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How To See Fish

By Derek Grzelewski

We had barely got out of the car when Jennifer pointed out to the river and said: “There, a fish just rose! There! Another one! See it?”

How could I not? When you spend a good part of your life walking rivers and lake shores, staring into the water both moving and still in search of a feeding fish, when even at night when you close your eyes you see the after-burn of river currents re-playing against the back of your eyelids, the sight of rising trout attracts your vision like red flashing neons.



And these fish, porpoising to intercept tiny Blue-Winged Olives on the Colorado's Fryingpan River, were indeed flashing red, their camouflage cued off the brick-red basalt rocks which framed the river and studded its bottom.

“There's another fish just out from where you are, four feet out, two o'clock, not rising but nymphing”, I said. “And another one three feet above it, too. See them?”

She looked at me first to check if this was some kind of a practical joke. It wasn't and so she studied the river more closely. “Ah YES! Now I see them,” she said, and her face lit up with a smile.

Since we've put our lives and our fishing together, commuting between Colorado and New Zealand following the seasons of trout, Jennifer has easily converted to the idea that sometimes just finding and seeing a feeding fish was as rewarding as catching it. And I, after some 30 years of fly fishing in New Zealand, half of it guiding, have found great delight in transplanting Kiwi fly angling techniques into the American West and seeing just how well they worked here.

This was especially true with the art of sighting fish.

New Zealand has an unsurpassed reputation for sight-fishing: seeing the fish before it sees you, sneaking into a position to make that all-important first cast. Both anglers and the guides there have to become experts at spotting trout, out of necessity and by choice. Necessity, since you just wouldn't blind-fish a blue-ribbon water that may hold one large fish every few hundred yards, and choice, because this kind of interaction with the fish is intensely visual, intimate and electrifying, perhaps the most pure and satisfying way to engage with the trout.

Yet most anglers new to this style of fishing, or those unaccustomed to the clarity of water which makes it possible, frequently struggle to see but the most obvious fish and, when you point out to them one of the hard-to-see, perfectly camouflaged trout, they do think you're playing a prank on them. And keep in mind that usually the easier the fish are to see the harder they are to catch, not just because they can see you as well, but because the easy-spotting water – glassy and slow – makes a stealthy presentation tough if not impossible. Ideally then, you want to start spotting those hard-to-see trout as they are more likely to be deceived, the broken surface which hides them also disguising any casting faux pas or drag and approach errors.

At times, especially in less than ideal visibility, finding feeding fish may seem like an almost supernatural ability but there is a method to the magic, and strategies, and you certainly do not need fish eagle’s eyes to find trout and create enough opportunities for a good day’s fishing. So let’s see if we can demystify the art of spotting trout for you.

Before you even start spotting fish, trying to X-ray the water and willing the trout to appear, you need to know where to look. Otherwise you may end up straining your eyes through a lot of dead water, losing focus and enthusiasm, then spooking the fish when you finally get to where they were feeding all along. Trout are not distributed evenly in a river, they prefer certain features and places and learning to identify this prime trout real estate is the first skill to learn. The best way to do that is to begin looking at a river with the eyes of a paddler. Notice how the river runs: how it turns from side to side, how the outside corner is always the deeper one, how there is usually a distinct stair-case profile to the flow – pool, riffle, pool – and how the water speed varies both along and across the river. These speed differences are the key features for a trout hunter. What you're looking for are current lines and sheers – places where fast and slow water meet.

Trout are top predators and they do not needlessly exert themselves. Their preferred feeding spots are places where they can sit in slower water while feeding from a faster current. Browns are notorious for this, often parking up in totally slack water with just their noses edging into the current. Rainbows tend to favor faster flows, but they still adhere to the same principles and behavior. That is why you rarely find trout feeding in strong featureless current. It simply takes too much of their energy just to stay in one place. So look for any features and disturbances in the river flow: corners and bank protrusions, rocks and trees, current lines and seams. You’ll soon see and realise that, because of the ways the river flows, how pools funnel into riffles and turn left and right, the current lines are places where most of the waterborne trout food gets concentrated. They are the feedlines, and the edges of those are where you’ll find the most fish.

