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Jesse's Hunting > Fishing Articles > Fishing Articles Archives > Fishing on the Edges
Fishing on the Edges
Dave Blake - JHO ProStaff
- L.A. Area, CA
July 25, 2004
Edge Rainbow
This rainbow came out of a bank side run on the Fryingpan River. |
I reeled in my fly and started toward shore to wade upstream to a new spot, when I saw a nice rainbow trout rising to tiny midges in a spot just two feet from the bank. Since I hadn't been spotted yet, I took a moment to tie on a matching fly and made a cast just upstream from the rising fish. The red striped rainbow took the fly on the first drift and was soon in my net after a few screaming runs and splashy jumps.
As I watch other fly fishers on various rivers, I notice most of them out in the middle, fishing deep holes behind boulders after having waded through some marginally dangerous current to get there. Although there are lots of fish in the middle of rivers, there are often some very nice fish right off of the bank, in safer water. These fish can often be found behind large rocks, deadfalls, and below undercut banks rising to small midge hatches and various terrestrials.
The rainbow I caught came up to a midge, but there are not always hatches to focus on. These fish that hang out in the shallows are there for various reasons, one of which is the rich food base that can be found there. There are many bugs that live just inches from the water, and many of them end up floating through the feeding lane of trout hovering near the bank. This is particularly evident on windy days when the bugs are blown off of bushes and rocks.
Good patterns to try in these conditions would be ants, hoppers, spiders, beetles and other land dwelling bugs. These bugs are always plentiful and often overlooked by fly fishers looking for big hatches. Other bank side sources of food include mice and small fish that are careless enough to swim within range of a hungry trout. The next time you go fishing, take a few terrestrial patterns and streamers with you and see what you can get close to the bank. You will be surprised.
Edge Run
Fishing the edges can be productive, as well as safer and more relaxing. |
In finding fish near the edge of the river I have noted that they are often not alone. At first sight of a bank fish I will look all around it to try and locate the second and third fish.
I was fishing Hot Creek in California once when casting a caddis larvae pattern with a little bit of weight to another nice rainbow near the bank. I got a strike on the first cast to this fish, but when I set the hook the fish didn't move. The even bigger fish in front of it, which I hadn't seen, did. If I had seen the front fish first, the story might have been of the one that got away because I likely would have spooked both fish trying for the bigger one. A good rule of thumb to remember is, always look for the other fish.
When most fish in the river are not rising, those by the bank are more likely to rise because of the slower, shallower water. It takes less effort for a fish close to the bank to rise to a surface-floating insect than it would if it were in the powerful current toward the middle of the river.
Fish at the edge often enjoy the opportunity to patrol a fairly wide feeding lane by themselves, or in small groups and are often seen moving back and forth picking floating morsels from the surface. If the fish are in a backwater pool they have very little current to contend with and can cruise around as if they were in a stillwater pond. These backwater pools often hold a buffet of all kinds of forage that a feeding trout can dine on with very little effort. Be careful on your approach to these fish as they are often found facing opposite the main river current.
Again on the Fryingpan River I found one of these pools holding a pod of nice brown trout feeding on midges. Since it was later in the evening, I was able to stand fairly close without spooking them. I had a great time catching most of these fish until it was too dark to see their strikes.
Predators such as fish eagles and bears love to make a meal out of a shallow water trout. A wary trout never feels secure unless it has an easily accessible escape route to safer water. These escape routes usually involve deeper water, deadfalls, weed beds, or undercut banks. Large trout will often sit below undercut banks only coming out to ambush a passing insect in their feeding lane. How a trout will use an escape route is self-evident. The best way to see for yourself is to spook one.
When I fish the middle of a river I often find myself having to negotiate strong currents. Sometimes my legs get crossed up and I lose my balance. When I focus on fishing the edge of a stream I find myself in this situation on a less frequent basis. I would always rather negotiate near the bank where the water is shallower, the current is often slower and there are numerous handholds. There are times when fishing the edges that I find myself out of the water completely. Sometimes at the end of the day I find that I didn't need my waders at all.
Fishing the edges of rivers and streams can be very productive. Trout find many reasons to stay near the bank including a plentiful food supply, slower current and available escape routes. Fly fishers will find the advantages of slower currents and numerous handholds to make wading easier, plus more dry fly fishing opportunities. The next time you hit the river, take a close look before you stomp into the stream you may see your first fish of the day just inches away.
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