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Post by castlikeaghille on Apr 1, 2007 4:55:49 GMT
Ok folks, eyes down, herewith the first of the topics.
Reading Water
IMO this is the one skill that sets apart fishermen from people who fish. It is a skill, or should I say art, that is relevant and applicable whether you are fishing a Scottish Salmon River, a Cuban Salt Water Flat or the Thames.
It is important for two main reasons. Firstly, it will help you identify where fish are - critical if you have no gille or guide. Secondly, and even more importantly, the person who can read water knows exactly where and how his fly or bait is being presented as it fishes through the pool.
Pick up a typical salmon text book and it will probably tell you the rudiments of how to fish this that and the next thing. Fine? Well not really. What the text book will typically fail to mention is that each river, beat and pool are unique. Further, at a different range of heights the same pool will, in all probability be a completely different fishing proposition.
Hence your basic 45 degree downstream and across with a single mend will be fishing completely differently as you go from pool to pool. If you believe the salmon fishing text books you are using the same method as you go along - mais non. You may be using the same rod, line and fly, but by not reading and adjusting to the river you are, in fact, fishing completely randomly - in short you are simply chucking and chancing.
How many times have you seen an angler rush straight into a pool and start 'fishing'? Worse still they will do this on a pool they have never fished before. Bet you five to a dozen they wade staright down it casting the same way and mending the same way. Now contrast this with the approach of a true master like Dr Philgood. He stands and quietly watches and observes. Before he starts fishing he makes a mental map of the pool. He will be watching for fish, but also water strength, flow, depth, rocks, obstacles. back eddies, obstructions to casting and so forth. Before he even enters the pool he has planned his own route of attack. What bits of water does he want to cover. How does he want to cover them, and where does he need to be to do so.
It is an absolute education to then watch him fish a pool; he is a heron personified. As he goes down it, in total concentration, he will move in an out from the bank, lengthen his cast, shorten his cast, cast square, cast almost down stream, mend, mend furiously, not mend at all - and why? Because he has read the water in micro detail. In order for his fly to be presented exactly as he wants it he has moved with the river. Once he knows a pool, and understands the depths better, I have seen him fish different parts of it with a different rod and line changing as he goes down a pool (but that is another story).
Can anyone do this? Well I think to turn up to an unknown pool and be able to do that is what separates the masters from the fishermen - it's almost a gift some people are born with. However, there is no reason, I suggest no excuse, why over time you don't build up an intimate knowledge of a pool or beat.
To do this you need to be thinking about the how the pool, and hence you, behaves in different heights; make notes. It also makes life a lot easier to have a point of reference. Therefore I loath fishing beats without a good height marker. By constantly referencing conditions to an exact height you will quickly reach the point where with one look at the marker you will know precisely how a pool you are going to fish will flow (that, by the way, is only the beginning).
Why is this important? Well for most salmon rivers an inch or two difference in height can radically change the way a pool fishes. There is a world of difference between the Flats at Kincardine at 2' and 1' 10". It is also a safety mechanism because you will know when you have reached a point where it is safe or otherwise to wade. There is another factor, which I'll touch on later about how at different times of year the same pool at the same height will fish completely differently or not at all as the case may be.
One final tip. Francis Grant reckoned it would take him, alone, 5 years to really know a beat, and he was by all accounts, a master of masters. However, if you can, go fishing regularly with a group of guys you can share knowledge and I suggest you can build your own road map rather quicker.
Right, this subject deserves a book in itself to cover all the vagaries. I accept I have only scratched the surface. However, rather than me try to list all the ones I know, I open the discussion to the floor. Happy to answer any questions if I can.
The next thread will be observations on the impact of 'Conditions'.
Over to you fellas
CLaG
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Post by salmonking on Apr 1, 2007 8:17:49 GMT
IMO reading the water should be kept as simple as possible,you look at the pool/run,work out where you think the fish will lie,and when covering the areas pointed out,thats when hopes are high.
As for changing rods/line in different parts of a run/pool,well your choice has been made before you go in,put a fly/lure in front of a taking fish and your more than likely to succeed,most anglers i know will fish the whole run down irrespective where they think fish are,on more than one occasion we have fished areas where we would normally leave and have been pleasantly surprised with a result,of course the higher the water the more water you can fish.
PS. does anyone think reading water in a spate river without the aid of a gillie is more difficult than the reading of a big river,or would we say both have the same challenges?
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Post by williegunn on Apr 1, 2007 8:56:43 GMT
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Post by Sloggi on Apr 1, 2007 9:56:55 GMT
Good thread. Getting to know a pool takes me at least a couple of seasons due to a) my incompetence, b) different water temps, heights, and c) the various seasons and weaher conditions. There are other "blocks" in my fishing like being too fixed on where fish have been caught in the past and heading there immediately. I also fail to investigate water thoroughly. Often I think we blame the fish for not taking when actually it's the fisherman who fails to adapt. However, I'm not sure if I would like to be know as a "Heron personified"  |
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Post by colliedog on Apr 1, 2007 12:11:33 GMT
CLaG,
Well done on composing a thread that we can start reading on a Sunday morning and finish just after lunch!