Of course, the river is a complex three-dimensional environment though looking down from above we perceive it only in 2D. What we see on the surface – cushions and lee spots, split currents and eddies, pockets of turbulence and calm – also occur in the vertical plane and the trout are even more likely to take advantage of those as the added depth also means better shelter and camouflage. So pay particular attention to changes in depth – drop-offs, lips, channels and seams – they are the trout hotspots. Even a single rock is enough to create a holding place for a fish, so let your eyes travel down an edge of a feedline, from a rock to rock, and see if any of those have tails. After you are able to identify the various edges of currents, both on the surface and along the bottom, you begin to stack them up because the trout too like to maximize their feeding opportunities. They basically need two things: food and shelter. Food comes down the current lines, shelter is found in depth, and under overhanging vegetation, usually both. Understanding this, putting all the habitat clues together, you’re well on your way in developing your “fish brain” which is an essential attribute of a trout hunter. You ask yourself “if I was a fish where would I be in this piece of water,” then look there. With time and practice you develop an ability to read water as if the trout hideouts were mapped out for you. This is also one of the most satisfying aspects of sight fishing: to figure out where the fish could be, then finding them there.

What to Look For

Forgive me for stating the obvious but, in moving water, trout always – ALWAYS – face into the current (to feed and to breathe) and they are streamlined into it so any shape at an odd angle to the flow is unlikely to be a fish. Unless it swims off when you approach, which happens too.

One summer day on New Zealand's West Coast, my friend and I were staring at a log which almost barred the river and a massive branch protruding upstream from the log, just below the surface. The branch was almost too thick and long to be a trout but the light was terrible, with drizzly overcast and metallic glare, so we could not tell for sure. We were down on our knees, peering through the clumps of tall grass, and the cicadas were too loud to hear yourself think.

“Have a cast,” Jamie offered. “Naw, it’s not a fish,” I said and stood up.

The “branch” swam off at speed. It was easily a double-figure trophy.

If in doubt, always cast, but fear not, as you become an adept at the trout-spotting game, you’ll be spooking a lot of fish too. This is a good thing as along the way, you can learn not only where they are and how to approach them but what they look like, too. Truth is, with those tough-to-spot trout you rarely see the whole fish clearly. You see hints, visual clues that what you’re looking at might just possibly be a fish.

Shape and orientation are primary clues, as are shadows and colour, but what you really want to see is movement. Feeding fish move a lot. Sometimes to take an insect close to the bottom the fish will briefly turn side-on and you’ll see a silvery flash of its flank. Blink and you’ll miss it so spend time watching any likely candidate closely, looking for signs of activity. You will still end up casting to sticks, rocks or fish that are resting and will not eat no matter what you throw at them. It’s all part of the game. Weeds can be especially deceptive, some tick all the boxes – right spot, shape, colour, even shadow, and yes, a lot of movement. But like the doggo fish, they don’t eat either. It may take you a number of casts and fly changes to figure this out.

One of the key skills in successful sight-fishing is the ability to slow down to the pace of water. There is also a contrary school of thought on this suggesting you should go fast and cover as much water as you can but I guess you’ll only see the obvious fish and you’ll spook most and won’t even know that you have.

How to Look

Your eyes are essentially round lenses whose shape is controlled by several pairs of tiny muscles and good vision is not the matter of their strength but precision, coordination and balance. So, looking for fish, avoid staring hard into the water. This is counterproductive, will fatigue your eyes, lock out your peripheral vision (which is good at picking out movement) and may even give you a headache.

Eyes work best when they are continually moving, so let them travel lightly over the water and through it, exploring it as if it was a giant painting. Relaxed, happy eyes will see more than those trying to bore a hole through the water.

Ideal spotting conditions would have clear blue sky, strong overhead sun, little or no wind, good high backdrop of trees, cliffs or distant mountains, perhaps some extra elevation to look down from. But of course ideal conditions are rare. Other times – which is most of the time – we all have to deal with the elements and have strategies to work around them.

Flat overcast light puts an opaque sheen on the river’s surface, wind can make it look as if it was frozen, lack of backdrop causes glare and in all these scenarios you will find yourself squinting, staring, tilting your head from side to side, and generally seeing a lot less fish. A well-timed hatch can often save the day like that but otherwise you need to make the most of sighting opportunities that you do have. So go slower – the fish can see you much better in the overcast as there is a lot less contrast between below and above and they are not looking into the sun. Remember, it is one top predator hunting another so, with the odds in trout’s favor, you really need to lift your game just to stay in it.

