101 Trout Tips by Landon R. Mayer

Author:Landon R. Mayer
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780811760966
Publisher: Stackpole / Headwater

STILLWATER STARTING POINTS

Problem: This water is so vast and apparently featureless that I feel lost and don’t know where to start fishing.

Solution: Try a three step approach on all stillwaters.

I believe many do not explore stillwaters because they are more comfortable reading moving water to find trout. This is a mistake because fly fishers who ignore stillwaters are missing their shot at large trout that do not receive much pressure. While conditions are different from river settings, you can dissect a stillwater quickly, regardless of size, and locate its trout. In my youth, I often felt lost when gazing at the surface of so many big stillwaters. I soon realized that the best way to break down any fishery is to simplify your approach. For stillwaters I use three starting points to locate the best water for my next adventure.

Take yourself back to the school playground when you climbed on top of monkey bars to call out “I’m king of the mountain.” The goal is the same when scouting stillwaters: you want to walk, park, or climb to the highest point of any stillwater to see the lay of the land and develop a plan of where to fish. A great example of using height to your advantage is the stairsteps on Pyramid Lake near Reno, Nevada. Anglers use three- to six-foot ladders to spot trout cruising or to see drop lines. In the bays of the Great Lakes, breaker walls give you a vertical view of the large trout the waters hold. In the high country of Rocky Mountain National Park, the descent from the many nearby hills gives you a clear view of the stillwater nestled in a bowl. Conversely, this high point could simply be the highest parking lot you can find aside any public stillwater.

The second step is finding points to intercept trout while they cruise. In many stillwaters there are islands or peninsulas that extend out toward the middle of the water. These points are an effective way to present to trout toward the middle of the lake, pond, or reservoir, and ensure a drop line that you can cast toward from a boat. The point can be big or small in size. If the point has structure on it or descends from a cliff or wall, it can also become a great spot for relief from wind and weather, making for great fishing throughout the day.

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