trout like smooth flowing water in rivers

Trout-tactics
Trout like smooth water flows.
Peter Langlands
20.06.06

Often when seeking trout on rivers we are initially perplexed by just how many possible locations trout could be holding in, especially on rivers with a complex rocky structure. If conditions allow sight fishing will increase your chances and catch rates. Over eight years of fly fishing guiding on rivers in the central South Island I have observed that often trout prefer to hold in waters where the flow is smooth, rather than in more turbulent waters.

While often pockets of turbulent water look inviting, trout, especially larger trout are less likely to be found in these locations. It makes sense to because in turbulent water there are often numerous bubbles, from the aeration process, which act to visually confuse the trout, which has to sight minute insects drifting in the current. Also the drifting insects will be moving around more erratically in the turbulent water, rather than flowing past in a conveyor belt style, such as in patches of smooth water.

Trout, especially rainbows will move into turbulent water, especially in response to angling pressure where with their grey colouration, they become almost invisible. So on waters than are pressured some prospecting, with a large buoyant indicator and nymph in is worth while in turbulent water and back eddies.

Often the best locations are where a patch of uniformly flowing smooth ( evenly flowing) water is next to a sudden gradient change in the rivers’ speed, so that the trout sits in the slower water, and will dart into the faster water to take nymphs, but by sitting in the slower water the trout will conserve energy.

Often in prime lies, especially on rivers with a reasonable density of fish, a second fish will move into the lie, once the first fish as been caught, as long as the water is rested “spelled” after the capture of the first trout.

It is often easier to get a natural presentation to a trout sitting in smooth water and therefore is another reason why I seek out such locations when scouting out a river for the best fishing locations.