Seek any elevation you can find, any backdrop to look against, even if you’re looking down the river. When you are moving slowly and stealthily, as a hunter should, it’s not uncommon to see a fish downstream of yourself, backtrack quietly and still get an opportunity to cast to it. In tough light is also where having best quality glasses becomes critical. Skimp on other gear when you must but, if you’re serious about sight fishing, you need the best polarizing glasses you can afford.

My friend Dean Bell has been considered “one of the best if not the best trout guide in New Zealand,” and though such accolades are highly subjective one sure thing I can tell you about him is that he's got the best eyes of anyone I’ve ever fished with.

“My polarizing glasses are the most important piece of fishing equipment I own,” he says, “and when your reputation as a guide is on the line every day you cannot afford to use anything but the best. This allows me to find trout most anglers simply walk past. I especially favor the Smith's low-light Ignitor lenses which allow in 40 percent more light while still polarizing it. Kind of makes an overcast day sunny again.”



The first time I used the Ignitors on a dark overcast day I remember thinking to myself “man, I can see! I can see again!” Costa Sunrise 580P are another good option. (HELP ME OUT HERE ROSS ) Both are a little too light for full sun so, of course, you’ll need another darker pair for those perfect days. The enduring joy of fly fishing is that you can always buy more stuff. But, as you’re parting with your cash, keep in mind this time you are not buying gadgets but the most essential tool in your fishing kit.

In the end, when you've put in plenty of riverside mileage, spooked enough fish and learn from that, when you can read the water and pick out its clues, seeing trout becomes almost a six sense. You can’t even explain how or why but you know that the shape you’re looking at is a fish, even if your companions suspect you of hallucinations. At times, you’ll still cast to rocks and sticks, and weeds especially, though less and less so. There is a particular softness and fluid grace to the shape of trout, which other river features do not have, and you learn to recognize it. It’ll draw your eyes in as if by magic.

How do you know you’re there? When you start doubting yourself, when what your mind dismissed as “not a fish” swims off at speed just as you take another step. So, when in doubt, always cast. Some rocks and weeds I’ve seen have been known to even come up and take a dry, put up a good fight afterwards, too.

After you've learnt to spot trout, you can apply your fish-finding skills to other species and environments, including salt. The visual clues may be slightly different – the colors, shapes and patterns of movement – but the principles are the same, and so is the thrill.

Be forewarned though, fly fishing at this level is addictive in its intensity. It refines both skills and expectations, and the way you want to engage with the fish. It’s like developing a taste for expensive single malts – after you have, it’s no longer satisfying to go back to the cheap stuff.

More About Derek...
After some 20 years of guiding in New Zealand, Derek Grzelewski now resides in Colorado where he's a wade and float guide for the Roaring Fork Club and a ski professional at Aspen SkiCo. He is the author of internationally acclaimed TROUT TRILOGY and his latest book is Fly Fishing in New Zealand - What You NEED to Know. You'll find him at Best-Days-Only.com

Customer Testimonials- New Zealand Strike Indicator System


By
Robert Quinian
5 Stars
I don't know who thought this up but it is genius. The tool is good quality and looks like it will last. It is simple to use and floats well. A side benefit is the wool works great as a post for dry flies. It really floats well and is easy to work with. I ordered another pack of the wool to use for tying flies.


By Roger O. Bouchard, Jr.
5 Stars
I have been fly fishing 50 years. A lot of worthless junk is sold in this hobby. But this may well be the best product I've ever purchased. It does exactly what it says. Read the instructions and watch the video and you will catch more fish. Or maybe just realize your getting a hit that before you did not realize you were getting. Wish I had thought of it.


By I Fly
5 Stars
"I love how easy it is to use. The wool stays afloat and I can quickly change depths without injuring my leader or tippet."

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  this is a test
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Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

By Tucker Nelson of Nelson's Guides & Flies

“Ah YES! Now I see them,” she said, and her face lit up with a smile.

Since we've put our lives and our fishing together, commuting between Colorado and New Zealand following the seasons of trout, Jennifer has easily converted to the idea that sometimes just finding and seeing a feeding fish was as rewarding as catching it. And I, after some 30 years of fly fishing in New Zealand, half of it guiding, have found great delight in transplanting Kiwi fly angling techniques into the American West and seeing just how well they worked here.

