over the water. Even so, trout are more likely to be found here in low light conditions than in the middle of the day, unless there is a cicada hatch or similar food happening to entice the fish into the shallows. Generally the trout that frequent the shallows will have a set beat. It may take five minutes or fifty minutes but the trout will usually reappear at some time along the same path it was originally seen to take. This is another chance to set a trap for the cruising fish with a strategically-placed offering which is given a twitch as the trout draws nearby.
If a lake angler concentrates on such ‘hot spots’, the chances of scoring a fish are much higher than just chucking a line here and there around the lakeshore. It is the same as a river angler ‘reading the water’ and concentrating on fishing the more likely places where trout will be feeding. Just as there are dead areas in a river, so there are similar sections of a lake that are not worth wasting much time on.