[kml_flashembed movie="http://youtube.com/v/6MyVyhpLA4g" width="425" height="350" wmode="transparent" /]Locating Fish in Rivers and Streams.  Part Two

Choppy water known as dancing pyramids, are known to hold many feeding fish of all types. Where slow water meets the faster water, a series of small or medium sized, stationary, dancing waves will form. This is where food will drop to the bottom of the river or stream and large lazy fish will inhabit these patches of water provided there is enough depth. More often than not, if depth and cover are not sufficient, fish are still known to feed in these places at dusk or into the night.

Overhanging objects such as trees or bushes. It is common sense that a fishes main predators attack from above, Eagles and Hawks are common here; and fish prefer some type of overhead cover. Overhanging foliage or deadfall will provide fish protection as well as the shade they need on a bright hot summer day. I will throw minnow imitations into these areas with awesome hook up success. If the water is shallow I will use a minnow imitation that I can keep on the top of the water column.

Why is it you see a fisherman out casting immediately after a rain storm in the dry summer months? Rising water is the reason I fish right after it rains. Many rivers or streams seem to slow down and not produce during low water and hot summer days. If you plan your trip to arrive at the river after it rains, you can have great success this way and fishing at this time can rival the best fishing you had in the spring season.

These locations in a river or stream may hold many fish, large fish for that matter. The proper lure may aid in this search. Confidence in your skills and ability to locate trout and catch them is by far the best lure you have in your tackle box! A fisherman must have complete confidence in what he or she is doing and the lure you are using. What I am speaking of is a mental attitude and it can make a world of difference in catching fish or not catching them at all.

To be truly successful at trout fishing or any other type, you must work at it! There are no miracle tricks, no secret lures on the market, and no half measures to the thrill of a fish striking your hook. This is why your attitude must always remain positive. You must truly believe that the next cast or retrieval speed will be the correct one! Believe me, it is not easy for me to be confident at all times, because I can’t really trick myself into thinking I have it. Instead it is crucial that you work at developing a mental attitude that is positive and proves to be so important to success.

The main objectives here are, never get too discouraged and continue to believe that your approach is the best one for YOU. If you happen to fail one day, go home a review the procedures you were using that day and the places you were fishing. Tell yourself that the next time you fish will be different than the last. Above everything else, reassure yourself that the reason that you love fishing is that your quarry can be so unpredictable. Let’s face it, if trout fishing were routine you would soon tire of it?

Locating Fish in a River or Stream.        PHOTO GALLERY

Where do you look for fish when you arrive at your Local River or stream? Where do fish usually like to hide out in a river system? It has taken me a few years to figure out this riddle but as we grow and learn more about fish patterns and behavior we are able to narrow this down somewhat. Here are some of my favorite places to locate fish in a river or stream.

1. Feeder Streams or Brooks. Where the junction of a small stream meets with a larger one is often a prime fishing spot provided there is a reasonable amount of depth and cover nearby. There are two reasons why this location will work in your favor, the currents funneling food to the fish and the cooler water to attract fish in the hot summer weather.

2. Current Edges. Wherever you see a rock, Small Island, piece of debris like a tree that pokes through the surface or out into the flow of the river, a short drift line is created. A fisherman can often notice them by lines of drift matter or bubbles in the river. Provided there is enough depth or nearby cover, fish will work these natural food funnels and feed in these locations.

3. Mini Eddies. These are created when there is a small or large island jutting out into the river or a large rock that is sticking out of the water or close to the shoreline, behind these obstacles a mini Eddie is created. Clumps of grass, rocks or small indentations in cliff faces will create small eddies downstream that break the river currant and collect food. Fish often hang out these places for both comfort and for food. These places can sometimes be hard to see but keep your eyes open for them and you will have great success.

4. Shady Areas. On hot summer afternoons when the rest of the river seems unproductive, you can often fish that are interested along shady areas of the shoreline. Steep cliffs or tall grass along the shoreline are prime locations to launch a hook. These places are often the perfect locations to fish on a hot summer day!

5. Tails of Pools. When fishing late in the evening, often when it gets too dark to see, fish will drift down the pool and feed at the lip where it breaks out into the next set of rapids. This can sometimes be a poor location early in the day, but it can offer the best fishing of the day on a late summer evening. Look to fish these places in the dark as well as fish will tend to stay here and feed well into the darkness of night.

Stay tuned for more prime fishing locations !!