This was especially true with the art of sighting fish. Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

Trout are not smart. They are a product of their environment. If they were smart we would never be able to catch them after they identified what a hook looks like. However, the nature of their environment can make them very selective. Spring creeks are fed by ground water which results in high water quality, stable temperatures, constant flow, and consistent clarity. Another important factor in the aquatic environment is the stream bed substrate. Spring creek bottoms consist of fine to medium size cobble, silt, and plenty of vegetation. All of these attributes create bug factories. However, the stable nature of the spring creek environment is geared toward certain species of aquatic insects with a large percentage of them being small. Thus, a trout that resides in a spring creek is continually fed a steady diet of small bugs. In order to be successful, the angler must posses the ability to imitate the characteristics of small insects. Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

The aquatic insects inhabiting spring creeks exist in large numbers, but the diversity of species is by no means over whelming. The stable environment supports large portions of specific types of bugs. Medium to small sized mayflies, midges, and crustaceans make up the largest percentage of a spring creek trout's diet. The mix of different mayflies and midges follow the seasons and are fairly predictable. It is important to be familiar with the different colors and sizes of the given insects for the time of year. The better the angler knows the entomology the more rewarding the fly fishing will be. Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

Imitating small bugs presents challenges that are overcome by using the correct equipment. In order to match little insects, small sparsely tied fly patterns in the correct size and colors suffice. A small fly must be fished on light tippet (6x or 7x) in order to allow it to flutter like a natural insect. If the same pattern is fished on thicker tippet (4x or lower) the fly acts stiff and will not look edible to the trout. Light tippet breaks easier than the thicker material when put under pressure by the large trout residing in spring creeks. Counteracting the fragility of light tippet starts with the length of the material, is aided by the softness (or amount of bend) in the tip of the fly rod, and mastered by the fish fighting technique of the angler. The shorter the length of tippet the easier it will break. Using three feet or more for the tippet takes advantage of the elasticity of the material and aids in protecting against breakage. Medium to medium-fast action fly rods bend more then their fast action counterparts preventing unnecessary break offs. The bend in the rod acts like a spring and helps absorb the changing pressures while fighting a fish. Landing large trout on light tippet requires an understanding of the different forces the material can handle. The correct length of tippet and the proper fly rod help negate breaking, but proper technique must also be applied. Tippet can take constant pressure, but breaks under sudden impact. An angler must use the bend of the rod at the correct angle while applying constant pressure to land the fish. Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

A trouts food moves with the current of the water as it flows over and around obstacles in the stream bed. Fish use the current to convey the insects into their open mouths. Due to the small size of the bugs most of their motion is determined by the way the current flows. The combination of these factors creates an environment in which the trout becomes selective to the numerous little bugs pushed through the water column by the stream flow. The job of the successful angler is to imitate these tiny creatures with the appropriate fly pattern while it's tied to a fly line followed by the leader and lastly the tippet. Proper fly presentation becomes essential in order to complete this challenging task. A spring creek angler must practice accuracy, mending, and the all important reach cast. Through the implementation of all these techniques the anglers success on Montana spring creeks will increase exponentially. Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

Spring creek fly fishing techniques take practice, but when broken down are not that complicated. A simple understanding of spring creek entomology, making sure to have the correct fly patterns and equipment, and practicing common fly presentation methods go a long way in the making of a successful spring creek angler. Contact Nelson's Guides and Flies, or better yet come stay with us at Nelson's Spring Creek Lodge, and we'd be happy to jump start your learning to master the nuances of spring creek fly fishing. For more information - please visit www.NelsonsGuidesAndFlies.com

Customer Testimonials

Changed My World
A must for any serious tailwater or technical water angler. If you are not using this system you are missing subtle strikes and spooking fish with your indicator.
Facebook
By Robert Quinian
The tool is good quality and looks like it will last
5 Stars
I don't know who thought this up but it is genius. The tool is good quality and looks like it will last. It is simple to use and floats well. A side benefit is the wool works great as a post for dry flies. It really floats well and is easy to work with. I ordered another pack of the wool to use for tying flies.
Verified Purchase
By Roger O. Bouchard, Jr.
Simple and excellent
5 Stars
I have been fly fishing 50 years. A lot of worthless junk is sold in this hobby. But this may well be the best product I’ve ever purchased. It does exactly what it says. Read the instructions and watch the video and you will catch more fish. Or maybe just realize your getting a hit that before you did not realize you were getting. Wish I had thought of it.
Verified Purchase
By I Fly
I love how easy it is to use
5 Stars
"I love how easy it is to use. The wool stays afloat and I can quickly change depths without injuring my leader or tippet."
Verified Purchase
By Mary P. Eul
Nelson's Guides & Flies
 

Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

By Tucker Nelson of Nelson's Guides & Flies

Fly fishing spring creeks in Montana requires a fine tuning of skills and techniques. Although the general methods are the same across fly fishing, special attention to detail makes the difference between a successful or a frustrating day on the water. Spring Creeks have a reputation of intimidating anglers due to the technical nature of the fishing and the stories of the anglers that have been humbled by the gin clear water. The intimidation factor can be overcome by understanding what makes spring creek fly fishing technical, a basic understanding of aquatic insects, best equipment to use, and fly presentation.Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

Trout are not smart. They are a product of their environment. If they were smart we would never be able to catch them after they identified what a hook looks like. However, the nature of their environment can make them very selective. Spring creeks are fed by ground water which results in high water quality, stable temperatures, constant flow, and consistent clarity. Another important factor in the aquatic environment is the stream bed substrate. Spring creek bottoms consist of fine to medium size cobble, silt, and plenty of vegetation. All of these attributes create bug factories. However, the stable nature of the spring creek environment is geared toward certain species of aquatic insects with a large percentage of them being small. Thus, a trout that resides in a spring creek is continually fed a steady diet of small bugs. In order to be successful, the angler must posses the ability to imitate the characteristics of small insects.Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

The aquatic insects inhabiting spring creeks exist in large numbers, but the diversity of species is by no means over whelming. The stable environment supports large portions of specific types of bugs. Medium to small sized mayflies, midges, and crustaceans make up the largest percentage of a spring creek trout's diet. The mix of different mayflies and midges follow the seasons and are fairly predictable. It is important to be familiar with the different colors and sizes of the given insects for the time of year. The better the angler knows the entomology the more rewarding the fly fishing will be.Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

Imitating small bugs presents challenges that are overcome by using the correct equipment. In order to match little insects, small sparsely tied fly patterns in the correct size and colors suffice. A small fly must be fished on light tippet (6x or 7x) in order to allow it to flutter like a natural insect. If the same pattern is fished on thicker tippet (4x or lower) the fly acts stiff and will not look edible to the trout. Light tippet breaks easier than the thicker material when put under pressure by the large trout residing in spring creeks. Counteracting the fragility of light tippet starts with the length of the material, is aided by the softness (or amount of bend) in the tip of the fly rod, and mastered by the fish fighting technique of the angler. The shorter the length of tippet the easier it will break. Using three feet or more for the tippet takes advantage of the elasticity of the material and aids in protecting against breakage. Medium to medium-fast action fly rods bend more then their fast action counterparts preventing unnecessary break offs. The bend in the rod acts like a spring and helps absorb the changing pressures while fighting a fish. Landing large trout on light tippet requires an understanding of the different forces the material can handle. The correct length of tippet and the proper fly rod help negate breaking, but proper technique must also be applied. Tippet can take constant pressure, but breaks under sudden impact. An angler must use the bend of the rod at the correct angle while applying constant pressure to land the fish.Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

A trouts food moves with the current of the water as it flows over and around obstacles in the stream bed. Fish use the current to convey the insects into their open mouths. Due to the small size of the bugs most of their motion is determined by the way the current flows. The combination of these factors creates an environment in which the trout becomes selective to the numerous little bugs pushed through the water column by the stream flow. The job of the successful angler is to imitate these tiny creatures with the appropriate fly pattern while it's tied to a fly line followed by the leader and lastly the tippet. Proper fly presentation becomes essential in order to complete this challenging task. A spring creek angler must practice accuracy, mending, and the all important reach cast. Through the implementation of all these techniques the anglers success on Montana spring creeks will increase exponentially.Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

Spring creek fly fishing techniques take practice, but when broken down are not that complicated. A simple understanding of spring creek entomology, making sure to have the correct fly patterns and equipment, and practicing common fly presentation methods go a long way in the making of a successful spring creek angler. Contact Nelson's Guides and Flies, or better yet come stay with us at Nelson's Spring Creek Lodge, and we'd be happy to jump start your learning to master the nuances of spring creek fly fishing. For more information - please visit www.NelsonsGuidesAndFlies.com

