high water fishing tactics

Flyfishing in discoloured water conditions
Flyfishng often works at it’s best in clear water. Fly fishing generally requires clearer water to be effective than other techniques such as spin fishing. Generally need at least 60 centimetres of visibility to be effective.
Yet when the water in the main river has less than 60 centimetres visibility fly fishing can still be effective. Lets look at some on the situations and techniques which are used to make fly fishing effective in discoloured waters.
Often when fishing discoloured waters large black or purple lures (or florescent green , or ideally a combination of both combined into a hairy go type pattern) are effective. I like patterns which have lots of soft material that will move in the water and attract the trout’s attention. Woolly buggers, Black rabbits, and large fuzzy Wuzzy’s are proven patterns in disclosed waters as the trout can “hear“ the movement of the lure material on their lateral lines. When fishing discoloured lake edges’ or when targeting sea run trout (or on occasions salmon) at river mouths I use these patterns. They are also very effective on the Canterbury lure rod . Often trout will chase baitfish such as smelt and bullies into shingle shallows or along shingle banks on lake edges and these are prime spots to try, especially late in the evening when the trout can be seen swirling in the discoloured waters along the lake’s edge (such as at lake Forsyth). Lure fishing comes into its own in discoloured water As it is easier to deceive trout, than fishing clear waters and also explains why lure fishing is especially effective during periods of low light such as dawn and dusk. Luminous lures also work very well in discoloured waters when targeting rainbows at night.

Large black lure are also effective when swang down and across on a sinking line, especially along the river edge where the water will clear up slightly and is a favoured location for trout to ambush their prey in the discoloured waters. Lures are often at there most effective in discoloured waters in rivers such as the Tongariro. A good spot to fish lures when the main river is dirty is to look for a clear flowing side channel or stream and fish along the edge of the clear and dirty water. Keep casts short and close to the rivers edge in such situations.

On rivers discoloured water offers the challenge of having to use a fly which the trout can easily see. Trout will often feed with less caution in discoloured waters after heavy rain. Therefore aiming to fish rivers immediately after a flood can be vert rewarding, especially on headwater rivers ion the high country where the trout have become extremely cautious feeders during the periods of clear flow.

I have found large black tungsten bead heads to be especially effective in discoloured flows, especially when fishing deep pools. The black bead head has a strong profile in the water. It also imitates the wing case of the toebiter which is often dislodged during floods and a rpime food source for trout early in the season. The beadhead will be close to the bottom where the trout will be feeding as the rivers current slows down with the fiction against the stones. Black beadheads are very effective when fishing discoloured flows on small stream as they sink quickly in spaces where over hanging vegetation nescessitates a short cast.



Often it pay to fish larger flies in discoloured waters and I often use a size 10 or 12 nymphs. Flashback nymphs wor nymphs with some sparkle on them will attract the trout’s in discoloured waters. I also like using a brightly coloured florescent green free living caddis with a flashback in discoloured waters. Bright green shows up well in discoloured water. If you are targeting rainbows then glo-bugs work well in discoloured waters.



Often when nymphing in discoloured waters in pays to fish the prime lies such as ledges and the fall ins of pools. You will have to make more casts than normal to make sure than if there is a trout there it sees you fly.

On occasions trout will also take large dry flies when the river is discoloured. This has happened to me on numerous occasions when fishing the South branch of the Hurunui River. For this reason when nymphing in discoloured water I use a large black indicator fly, which serves a dual purpose of being an imitation of a large terrestrial to tempt the trout through the murky water to the surface. On larger stony rivers trout will take mayfly duns on the edge, so be diligent and open minded to the possibilities when fishing discoloured waters.
If after several hours fly fishing discoloured waters, with no success, then it pays to switch over the spin fishing clear, which is effective in half the visibility that fly-fishing requires to be effective. Trout will readily hit spinners in water of only 30 centimetres visibility when spin fishing. The blade spinners, black spinners and Rapala patterns are effective in discoloured waters. (Black Toby in discoloured water at Lake Forsyth)