FREESTONE RIVERS

 
The ability to read water accurately makes catching Trout a far easier task. The majority of the water in a typical trout stream has no productive Trout 1ies. The waters fail to meet any of the Trout’s needs. It is important to recognized this empty water so you won’t waste time fishing it. 

It is important to recognize water that is too shallow, too fast, harbors no trout food, offers no cover as well as the locations most likely to hold trout. The following will address the mechanics of rivers, identify river anatomy, help in understanding how and why fish do their thing, and some of the most successful tactics used in catching fish.

 
LOW GRADIENT Freestone streams usually wind their way through bogs, meadows or woodlands. They have sandy or salty bottoms with undercut banks. Those fed by springs or melt water are usually clear. Those fed by swamps are tea colored. Weed patches, common in Low Gradient rivers, often hold trout because they harbor aquatic insects and crustaceans. The patches may be difficult to see in low light. Look for slick spots on the surface which are created by the weeds slowing down the current. Since Low Gradient streams lack fast moving water, fish will not need shelter from a constant current. However, they will seek protection from predators in deep water, undercut banks and logs.

The MEDIUM GRADIENT stream is the most common type of trout stream. They have a moderate current with numerous pools, riffles and runs. The streams beds are composed mostly of large gravel and boulders and have some pocket water. Surface run-off and meltwater are their main sources of water. Those that have a large tributary system receive enough nutrients to produce abundant food and large Trout. The best of these rivers will have many springs and clean, rocky bottoms that provide habitat for aquatic insects. Because much of the river is in motion the best lies for Trout include shelter from the current, protection from predators and a constant supply of food.

HIGH GRADIENT Freestone Streams, which are usually found in mountains have fast current, long stretches of pocket water and few pools. Because of limited food supply Trout usually remain relatively small.

Very fast water is often “empty water.” However, Pocket Water with scattered boulders often hold feeding Trout in the slots and pockets around the boulders. Anytime the water is deeper than three or four feet and has some sort of obstruction to break the current you will nearly always find Trout. They will be feeding, taking whatever the current offers them. Retrieve a wet fly or streamer or drift a submerged nymph and they mostly likely will take it

An understanding of Freestone River structure will be an immense help in locating fish. Remember the phrase “reading the water" is simply the Fly-fisher's way of predicting where fish hold in streams. Knowing the following terms will help in both understanding and predicting where fish hold.
 

POOLS
Pools can be anywhere from a few feet long in a mountain brook to half a mile long on a big river. They are relatively deep areas with generally fast water at the upstream end or “head," a broad flat expanse of slow water in the middle and a narrower, gradually faster area of current downstream known as the “tail”.

RUNS
Runs are midway in depth between pools and riffles and narrower than both. Runs form downstream from riffles. Trout will lie in runs and feed on nymph and larvae washed down from the riffles thus, a popular place for a wet-fly. This faster water with its broken surface can help disguise both you and a less than perfect presentation of a fly thus, a popular place for a dry-fly. Your problems here will be minimizing drag and maintaining eye contact with your dry-fly. Using large attractors and fishing directly in front of you will help.
 

RIFFLES
Riffles usually separate one pool from another. They rapidly descend and contain shallower, faster water with a broken surface. Riffles draw Trout around dusk and dawn when large numbers of larval insects are drifting. Deep riffles may hold Trout at midday. When working riffles, it is best to fish a dry-fly upstream by splitting the river into sections and working each segment immediately upstream and to either side. Fast water threatens your stability making it more likely to dislodge stones. Remember, dislodged stones can alert Trout to danger.
 

POCKET WATER
Pocket water is a run or deep riffle with big rocks or boulders on the bottom causing the surface of the water to be heavily broken. The water may appear too shallow, but the pockets and slots around the boulders often hold feeding Trout. Trout will instinctively position themselves so as to take advantage of the current flow. They know there will be a pocket in front of the rock caused by a hydraulic cushion and a larger pocket in back of the rock, created by deflection. You need to carefully position yourself and simply cast your fly into the current approaching the front pocket.