reading a river

[Dryrod]

[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Some say that fishing a riffle is generally much more productive than the surrounding waters. If you care to try this the next time out, then[/size][/green][/font][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3] first it might help to know how a river works. This simple illustration might offer you some help.[/size][/green][/font]


[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Here is Webster's defination: A shallow area of a stream in which water flows rapidly over a rocky or gravelly stream bed
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[fish_a_holic]

Here in Indiana, when it's steelhead time in the creeks, I've noticed that the majority of the fishermen are working the pools and bends, while I've always had my best successes working the riffles.

Sure, there's more fish in the pools than the riffles, but generally the fish in or near the riffles are actively aggressive fish, while the fish in the pools are staging up, or resting and conserving energy before they begin to make another forward surge up the creeks.
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[flygoddess]

[font "Comic Sans MS"][black]I agree 100% on the riffles, plus I wouldn't be so sure about more fish in the pools. I always like the edge of the fast water. The fish can hold right there, open their mouths and pig out.[/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black]Nice to hear someone else likes the same water.[/black][/font]
[font "Comic Sans MS"][black]I also always start close or short and work my way across a river so as not to scare the fish and still cover the whole width.[/black][/font]
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[bioman]

Run, riffle, pool, head, tail, chute, lie, flat, ..... To those like me who are just beginning, the vocabulary doesn't make any sense. I've read every book in the library and watched a dozen videos and looked at lots of water. It is starting to come together but still not perfect. Today I was on a little stream east of Ogden, Utah, and realized I was standing where I should have been casting. I'm learning. Repeated exposure helps make the connection. Thanks for the info.
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[Dryrod]

[cool][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Hi there bioman - everyone has to start some place. Here is a link to a post I made last year regarding water terms.[/size][/green][/font]
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[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=215156#215156"][font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gfo...156#215156[/size][/green][/font][/url]
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[font "Poor Richard"][green][size 3]Good luck.[/size][/green][/font]
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[campfire]

Another advantage for me at least to fishing a little faster moving water is that my persentation is not allways perfect. In slow moving water the fish have a lot of time to get a good look at the fly and decide wheather or not they want to eat it today. In faster moving water they have less time to inspect and tend to take instinctively and I find I can get away with less than perfect presentations more easily.
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[flygoddess]

That's the whole idea campfire[]. Any little help we can get.[cool]
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[maddawg]

Plus in a riffle or run where the fish are feeding they establish a natural pecking order. Generally the biggest fish feeding will be the first in the feeding line. That's why is so important to make sure your fly is getting down to him in time. Otherwise you catch a smaller fish and perhaps run the run.
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