Which approach will put the most fish in your net?
by Domenick Swentosky
Abridged from “Hatch” magazine, U.S.
I sat atop an overbuilt picnic table in the damp shade of a large pine tree watching one angler after another fish the water beside me. Like a slow and silent time-lapse parade, over the span of an hour, the next fisherman took the position of the one before him, casting to the same water at the same angles — interchangeable, carbon copy approaches.
It was in central Pennsylvania, U.S. and instead of participating, I was watching the action at Fisherman’s Paradise on Spring Creek. A few weeks removed from surgery (two herniated discs), I was strung up in a neck brace and just thankful to be alive and recovering, outside again and close to my home waters.
The Paradise is a well-named stretch of river with catch and release regulations over the densest population of wild brown trout in the state — and wading is (mercifully) not permitted.
Same and Same Again
From my seat on the table, I could easily picture myself casting to the same lies from the same angles as the other fishermen— because I had. In fact, I had thrown flies at those fish hundreds of times, and yet, I’d most always done it the same way as those in the procession. Maybe it’s easier to forgive repetition and similarity when forced to fish from the banks, though.
The fish at the Paradise have seen it all and are the pre-eminent example of educated trout. To catch them with any regularity you either need rare, continuous dumb luck, or you need to do something a bit different — new angles, new approaches.
I learned a lot in that month. As my body healed, I took many slow walks beside the river to observe. Without a fly rod in hand, I was open to a new perspective, and I realised that I could improve my catch rate by altering my approach.
Innate Ability
Seemingly built into the fishiest guys is an innate ability to know where a trout will choose to spend its hours resting and feeding. Some men, born to fish, read the water with instinct and precision. The rest of us must learn this skill through trial and error.
The anglers in the parade I watched from the table were fishing Sulphur dry flies at one prime spot then moving on to the next — cherry picking. It’s the most popular approach because it produces, and because it’s easy to find confidence while fishing the best water on the river.
What struck me at Paradise that day was how ingrained our habits are. The fishermen’s paths along popular rivers lead from one prime spot to another, leaving a lot of good in-between water mostly un-fished, and if I don’t actively think and plan a different approach, I catch myself following these paths.
Adjustment
Cherry picking or hole hopping is an enjoyable approach, and sometimes it’s even easy. Working an entire stretch of water can be harder, but once learned, it’s a more productive long-term strategy. When cherry picking, it’s easy to simply walk to the next piece of water that suits your rig, but full coverage requires frequent adaptation and adjustment of rigs and tactics. Some water will be better suited for nymphs under an indicator, some will have active and rising fish best suited for emergers or wets, and some tricky spots can only be fished effectively with streamers. The changes required are many. It can be tough to see it all through, but it’s worth it.
If you think you know your favourite water intimately, and you are getting bored with the same routines, maybe it’s time to re-analyse. Look at it from a new perspective. Walk a favourite stretch without the fly rod, and try to see what you’ve never seen before. Notice the areas where you’ve not caught fish and make a plan for a new approach. Hole hopping. Cherry picking. If it’s working, great. When it’s not, try revising the plan to full coverage. Use the two strategies in tandem, approaching the water with new vision every time.
Whatever you choose, be sure to come up with a good reason for doing so — all good fisherman need a theory.
Be prepared to change method to suit the water,
rather than cherry pick
I always reckoned to fish the bank, the least fished, the better. – within practical reason. Because most are right handed, i.e. the true right hand bank looking down stream, tends to get fished more.
The late John Morton had taught himself to be ambi-dexeterous that is cast with either right or left hand. Now theres a challenge.
Fascinating stuff. Good old common sense of course. It is also important to “cherry pick” the season; or even the month. Certain waters, especially estuaries and lakes vary considerably in their transient populations. I have separate November, January and autumn spots. Each requires different flies/techniques/ times of day. Different strategies are also defined by the weather and the wind in particular. A good thoughtful article. Well done Domenick Swentosky.