Customer Testimonials

Changed My World
A must for any serious tailwater or technical water angler. If you are not using this system you are missing subtle strikes and spooking fish with your indicator.
Facebook
By Robert Quinian
The tool is good quality and looks like it will last
5 Stars
I don't know who thought this up but it is genius. The tool is good quality and looks like it will last. It is simple to use and floats well. A side benefit is the wool works great as a post for dry flies. It really floats well and is easy to work with. I ordered another pack of the wool to use for tying flies.
Verified Purchase
By Roger O. Bouchard, Jr.
Simple and excellent
5 Stars
I have been fly fishing 50 years. A lot of worthless junk is sold in this hobby. But this may well be the best product I’ve ever purchased. It does exactly what it says. Read the instructions and watch the video and you will catch more fish. Or maybe just realize your getting a hit that before you did not realize you were getting. Wish I had thought of it.
Verified Purchase
By I Fly
I love how easy it is to use
5 Stars
"I love how easy it is to use. The wool stays afloat and I can quickly change depths without injuring my leader or tippet."
Verified Purchase
By Mary P. Eul
Skills: Sight-Fishing by D. Grzelewski
 

Conquering the Technicality of Montana Spring Creeks

By Tucker Nelson of

We had barely got out of the car when Jennifer pointed out to the river and said: “There, a fish just rose! There! Another one! See it?”

How could I not? When you spend a good part of your life walking rivers and lake shores, staring into the water both moving and still in search of a feeding fish, when even at night when you close your eyes you see the after-burn of river currents re-playing against the back of your eyelids, the sight of rising trout attracts your vision like red flashing neons.



And these fish, porpoising to intercept tiny Blue-Winged Olives on the Colorado's Fryingpan River, were indeed flashing red, their camouflage cued off the brick-red basalt rocks which framed the river and studded its bottom.

“There's another fish just out from where you are, four feet out, two o'clock, not rising but nymphing”, I said. “And another one three feet above it, too. See them?”

She looked at me first to check if this was some kind of a practical joke. It wasn't and so she studied the river more closely.

“Ah YES! Now I see them,” she said, and her face lit up with a smile. Since we've put our lives and our fishing together, commuting between Colorado and New Zealand following the seasons of trout, Jennifer has easily converted to the idea that sometimes just finding and seeing a feeding fish was as rewarding as catching it. And I, after some 30 years of fly fishing in New Zealand, half of it guiding, have found great delight in transplanting Kiwi fly angling techniques into the American West and seeing just how well they worked here. This was especially true with the art of sighting fish.

New Zealand has an unsurpassed reputation for sight-fishing: seeing the fish before it sees you, sneaking into a position to make that all-important first cast. Both anglers and the guides there have to become experts at spotting trout, out of necessity and by choice. Necessity, since you just wouldn't blind-fish a blue-ribbon water that may hold one large fish every few hundred yards, and choice, because this kind of interaction with the fish is intensely visual, intimate and electrifying, perhaps the most pure and satisfying way to engage with the trout.

Yet most anglers new to this style of fishing, or those unaccustomed to the clarity of water which makes it possible, frequently struggle to see but the most obvious fish and, when you point out to them one of the hard-to-see, perfectly camouflaged trout, they do think you're playing a prank on them. And keep in mind that usually the easier the fish are to see the harder they are to catch, not just because they can see you as well, but because the easy-spotting water – glassy and slow – makes a stealthy presentation tough if not impossible. Ideally then, you want to start spotting those hard-to-see trout as they are more likely to be deceived, the broken surface which hides them also disguising any casting faux pas or drag and approach errors.

At times, especially in less than ideal visibility, finding feeding fish may seem like an almost supernatural ability but there is a method to the magic, and strategies, and you certainly do not need fish eagle’s eyes to find trout and create enough opportunities for a good day’s fishing. So let’s see if we can demystify the art of spotting trout for you.


Where To Look

Before you even start spotting fish, trying to X-ray the water and willing the trout to appear, you need to know where to look. Otherwise you may end up straining your eyes through a lot of dead water, losing focus and enthusiasm, then spooking the fish when you finally get to where they were feeding all along. Trout are not distributed evenly in a river, they prefer certain features and places and learning to identify this prime trout real estate is the first skill to learn. The best way to do that is to begin looking at a river with the eyes of a paddler. Notice how the river runs: how it turns from side to side, how the outside corner is always the deeper one, how there is usually a distinct stair-case profile to the flow – pool, riffle, pool – and how the water speed varies both along and across the river. These speed differences are the key features for a trout hunter. What you're looking for are current lines and sheers – places where fast and slow water meet.


