3 Places to Target When Fishing for Trout in Streams
When you approach a new fishing stream for the first time, or maybe just a new spot on a familiar stream, finding the spots to target your lure can be tricky. For starters, if you're fishing with hip boots or waders and plan to go into the water (which I recommend) you don't want to disturb any fish by walking through their school. So you need to know where the fish are, so you can avoid walking through them (making them less likely to strike) and then target those areas with your lures to have maximum success.
Usually, as I approach a stream I like to stop 6-10 feet from the bank, so I'll still be invisible to any fish in the water and have a shot at catching fish on the near bank. It doesn't work often, but once in a while it pays off - and those are fish that I would likely have spooked upon entering the water.
The bank is the first area that I start looking for fish. Especially if its somewhat under cut if there are overhanging branches. Fish will often hide in holes on the bank, concealing themselves from predators, but also making it less likely that a baitfish will detect their presence. Likewise, this is the area a grasshopper will make an errant hop or an ant will slip off a branch and drop in the water for the trout's next meal. I always try to cast as close to the bank as possible, and if there's fish in the vicinity, I'll usually get a strike within a few feet of where my lure landed.
Large objects are the second thing I look out for. The current on both the upstream and downstream side of a large rock or fallen tree will be weaker than in surrounding areas. It will be an area that trout can swim with less effort and debris and insects (i.e. food) will gather and settle in those areas.
Holes, areas of the stream that are deeper than the surrounding creek are an excellent place to find fish. It might take a little finesse to get your lure deep enough, but like the large objects, mentioned above, the current will slow in these areas and they are a gathering point for a trout's next meal.
Finally, look for combinations of these three locations. A deep hole along the bank can be prime trout real estate and likewise, if there's a fallen tree along a bank, that's almost certainly going to be a gathering place for fish.
Don't waste your time in areas of shallow, fast-moving water. The trout's food will be moving too quickly and it takes too much energy for them to swim in the strong current. Stick to areas where the trout will expend less energy and are more likely to find a meal. This will make it more likely that it will mistake your lure for its next meal (making it your next meal).
Usually, as I approach a stream I like to stop 6-10 feet from the bank, so I'll still be invisible to any fish in the water and have a shot at catching fish on the near bank. It doesn't work often, but once in a while it pays off - and those are fish that I would likely have spooked upon entering the water.
The bank is the first area that I start looking for fish. Especially if its somewhat under cut if there are overhanging branches. Fish will often hide in holes on the bank, concealing themselves from predators, but also making it less likely that a baitfish will detect their presence. Likewise, this is the area a grasshopper will make an errant hop or an ant will slip off a branch and drop in the water for the trout's next meal. I always try to cast as close to the bank as possible, and if there's fish in the vicinity, I'll usually get a strike within a few feet of where my lure landed.
Large objects are the second thing I look out for. The current on both the upstream and downstream side of a large rock or fallen tree will be weaker than in surrounding areas. It will be an area that trout can swim with less effort and debris and insects (i.e. food) will gather and settle in those areas.
Holes, areas of the stream that are deeper than the surrounding creek are an excellent place to find fish. It might take a little finesse to get your lure deep enough, but like the large objects, mentioned above, the current will slow in these areas and they are a gathering point for a trout's next meal.
Finally, look for combinations of these three locations. A deep hole along the bank can be prime trout real estate and likewise, if there's a fallen tree along a bank, that's almost certainly going to be a gathering place for fish.
Don't waste your time in areas of shallow, fast-moving water. The trout's food will be moving too quickly and it takes too much energy for them to swim in the strong current. Stick to areas where the trout will expend less energy and are more likely to find a meal. This will make it more likely that it will mistake your lure for its next meal (making it your next meal).
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