You make a very valid point about the importance of reading the water and selecting tackle and tactics according to the water height and where the fish may be lying.
The average salmon fisherman pays far too little attention to understanding the effects of the river on salmon behavior, fishes like an automaton and of course remains and average salmon fisherman.
I frequently leave my second rod par of the way down a pool, allowing me to quickly change to a lighter set-up as the current slackens (or a heavier set up if the pool deepens).
Finally in response to Salmonkings PS I would say that in my experience spate rivers are generally easier to read and to cover - not because they are in any way inferior to bigger rivers but simple because pools tend to be smaller and salmon holding features more clearly defined - this allows you spend more time covering likely water than on a big river where much of a pool bay be devoid of fish.
CD
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sinkingtip
Member
"Steady Johnnie steady"
Posts: 292
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Post by sinkingtip on Apr 1, 2007 12:20:28 GMT
A huge subject gentlemen and the ONE that, perhaps more than others, will define the difference between success and failure for a lot of fishers over time. For fear of simply regurgitating what other have said, I believe that common sense, good eyesight and the ability to 'think like a fish' are the main ingredients for successful "reading" with the latter being by far the most important. Thinking like a fish, and before the obvious quips start to flood in, is continuously reminding yourself of what salmo salar is probably up to at any given time of year, water height and temperature. It might be obvious to 'experienced' anglers but those knew to this wonderful sport have to remind themselves of facts such as 'spring' fish are energy conscious and by that I mean they enter the river during Jan - April and, as a general rule, have nothing on their minds other than getting through the next 7-9 months on their energy reserves gained through a voracious feeding regime whilst at sea. Therefore, in my opinion, you seek out the calm waters (not dead waters), small bay's, edges of runs, pool tails (but not too far down the tail as, as we are all aware, the strength of current can be pretty powerful - too powerful - in the last 30 yds or so in most big river tails). Avoid heavy turbulent water. LOOK at what the character of the water is like immediately below the pool you are trying to 'read' - maybe the water below you is thin / shallow, with no obvious features or that it is a turbulent cauldron. THINK where this fish has traveled from and what, for it, would make an ideal 'resting' spot. We are talking mainly about springers here and due to the fact that early season fish tend to keep a low profile and not identify their whereabouts quite so readily as grilse, summer or back-end fish then this is where the ability to read water becomes paramout....in my humble opinion. In low summer conditions when the river is at its bare bones I tend to kill a lot of time by LOOKING at, or wading through, pools paying particular attention to the riverbed contours, identifying boulders and pots, getting an accurate indication of depths and whether or not the pool has changed as a result of winter floods. I pay particular attention also to the waters edge paths and the water immediately out from the bank to the distance of about a double handed rod's length as, in all probability, this is exactly where fish will be lying in higher water. Obviously the more you get to know your water the easier it become to 'read' dependant on various seasonal/ temperature/height factors. When you have gained this knowledge and confidence in your own abilities you suddenly realise how SIMPLE and common sensical it all becomes. As a general, and final, statement I believe that once you have developed this ability to read water that this knowledge can be quite easily transferred to other rivers and beats where you may not have had any previous experience coupled with the fact that there is no ghillie /guide/waterman and by that I mean although you might not have fished a certain pool, beat or river you have, in all probability, fished water like it. Sure rivers vary - you cant compare the likes of the Ewe, Laxford or Gruinard with the vast swathes of pool common on rivers such as Tay, Dee, Spey, Tweed...........but the principles are the same. THINK like a fish and LOOK !! All will become obvious or less mysterious than you first imagined.  . What other advice do we have for honing our abilities to 'read' water ? |
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Post by castlikeaghille on Apr 1, 2007 15:32:03 GMT
Finally in response to Salmonkings PS I would say that in my experience spate rivers are generally easier to read and to cover - not because they are in any way inferior to bigger rivers but simple because pools tend to be smaller and salmon holding features more clearly defined - this allows you spend more time covering likely water than on a big river where much of a pool bay be devoid of fish. CD I concur with the judgement of my learned friend Mr Justice Collie Dug in this matter...wuff - CLaG |
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Post by salmonking on Apr 1, 2007 15:58:58 GMT
Finally in response to Salmonkings PS I would say that in my experience spate rivers are generally easier to read and to cover - not because they are in any way inferior to bigger rivers but simple because pools tend to be smaller and salmon holding features more clearly defined - this allows you spend more time covering likely water than on a big river where much of a pool bay be devoid of fish. CD I concur with the judgement of my learned friend Mr Justice Collie Dug in this matter...wuff - CLaG Ah butt....surely there are more pools and less fish on a spate river,than a big river add the non gillie into the equation,i maybe slightly ever so beg to differ Also i may be wrong here and correct me so if....I think salmon may run harder on a spate river,hence harder to catch. Slightly off the original topic here ,so any comments on this could be an added on to the post. |
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elwyman
Member
A nice autumn day on the Conwy
Posts: 1,035
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Post by elwyman on Apr 1, 2007 16:19:43 GMT
Good thread CLaG, and some good points made.
