5 Tips to Out Fish Your Buddies

Wanna know how to out fish your fishing buddy?  Check out these 5 tips.

Break old habits

We all have the “go to” fly and that “go to” fishing hole. We’ve had success with it before, so we should again, or so the conventional wisdom goes. This thought process discounts two very important facts. Every time you step into the river, its not the same river. Just the same, every time you step into the water, you’re not the same fisherman.

River change season to season, year to year. As do we with our knowledge and skill within the sport. Which, brings to the forefront our first two tips.

Try new water

Fish adapt to their ever-changing environment. What might be fantastic water one year, may not be so good the next. Get off those well-worn paths to the same old holes. The more water you cover, but better chance you’ll find willing fish.

Pay Attention to the Local Hatches

Hatches are predominantly controlled by water temperature and days at certain temperatures. Unusually warm winters are going to generate early hatches. Conversely, cold winters will push them out. You should know generally what the water system you’re going to fish has seen throughout the year. USGS is a fantastic source. Plug in your favor river and you can get a wealth of important information. Brodhead River Flows

Don’t fish. Observe.

That’s right, don’t fish right away. Observe. Trout fishing success is highly improved by knowing your bugs. Pay attention to what is coming off. See what’s crawling around on the rocks and in the riverbed. Aquatic insects are seasonal, you need to match what you’re rigging up with what is going on in the water that day.

On Today’s Menu

Even though there might be several species hatching, trout will key in on one. You need to figure this one out. If you know the hatches, and you see fish rising, you should be able to dial in the fly. Observation helps here.

Don’t over commit

Don’t spend all day on a honey hole, it’s just not worth it. There’s miles upon miles of river to explore as a rule of thumb. Not all fish are going to be in feeding mode at the point and time you are there. If you’ve spent 20-30 minutes on the water, changed up your flies, gotten some good drifts, and presented into feeding lanes….with nothing…..time to move along. I hate just as much as the next guy leaving a super fishy spot, but sometimes you just gotta roll on out of there.

That’s it for now my fishy friends. Please remember, pack it in, pack it out.

Tight Lines and Screaming Drags