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Hey guys, I'm just getting started with fly fishing and loving every second of it. So I've tried Big Cottonwood and just this week Millcreek, but I can't seem to find any deep water. I must have pulled over to 15 turn outs going up Big Cottonwood, but they all seem to be about 8 inches deep. Is that where you guys are fishing? If not, does anyone know specifics on where on these rivers there are fishable spots. In Millcreek I went all the way up till the dam/waterfall and I fished that and caught a brown and had some others on. I couldn't find any other places though, and a lot of it is fenced off. Would love it if someone could help me out. I think I'm going to leave work early and try again.
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Don't worry about finding "the deep water." I fish many of our local canyons and can tell you that depth doesn't make that big of a difference. In fact, the deepest holes are usually known by everyone and easily accessed (and therefore avoided by me). Pick a spot to park at, throw on your waders (or wade wet in the summer) and just hike a stretch of river. I guarantee you'll see plenty of fish. One of the biggest fish I caught on one of these local canyon streams was in about 4 inches of water.
good luck!
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in agreement, trout in those streams hide where they can, look for any drops on riffle sections, or any protruding rocks in the river, witch there is plenty of in both on these streams, and most importantly, look for undercut banks the trout in these creeks will hang near the undercut section because the creek is shallow and this offers them the best protection from predators, plus it's hard to tell, but the river runs under the bank a bit.
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I totally agree. I catch fish anywhere along the river.
Put on a really good pair of Polorized sunglesses and look at the water as you step in...they will be shooting everywhere. They are just well camo.
In Millcreek, the big picnic area on the north side. Walk across the bridge and drop down to the creek. Toss a small dry upstream and let it drift down...they are there.
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Your just getting started so let us save you a few years of learning.
Fish the shallows! Riffles are where fish come to feed. Fish in the riffles are there to eat, they are very exposed when they are in the riffles and in great danger from arial predators. They get in, eat and get out.
Riffles are where most of the bugs live, in between the small cracks formed by the rocks. Not as many bugs live in the pools, pools are where the water slows and the sand and silt in the river drops to the bottom. This fills in all the spots between the rocks where the bugs live.
Next time you fish Big, fish the flats area. As you wade, poke under the banks. You will be amazed that some of the undercuts are 3' in and deeper than your leg. The willows stabilize the banks, but the water cuts under the roots and carves out hiding places. Drift an ant or hopper right next to the bank. I mean right next to. (less than 6") This will entice them to come out and play. If you are not catching the fly on the bank on almost every drift, your not close enough to the bank.
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Fish where the fish are! I agree with FG a good pair of polarized lenses is a must. Much more important than what rod or reel you're using. I never fish without them. Fish do change where they are during different times of day, cloud cover, water levels, season, hatches, and for seemingly unexplained reasons sometimes. You have to adjust your fishing even in waters you frequent if you just aren't finding fish where you expect. Polarized lenses also allow you to see if fish are rejecting your subsurface fly repeatedly so you know to try something else.
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One other thing. If you see fish rising in the middle, by all means try for them, but don't forget they might not be rising in the surrounding area. In other words, start short. Start right in front of you and work out from there. This prevents scaring all the fish in that stretch.
I have caught fish 5' in front of me.
I see people all the time approach a river and immediately start casting to the other side, if they are over there, they will be right in front of you to.
Trout love to sit at the edge of a riff and have the food come to them. They generally won't travel more than a foot to feed (unless scared)
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Good points all. A couple of things I have read and observed while fishing for trout.
1. The deep pools don't always hold the fish, especially in summer. A lot of times, the fish move to the edges where there is faster moving water. This keeps it oxygenated and as stated before, holdes more nymphs, bugs ,etc. In the winter I like to hit the deep holes but summer and fall, I hit the shallows
2. Fish are usually held in feeding lanes for 1. Safety, 2 food. Since fish are low on the scale and are fed upon by so many other things, look for shelter first. They might not be in their shelter, but close by. Riffles hold many fish because the disturbed surface gives them some protection. Try seeing a fish in the riffles, it is hard. Look for food lines. A good hint I heard, if there is a foam line or bubble in the water fish it. This is usually where to different current speeds meet, prime place for a fish to hold in the slower current and dart in for food passing by.
3. Fish in front of rocks as well as behind them. Browns love to sit in front of boulders.
4. Fish the banks that are choked with overhangs. Fish get protection, food from the river, and if they are lucky something will fall from above.
Just some tips. Hope it helps.
katghoti
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