Know Your Stream

Sometimes you can fish a section of a stream that looks prime and find that it actually has few if any fish. One reason can be that that particular section of stream or river may be much higher or lower at other times of year.

Fish colonize new water but don't often leave once they find a prime spot. Situations like this happen more on undammed freestone rivers and tailwaters with highly fluctuating flows.

Think about what your stream looks like at high flows; it may be too fast for many fish. Also consider what it may look like at low flows; it may be too shallow for fish.

You can discover how much your river fluctuates by looking at USGS and other river flow reports. We make a Streamflow Conditions link available on our site. Look back in time to check what your stream looks like in the low flows of winter and at peak levels in spring and early summer. This will help you understand the character of your river better and to avoid spots that may not hold very many fish year round.