Looking at the line and the speed of the current, and the slope of the river banks will tell you a lot about the underwater topography of a pool, but not everything.
Depending on the speed of the current, salmon will lie in or just off the main current. In gravel bottomed pools, the line of the main current will also tell you where the deepest water is. In my experience, which is mainly of small and medium size rivers, the salmon won't be far away from the main current.
Places where 2 currents meet, ie a stream coming in, the river splitting around an island or even bridge piers, are usually good spots for fish. Fish moving upstream tend to stop where the currents meet, before deciding the way forward.
I've fished the same beat on the Conwy for the last 5 seasons, for sea trout in low water conditions and salmon in higher water conditions. Wading the pools at night in low water, and looking at the river bed from high banks on a sunny day, are good ways of finding where the deep holes and little drop offs are.
The best sea trout lie, and one of the most consistent salmon lies I know, are both small areas of river bed that are about 18" deeper than the surrounding river bed, and just off the main current. You wouldn't know they were there without wading the river in low water.
As Sinkingtip so rightly says, learning to read the water is so important, and the skill once learnt are invaluable when fishing new waters.
Big rivers like the Tay must be very daunting to newcomers. I was interested to read Bill Currie a while back talking about "rivers within the river" in low water conditions on the Tay, and I can understand what he means,
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Post by castlikeaghille on Apr 1, 2007 16:34:46 GMT
I concur with the judgement of my learned friend Mr Justice Collie Dug in this matter...wuff - CLaG Ah butt....surely there are more pools and less fish on a spate river,than a big river add the non gillie into the equation,i maybe slightly ever so beg to differ Also i may be wrong here and correct me so if....I think salmon may run harder on a spate river,hence harder to catch. Slightly off the original topic here ,so any comments on this could be an added on to the post. Intended in the best possible spirit fella, but please can you define what you mean by a "Spate River". If your answer was refering to the Applecross, Borgie, Dionard, Ullapool, Gurdie, Rappach, Spean, Roy, Glencoe, Strathy, Forss, Halladale etc I can't follow your logic. They are what I mean by Spate Rivers and I suspect similar for Collie. Regardez CLaG |
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Post by colliedog on Apr 1, 2007 16:55:15 GMT
I concur with the judgement of my learned friend Mr Justice Collie Dug in this matter...wuff - CLaG Ah butt....surely there are more pools and less fish on a spate river,than a big river add the non gillie into the equation,i maybe slightly ever so beg to differ Also i may be wrong here and correct me so if....I think salmon may run harder on a spate river,hence harder to catch. Slightly off the original topic here ,so any comments on this could be an added on to the post. Salmonking, Generally, I am more confident turning up on a spate river in good conditions without the services of a ghillie (the norm IME) than I would on a big river in similar circumstances - because I feel the water is easier to read - I also expect to cover a lot of ground fishing many small pools and I am sure that I will have covered a number of potential takers. I don't think the fundamental difference (spate vs large rivers) is that fish are harder to catch on one or the other. It is more about the charecteristics of the ytpe; on athe big river, there will be more days per season offering the chance of fish where as on a spate river, the run of salmon will be condensed into relatively few productive days offering great sport if you hit it right and long periods of frustration when there's nae waater! CD |
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Post by salmonking on Apr 1, 2007 18:27:08 GMT
on athe big river, there will be more days per season offering the chance of fish where as on a spate river, the run of salmon will be condensed into relatively few productive days offering great sport if you hit it right and long periods of frustration when there's nae waater!
CD[/quote]
GLAG..collie dog beat me to it...we all have humble opinions,
no offence intended,just interested.
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Post by severnfisher on Apr 1, 2007 20:28:57 GMT
I'm not sure that being able to visually 'read' water will tell you 'exactly where and how' your fly or bait is fishing.
Being able to visually assess or 'read' a stretch of water is only one aspect of the matter. Particularly in rivers of any size, it is just the first stage of a continuous process. Normally the experience of fishing and further observation, including wading, plumbing, diving or putting a smartcast through, will teach us that things are not quite as we first 'read' them. Therefore, we weren't quite fishing as we supposed. We might nevertheless have been successful, but not always for the reasons we think.
That is certainly my experience.