Trout are top predators and they do not needlessly exert themselves. Their preferred feeding spots are places where they can sit in slower water while feeding from a faster current. Browns are notorious for this, often parking up in totally slack water with just their noses edging into the current. Rainbows tend to favor faster flows, but they still adhere to the same principles and behavior. That is why you rarely find trout feeding in strong featureless current. It simply takes too much of their energy just to stay in one place. So look for any features and disturbances in the river flow: corners and bank protrusions, rocks and trees, current lines and seams. You’ll soon see and realise that, because of the ways the river flows, how pools funnel into riffles and turn left and right, the current lines are places where most of the waterborne trout food gets concentrated. They are the feedlines, and the edges of those are where you’ll find the most fish.

Of course, the river is a complex three-dimensional environment though looking down from above we perceive it only in 2D. What we see on the surface – cushions and lee spots, split currents and eddies, pockets of turbulence and calm – also occur in the vertical plane and the trout are even more likely to take advantage of those as the added depth also means better shelter and camouflage. So pay particular attention to changes in depth – drop-offs, lips, channels and seams – they are the trout hotspots. Even a single rock is enough to create a holding place for a fish, so let your eyes travel down an edge of a feedline, from a rock to rock, and see if any of those have tails. After you are able to identify the various edges of currents, both on the surface and along the bottom, you begin to stack them up because the trout too like to maximize their feeding opportunities. They basically need two things: food and shelter. Food comes down the current lines, shelter is found in depth, and under overhanging vegetation, usually both. Understanding this, putting all the habitat clues together, you’re well on your way in developing your “fish brain” which is an essential attribute of a trout hunter. You ask yourself “if I was a fish where would I be in this piece of water,” then look there. With time and practice you develop an ability to read water as if the trout hideouts were mapped out for you. This is also one of the most satisfying aspects of sight fishing: to figure out where the fish could be, then finding them there.

What to Look For

Forgive me for stating the obvious but, in moving water, trout always – ALWAYS – face into the current (to feed and to breathe) and they are streamlined into it so any shape at an odd angle to the flow is unlikely to be a fish. Unless it swims off when you approach, which happens too.

One summer day on New Zealand's West Coast, my friend and I were staring at a log which almost barred the river and a massive branch protruding upstream from the log, just below the surface. The branch was almost too thick and long to be a trout but the light was terrible, with drizzly overcast and metallic glare, so we could not tell for sure. We were down on our knees, peering through the clumps of tall grass, and the cicadas were too loud to hear yourself think.

“Have a cast,” Jamie offered. “Naw, it’s not a fish,” I said and stood up.

The “branch” swam off at speed. It was easily a double-figure trophy.

If in doubt, always cast, but fear not, as you become an adept at the trout-spotting game, you’ll be spooking a lot of fish too. This is a good thing as along the way, you can learn not only where they are and how to approach them but what they look like, too. Truth is, with those tough-to-spot trout you rarely see the whole fish clearly. You see hints, visual clues that what you’re looking at might just possibly be a fish.

Shape and orientation are primary clues, as are shadows and colour, but what you really want to see is movement. Feeding fish move a lot. Sometimes to take an insect close to the bottom the fish will briefly turn side-on and you’ll see a silvery flash of its flank. Blink and you’ll miss it so spend time watching any likely candidate closely, looking for signs of activity. You will still end up casting to sticks, rocks or fish that are resting and will not eat no matter what you throw at them. It’s all part of the game. Weeds can be especially deceptive, some tick all the boxes – right spot, shape, colour, even shadow, and yes, a lot of movement. But like the doggo fish, they don’t eat either. It may take you a number of casts and fly changes to figure this out.

One of the key skills in successful sight-fishing is the ability to slow down to the pace of water. There is also a contrary school of thought on this suggesting you should go fast and cover as much water as you can but I guess you’ll only see the obvious fish and you’ll spook most and won’t even know that you have.

