Fish on the move in a run/pool

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tomi
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Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2016 3:19 pm

Fish on the move in a run/pool

Post by tomi » Sun Jan 14, 2018 8:41 pm

Hi new to the forum, i'm a novice flyfisher into my second full season and very much hooked. I''m through the stage of spending more time untangling things the actually fishing and hoping for some advice?

I live in Dunedin and today was fishing solo in the upperish reaches of a river in West otago about 2 hours away. I was sight fishing, it was about 28 degrees and tied on a cicada as i left my ute as i could hear them and it was quite breezy. I didn't spot many fish which i think is normal for this part of this river, but was trying to spot them from an elevated position.

The first one i spotted was a reasonable size (for me) in the middle of a run, i saw him from an elevated spot well out of his field of vision, i immediately ducked down behind some long grass to see how he was feeding and change fly as there weren't many cicadas on the water. After about 10-15 seconds he moved forward through the run into some shadows under the willows and i lost him. Next fish similar story but in the head of a pool and moved down to the tail then out of vision, next one i spotted as it was moving downstream in a riffle and a fourth followed the same pattern.

This brings me to my question of how you approach this situation? i figured i could either

1) fish blind to a likely spot in the direction this fish moved (tried it didn't work)
2) Wait around to see if it moves back to initial position( it didn't)
3) try to follow it downstream to try and follow it (it could swim faster than i could scramble along the bank)
4) give up on the fish and keep walking up stream to find the next one (didn't do this one)

I'm 95% certain i hadn't spooked these fish as they all stayed in there initial position for 15-30 seconds before moving by which point i was well down behind some flora. Are trout like these moving so much between pools and runs not obviously feeding not interested in feeding and therefore not worth pursuing? and if not how would you approach them?


Cheers Tomi



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Steve
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Re: Fish on the move in a run/pool

Post by Steve » Mon Jan 15, 2018 6:01 am

Hahha - they saw you!! is my guess

Height makes it easier for us, but also the fish to spot us, sometimes they can be super sensitive too, suggest peering through the grass/cover to look into likely water. Fish usually stay on station unless given reason to move. You'll have to go back and see if you can crack it!



tomi
Posts: 5
Joined: Sun Sep 25, 2016 3:19 pm

Re: Fish on the move in a run/pool

Post by tomi » Mon Jan 15, 2018 8:59 am

Bugger

Thanks for the reply Steve. I’m 6ft 5 and 105kg so I guess I need to work on hiding a bit better!



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TIDDLER
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Re: Fish on the move in a run/pool

Post by TIDDLER » Mon Jan 15, 2018 12:25 pm

WELCOME TO FORUM TOMI .
i immediately ducked down behind some long grass..... BEFORE GOING TO FLY A FEW SEASONS BACK I THREADLINED FOR 50 yrs . ONE THING I LEARNT IS THAT IT WAS OFTEN BETTER TO STAND VERY STILL RATHER THAN REACT . THAT SUDDEN REACTION CAN BE MORE THREATENING TO A FISH THAN BEING MOTIONLESS . (if you knew a bear was watching you , would you rather he was upright and still or hiding from you )
THERE IS LOTS ON THE NET RE FISH EYESIGHT - HERE'S BUT A COUPLE ....
http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/hunt ... t-trout-se

https://www.vailvalleyanglers.com/blog/ ... -trout-see

TAKE IT FROM ME - YOUR HEIGHT IN GENERAL IS GOING TO BE MORE OF AN ADVANTAGE TO YOU THAN A HANDICAP . I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I AM CONSIDERABLY SHORTER THAN YOU . WHEN I WADE WAIST HIGH YOUR ONLY KNEE HIGH .... :)



Johnno
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Re: Fish on the move in a run/pool

Post by Johnno » Sat Jan 20, 2018 10:14 am

Generally if you can see a fish, they can see you.
Watch a Heron stalk flats for food. That’s how to prowl. Very slow, very careful.
Be stealthy, creep low if you can, use cover and dress in the right colours for your surroundings including yr hat. Wide brims are better than caps IMHO as more of yr shiny face is in shadow.
Watch where your rod is, if possible keep it low and behind you
If you see a fish cruising towards you, freeze. If you blending in, often it’ll cruise right on past and not be bothered. Not always, but often. I’ve had fish swing around and start to feed within three feet of me.
If you can get low, get low, don’t walk on top of the bank, but go down the bank closer to the water. On top of a bank, they’ll see you a mile off
Changing flies, turn around and face away from the stream. Fish will see less movement and not see those nice flashy hands moving around
Wear sun gloves to dull out yr hands
Walking along a slow moving pool, if you have to be in the water, move as slowly as you can to reduce ripples. They’ll alert spooky fish to your presence. Step slowly and carefully in the river, placing feet each step, so as to not scrape on or move stones. Sound carries very well underwater so anything like that and a fish will be off.
And learn to bow and arrow cast. Small tight streams, that’s the best cast there is.



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TIDDLER
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Re: Fish on the move in a run/pool

Post by TIDDLER » Sat Jan 20, 2018 10:34 am

THE MOST THOROUGH YET CONCISE ADVISE ON THIS SUBJECT I'VE READ . WELL SAID THAT MAN ...... Al



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