How To Fish An Unfamiliar River or Stream!

Maximizing your time on a new river

Back before the times of the internet, fishermen went out in search of that illusive trout their dads or grandfathers told stories about over Sunday dinner. Walter of the river was always much bigger and meaner each and every year. It seemed like the more wine they drank, the lager that fabled fish would turn into. Dad would get up Saturday morning and reach for the shovel, then walk to the back yard into mom’s flower garden and proceed to dig up a whole jar of worms. He would do this before mom got out of bed in the morning, presumably so mom would not find out and read him the riot act. Then we would drive to the river and throw out the worms on a hook and hope for the best, more often than not we would come back empty handed with nothing but dirt and worm guts on our hands. Sometimes we would switch the worms out for that old Len Thompson red and white spoon and heave that out there for an hour. Don’t get me wrong, those old Len Thompson spoons work if you know where to look for fish or you are familiar with your local river. What happens when you don’t know the river you intend to fish, how do you increase your chances of hooking up?

With the advancements in technology, namely the internet, we do not even need to leave the comforts of our own homes to retrieve the information on the river or stream we are looking to fish. Back in the old days, fishermen went to the local tackle shops for information regarding the current river situation; or they would just have to go through many months of personal trial and error to actually catch one fish. That is what is referred to as “the good old days”. There was no internet and the advancements in fishing tackle are not even close to what they are now, but they were the good old days for sure. Now days, we can save the time and effort and search the internet for information. Usually there is great information readily available on forums, Blogs or local websites that speak about the river intended to fish. Most often you can pull up info on what lures or flies are working that month or day, how other fisherman are faring, and what areas of the river they are fishing. With most fishing, each and every day is a new adventure, and one really never knows what’s going to happen unless the lure is in the water. As my good friend always reminds me, “you can’t catch them if you do not cast”. But where to cast and what to do when fishing new water?

When fishing new water, always try to travel light. The fishing rod and reel combo, a back pack with the essentials and accessories are all you need. Don’t bog yourself down with heavy cumbersome equipment, you will become less and less willing to move, and when fishing a new river it is by moving that you will locate fish. If it is summer time, dress according to the weather, getting too hot will make you tired and unwilling to walk long distances. Or if it is winter time, wear layers so you do not get too cold and have to leave before you even smell success. As I always say, if you do not get any action in one location of the river, move on. I cannot stress this point enough! I have seen many men stand in one spot way to long and catch nothing for their efforts, what is the point in that unless you are out getting some casting practice in. Remember to search all likely areas of the river and if you find no bliss, either fish are not present there or their just not feeding. If you do find a hook up, it is wise to remain in that location and give this area a real good working over. If it is a pool, fish the entire pool from top to bottom, if it is a riffle, fish the entire run from the drop to the tail out. Trout are shoaling species so where there is one there is often more. Trout will often form a tight group and hooking one whether landing one or not, will often lead to many more fish caught. This does not always happen, but any success is well worth exploring further. It is also important to note here, switching hooks and going from a crank bait to say a spinner can also increase hook ups. I have seen this happen time and time again. I will catch three fish on the crank bait and then switch baits even when I am hooking and landing fish. More often than not, my experience with switching hooks will catch you more fish, once they see that crank bait 30 times come across their lye, they will leave it alone. Switch lures and land more fish from that productive location.

What features in the river should you look for? Basically, you should put yourself in the mindset of the predator. Think of it like you are the predator ready to ambush a passing shoal of baitfish. You will need cover! Perhaps you will hide behind a bridge pillar, or in the deep dark water of a bend in the river. You could also be hiding in an undercut bank or behind a large boulder in the river, or you could be in weed beds, anything you can find to hide your menacing form and render you as invisible as possible. Remember this when you fish that new river and cast your lure out, try to place the lure as accurately as possible, as close as you can to those various structures that you have in front of you. Work you lure in these areas for as long as you can. Do not rush your retrieves at all; give that uncertain predator enough time to make up its mind! Do mix up your retrieves and the speed of your retrieves. Try many techniques like the stop and go, the long pause and no action, quick blasts of the crank bait followed by a reel- reel- reel action. Some days the fish will only want it one certain way, so mix it up and find the secret to success.

It will be wise to park your vehicle and walk to places that are not immediately accessible to vehicles. Try planning ahead before your trip to maximize your time out on the river. Google Earth is a great tool to use to identify structure in the new river intended to fish. You can also see which roads lead into your intended location and you can easily spot structure in the river. There are certain locations that will be more productive to fish than others such as bridges; they prove to be a magnet for fish. I like to fish the back pool that is created by the pillars. Underwater boulders are also a prime location for fish to hide. Trees that have fallen into the stream or river are also places to cast and most often hold fish in the back pool created by the tree. If you come across a deep pool, fish it thoroughly starting from the top then the middle and then fish the tail-out. Fish over winter in deep pools and also take cover in the summer from the heat or drought conditions. Once you gain the confidence to find the fish, you will fish smarter and not harder!

Before your fishing trip, obtain a copy of the local fishing regulations and get to know them so you understand which water is open or which areas are closed to fish. Have your license with you and safe in a water proof container. Know what species you can, and cannot keep. If you plan on keeping a fish to eat that evening, know if there are any size restrictions on your fish. Most rivers have slot size limits, so carry a measuring tape with you and make sure you tape out that fish before you keep it for consumption. Check to see what hooks you are allowed to use, many river systems have a barbless or single barbless hook restrictions. Know the rules and you will avoid issues with the local fish and game warden.

I hope these tips will help you gain the advantage and put more fish on the shoreline when fishing an unfamiliar river. Don’t forget to have fun when you are out fishing, and please practice catch and release fishing. Let’s do our best to preserve our resources so our children can enjoy the passion we have for fishing for many years to come. Remember that wild fish are often more stressed than stocked fish; please treat them with every possible measure of respect. Please keep in mind that fishing various parts of the globe is a privilege, so savor every possible moment on the river whether catching or not! P.S, and don’t forget your polarized sunglass!