How to Look

Your eyes are essentially round lenses whose shape is controlled by several pairs of tiny muscles and good vision is not the matter of their strength but precision, coordination and balance. So, looking for fish, avoid staring hard into the water. This is counterproductive, will fatigue your eyes, lock out your peripheral vision (which is good at picking out movement) and may even give you a headache.

Eyes work best when they are continually moving, so let them travel lightly over the water and through it, exploring it as if it was a giant painting. Relaxed, happy eyes will see more than those trying to bore a hole through the water.

Ideal spotting conditions would have clear blue sky, strong overhead sun, little or no wind, good high backdrop of trees, cliffs or distant mountains, perhaps some extra elevation to look down from. But of course ideal conditions are rare. Other times – which is most of the time – we all have to deal with the elements and have strategies to work around them.

Flat overcast light puts an opaque sheen on the river’s surface, wind can make it look as if it was frozen, lack of backdrop causes glare and in all these scenarios you will find yourself squinting, staring, tilting your head from side to side, and generally seeing a lot less fish. A well-timed hatch can often save the day like that but otherwise you need to make the most of sighting opportunities that you do have. So go slower – the fish can see you much better in the overcast as there is a lot less contrast between below and above and they are not looking into the sun. Remember, it is one top predator hunting another so, with the odds in trout’s favor, you really need to lift your game just to stay in it.

Seek any elevation you can find, any backdrop to look against, even if you’re looking down the river. When you are moving slowly and stealthily, as a hunter should, it’s not uncommon to see a fish downstream of yourself, backtrack quietly and still get an opportunity to cast to it. In tough light is also where having best quality glasses becomes critical. Skimp on other gear when you must but, if you’re serious about sight fishing, you need the best polarizing glasses you can afford.

My friend Dean Bell has been considered “one of the best if not the best trout guide in New Zealand,” and though such accolades are highly subjective one sure thing I can tell you about him is that he's got the best eyes of anyone I’ve ever fished with.

“My polarizing glasses are the most important piece of fishing equipment I own,” he says, “and when your reputation as a guide is on the line every day you cannot afford to use anything but the best. This allows me to find trout most anglers simply walk past. I especially favor the Smith's low-light Ignitor lenses which allow in 40 percent more light while still polarizing it. Kind of makes an overcast day sunny again.”



The first time I used the Ignitors on a dark overcast day I remember thinking to myself “man, I can see! I can see again!” Costa Sunrise 580P are another good option. (HELP ME OUT HERE ROSS ) Both are a little too light for full sun so, of course, you’ll need another darker pair for those perfect days. The enduring joy of fly fishing is that you can always buy more stuff. But, as you’re parting with your cash, keep in mind this time you are not buying gadgets but the most essential tool in your fishing kit.

In the end, when you've put in plenty of riverside mileage, spooked enough fish and learn from that, when you can read the water and pick out its clues, seeing trout becomes almost a six sense. You can’t even explain how or why but you know that the shape you’re looking at is a fish, even if your companions suspect you of hallucinations. At times, you’ll still cast to rocks and sticks, and weeds especially, though less and less so. There is a particular softness and fluid grace to the shape of trout, which other river features do not have, and you learn to recognize it. It’ll draw your eyes in as if by magic.

How do you know you’re there? When you start doubting yourself, when what your mind dismissed as “not a fish” swims off at speed just as you take another step. So, when in doubt, always cast. Some rocks and weeds I’ve seen have been known to even come up and take a dry, put up a good fight afterwards, too.

After you've learnt to spot trout, you can apply your fish-finding skills to other species and environments, including salt. The visual clues may be slightly different – the colors, shapes and patterns of movement – but the principles are the same, and so is the thrill.

Be forewarned though, fly fishing at this level is addictive in its intensity. It refines both skills and expectations, and the way you want to engage with the fish. It’s like developing a taste for expensive single malts – after you have, it’s no longer satisfying to go back to the cheap stuff.

More About Derek...
After some 20 years of guiding in New Zealand, Derek Grzelewski now resides in Colorado where he's a wade and float guide for the Roaring Fork Club and a ski professional at Aspen SkiCo. He is the author of internationally acclaimed TROUT TRILOGY and his latest book is Fly Fishing in New Zealand - What You NEED to Know. You'll find him at Best-Days-Only.com



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A must for any serious tailwater or technical water angler. If you are not using this system you are missing subtle strikes and spooking fish with your indicator.
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