How To Find Trout In A River — Reading Water 101 | Module 8, Section 1

If you've watched the rest of this Beginner Fly Fishing Masterclass, we've covered what gear you need and how to use it... but where do you find trout in a river? Today, we are going to cover the two fundamentals of reading water - seams and transitions points. We will also touch on foam lines, structure, and current. We will head down to the river and discuss what makes one spot better trout habitat than others. By the end, you will be reading water and finding fish like a pro!

#flyfishing #flyfishingtrout #beginnerflyfishing #flycasting #flytying

[tonyposca]

I think you guys are legit, truthful, funny, and knowledgeable. Thank you for that. I have more know how and am practicing. Just want to share my errors. Going to the water I will use tactics that I believe I can do. The problem I have is remembering to think like the trout and not trying to feed the fish with what I am confident with

[Oregon-Ducks]

Man, I highly recommend watching this video all the way to the end. Very important message for all us new anglers in the last minute or so

[tatswritingco.]

This is a great class! I love a Friday night with a box of wings and VFC videos before practicing these skills on the river over the weekend!

[micahdean]

Great video guys!! Nice to hear that even you guys struggle to catch fish sometimes! I've been struggling lately especially with run off hitting

[tbluemel]

I've been fly fishing for a long time and being self-taught, I didn't know the terms of reading water, but I have always fished (with pretty good success) EXACTLY as you have described it and I have ALWAYS felt my ability to read the water was the most important aspect of fly fishing - so I give three thumbs up for this outstanding video! Very well done, guys!

[RippinThemLipsTV]

Another awesome episode fellas! Hey Alex, what Fishing Waders are those you have on here!? And how do you like them?

Tight lines,
~ Manny ~ 🤙🏼

[jimallen]

Great videos Thanks for your efforts in bringing great informatin to us fly fisherman

[DallasLarson]

If you ever want to know where fish are in a river I'm fishing, just go wherever I'm not and you'll find em(;

[mysteriousoklahoma]

Start with pocket water progress from there

[berkler]

Nicely done gentlemen. Really appreciate the tips. I need them 😅

[jimholland]

Man, I just as rather watch y’all than just about anybody else. Y’all are in the top ten😉👍

[AdventureTimeLoui]

I like these guys 😂😂😂 makes this space a lot less intimidating

[joshnunez]

This is a phenomenal masterclass. I’m just getting into fly fishing and I’m going on a trip to Colorado this week! Getting some last minute pointers from yall. Thank you! 🤘

[jerryg]

When it comes to fly fishing the only thing I think I'm pretty good at is reading water, everything else is True hit or miss. You guys are awesome, keep the learning videos going. ! Thanks for all you do.

[StevenG]

You guys are the best! I wished I had found your site a long time ago, but nevertheless, I am so glad I found it now. I am learning so much!!! Thank you!

[benty]

You guys are the best. Thanks for doing what you do!

[RockDog]

I count thrown hooks as caught & released.

[cvzphotography]

Great video. Great quality and graphics. Keep it up.

[obliqueangler]

My 2₵, or maybe 4₵, the way fish grow is by consuming more calories than they expend to consume those calories, and if they are in a prime lie they may not travel very far to eat.

For each side of a large boulder like the one in the video, there can actually be two seams. One closest to the shore (and closest to me if I'm near or on the bank), the inside of that seam with the eddy behind the rock, and the inside - eddy and outside of the seam on the far bank side of the rock.

*To avoid spooking fish with the line, I divide the water into a grid*.

Stripping out enough line to make precise casts and good mends for good drifts to the target water, and solid hooksets, I cast to the closest side of the closest seam first, which depending on the angle I'm at to the rock, may actually be the outside of the seam on the far bank side of the rock. Then without stripping in or pulling out more line I work the grid across, including the EDDY, then move forward upstream (or downstream) and repeat until I've covered all the water, then move to the next likely water.

ALSO don't walk up to or past the upstream side of a rock or boulder without casting upstream to BOTH SIDES of the hydraulic slow water cushion created by the rock. Large fish; possibly the LARGEST fish will pick that lie because they get first dibs on the food floating downstream.