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Post by greenbanks on Apr 1, 2007 20:42:38 GMT
You know CLaG there is nothing to beat all our perceived knowledge in catching Salmo.Have ben pondering the Pro's and Cons today in the battle cruiser about the behaviour of Salmo and how to get them.We go into April and hope the run moves onwards and upwards and some fish settle.I predict a good week for Dee rods this week as there are a lot of new fish in the system.
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Post by williegunn on Apr 1, 2007 20:54:35 GMT
Or you could add your considerable years of experience and observations  On the 1st of April I feel you could lighten up a little, I thought it was reasonably funny, but if you insist on a serious answer...... I don't claim any magical touch and anyone who knows me will tell you that I just wham it out and let it come round. I admit I alter the angle that I wham it it out in order that it fishes at a 3 mph pace. I also think ly choice is up to the angler as the salmon does not care. |
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Post by castlikeaghille on Apr 1, 2007 21:09:03 GMT
You know CLaG there is nothing to beat all our perceived knowledge in catching Salmo.Have ben pondering the Pro's and Cons today in the battle cruiser about the behaviour of Salmo and how to get them. I put a lad on to one yesterday and was delighted to see the rod bend into one after a couple of casts covering a good taking spot,even though the rod did not want to go to the casting spot without a bit of encouragement. The day was damned frustrating for the rods as there were seemingly a good run of fish on the go that would not take a fly which was the same as Thursday and Friday.Now MacD who posts on the forum fished yesterday and gave it his best and only got a kelt as did Stuart the day before.They tried all levels and all sizes inc droppers and collies etc you name it and they had a swim.Not a blooming touch and that what makes our sport so brilliant,the fact you are seeing loads and still cant touch a fish.Didnt matter how you read the water,the fish were louping all over the shop and experienced fishers were all gasping in amazement as they couldnt get a touch.You name it it was tried so we go into April and hope the run moves onwards and upwards and some fish settle.I predict a good week for Dee rods this week as there are a lot of new fish in the system. SPK - ah fella thanks fer posting an easy one. I used to have a let in early April in Mansfield Park. I gave it up for the simple reason unless the water is 2'+ you will see magnificent spring fuishie after magnificent fushie but ye will catch almost feck all. These fish are movin' through at a huge rate of knots to the extent that they aren't even pausin' long enough to contemplate das flee. They will only stop at Mansfield and be caught in numbers in April when the water is +2'. Maybe if I could get a big rapalla, snake or some other proper bait in front of them I'd be laughin'...another little nuance certain puddle orientated proprietors didn't disclose to now King's Ransom payin' guests...quell shock The only difficult bit is predicting where they will stop and be caught, because that tends to be random. However, with the current temps I'd see upper middle and lower upper - so Birse could be das place to be...and I'm there for a the back end of the week...only jokin' fella ;D Later dude CLaG |
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Post by williegunn on Apr 1, 2007 21:20:05 GMT
However, with the current temps I'd see upper middle and lower upper - so Birse could be das place to be...and I'm there for a the back end of the week...only jokin' fella ;D Later dude CLaG Looking forward to meeting you then, as I've been invited to Birse at the backend of the week. |
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Post by greenbanks on Apr 1, 2007 21:22:42 GMT
However, with the current temps I'd see upper middle and lower upper - so Birse could be das place to be...and I'm there for a the back end of the week...only jokin' fella ;D Later dude CLaG Looking forward to meeting you then, as I've been invited to Birse at the backend of the week. You could get a beano of a week there. All the best. and dont forget your net.' |
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Post by castlikeaghille on Apr 1, 2007 21:29:07 GMT
on athe big river, there will be more days per season offering the chance of fish where as on a spate river, the run of salmon will be condensed into relatively few productive days offering great sport if you hit it right and long periods of frustration when there's nae waater! CD GLAG..collie dog beat me to it...we all have humble opinions, no offense intended,just interested.[/quote] Hey fella - absolutely no offense taken on my part, and I think Collie would allow me to speak the same for him on this occasion. We are all just testin' views on here. Boundaries tend not to expanded unless they are pushed - so keep pushin' hard ma man Later gang CLaG |
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Post by castlikeaghille on Apr 1, 2007 21:51:52 GMT
However, with the current temps I'd see upper middle and lower upper - so Birse could be das place to be...and I'm there for a the back end of the week...only jokin' fella ;D Later dude CLaG Looking forward to meeting you then, as I've been invited to Birse at the backend of the week. Splendid, lucky dug. Even though you are at Birse, which thinks. with its Tweed and Size 6 Jock Scotts, it should be in the MWC, we are in the 21st C and not in DAV. So perhaps, without sharing all trade secrets, you would like to toy with us how you might approach the Irrigation and Lummels as an obvious starter for 10? Regardez CLaG |
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