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Catch 22
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I was just talking with a young man on a recent fishing trip about this and thought it would be a good thread.
Why is it that 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish?
They fish the right 10% of the water.
Reading water is THE most important thing in fishing. This thread will focus on steelhead in tributaries such as the Clack and the Sandy.
A steelhead is lazy. This is important to remember. Steelhead are not like salmon in any way. In fact they are like polar opposites. Salmon are extremely powerful and can use their power all day. Steelhead use bursts of power. Once they hit tribs like the Clack or Sandy, they will need to feel protected from preditors. They will make their runs at night or in water that they feel protected in. Understanding this will help us to locate them.
When steelhead are not making runs, they want to relax. They will be in what is referred to as "holding water". Locating and recognizing holding water is crucial to your success.
I will try to list a few types of holding water and explain them the best I can:
Tailouts. Tailouts are where a larger pool starts to shallow out. It will be where the surface starts to ripple. Imagine under water that the river bottom is rising up towards the surface as we leave the pool. The surface isn't dropping, it's staying level like a glass of water. Take a glass and fill it a quarter way with water. Now lean it over until it's just at the point of spilling. The water's surface is still level. What this means is the water is being pushed up out of the pool and spilling over the gravel washout (tailout). The hydraulics of the water being pushed up let the fish rest as they are essentially being lifted off the bottom. Couple that with the broken surface of the water giving them protection from preditors and you have perfect holding water.
Runs. Runs are slots of water that aren't pools or tailouts that are like long channels. These should have some breaks like rocks for fish to hold in. Also fish will hold in front of rocks. The reason for this is that as the current hits the rock, it creates a friction that develops a soft spot in front of it. Think of driving your car down the freeway. You are pushing air and there is a bubble of air in front of you as well as a slipstream behind.
Good runs will not descend too much, but will stay flat for a while. It's the flat spots that we want. Remember that steelhead are lazy and are there to rest. So if the current is pushing down on them, they will move on.
Pocket water. Pocket water is the little protected pockets that are too small to run plugs through, too small and sometimes too slow to drift fish. Pockets are where the fish are when you are the 10th boat through that area on a Sunday that everyone has pulled plugs through and beat the water to death with gear. This is where you can toss a bobber and jig/bait. These little gems are what seperates the men from the boys. This is when you pull your boat out and are the guys with fish when nobody else does. Pockets are hard to describe, but when you see one, you will know. Plus pockets are fun to cast into while drifting from one hole to another.
You will find that fish seem to hold in certain tailouts or runs. You'll wonder why they like that one over the other 5 that look just like it. Remember that you can only see the surface. It's the hydraulics that fish look for. Just because it looks the same, doesn't mean they get the same lift or protection at the right water level.
Find that 10% of the river that fish want to be in. Know what holding water is and spend your time fishing it instead of the other 90% of the river. You will be a 10%er.
Please remember that like all my posts that you paid me nothing and got every penny's worth.
Jason
Why is it that 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish?
They fish the right 10% of the water.
Reading water is THE most important thing in fishing. This thread will focus on steelhead in tributaries such as the Clack and the Sandy.
A steelhead is lazy. This is important to remember. Steelhead are not like salmon in any way. In fact they are like polar opposites. Salmon are extremely powerful and can use their power all day. Steelhead use bursts of power. Once they hit tribs like the Clack or Sandy, they will need to feel protected from preditors. They will make their runs at night or in water that they feel protected in. Understanding this will help us to locate them.
When steelhead are not making runs, they want to relax. They will be in what is referred to as "holding water". Locating and recognizing holding water is crucial to your success.
I will try to list a few types of holding water and explain them the best I can:
Tailouts. Tailouts are where a larger pool starts to shallow out. It will be where the surface starts to ripple. Imagine under water that the river bottom is rising up towards the surface as we leave the pool. The surface isn't dropping, it's staying level like a glass of water. Take a glass and fill it a quarter way with water. Now lean it over until it's just at the point of spilling. The water's surface is still level. What this means is the water is being pushed up out of the pool and spilling over the gravel washout (tailout). The hydraulics of the water being pushed up let the fish rest as they are essentially being lifted off the bottom. Couple that with the broken surface of the water giving them protection from preditors and you have perfect holding water.
Runs. Runs are slots of water that aren't pools or tailouts that are like long channels. These should have some breaks like rocks for fish to hold in. Also fish will hold in front of rocks. The reason for this is that as the current hits the rock, it creates a friction that develops a soft spot in front of it. Think of driving your car down the freeway. You are pushing air and there is a bubble of air in front of you as well as a slipstream behind.
Good runs will not descend too much, but will stay flat for a while. It's the flat spots that we want. Remember that steelhead are lazy and are there to rest. So if the current is pushing down on them, they will move on.
Pocket water. Pocket water is the little protected pockets that are too small to run plugs through, too small and sometimes too slow to drift fish. Pockets are where the fish are when you are the 10th boat through that area on a Sunday that everyone has pulled plugs through and beat the water to death with gear. This is where you can toss a bobber and jig/bait. These little gems are what seperates the men from the boys. This is when you pull your boat out and are the guys with fish when nobody else does. Pockets are hard to describe, but when you see one, you will know. Plus pockets are fun to cast into while drifting from one hole to another.
You will find that fish seem to hold in certain tailouts or runs. You'll wonder why they like that one over the other 5 that look just like it. Remember that you can only see the surface. It's the hydraulics that fish look for. Just because it looks the same, doesn't mean they get the same lift or protection at the right water level.
Find that 10% of the river that fish want to be in. Know what holding water is and spend your time fishing it instead of the other 90% of the river. You will be a 10%er.
Please remember that like all my posts that you paid me nothing and got every penny's worth.
Jason
ray:
