Reading the Water Course

What is the first thing an expert angler does when they reach the stream?  Most experts will take a moment to read the water.  But what does this mean?  What are you looking for, and how does this help you?  This fly fishing class will answer these questions and give you the skills you need to improve. 

You will learn how to locate trout based on the river currents.  How to determine what they are feeding on and where.  This will help you determine the best tactic.  You will learn to identify disruptive currents and determine appropriate line management techniques to use.  These are components of reading the water, but most anglers end here.   In reality, it just the beginning.  

Reading the water is the first step in formulating a strategy.  There are four key things to learn: where the trout are, what they are feeding on, where the disruptive currents are, and finally, determining the best approach.  This fly fishing class will teach you what to look for and how to interpret the information to formulate the best strategy.  Your strategy is all about the approach.  Do I approach from downstream, or is an upstream approach more effective in the given situation?  The approach depends on the trout’s location and the tactic used.  The approach needs to work with the proper cast.  What is the best angle of cast, what type of cast, and where do I land the fly to center the drift? 

If you want to advance your fly fishing, learning reading-the-water techniques to develop a successful strategy can have as big an impact as improving your casting. 

Logistic

  • Dates:

  • Cost: $250

  • Class size: 4

  • Location: Mills River, NC

  • Time: 8:30 am to 5 pm

What to bring

  • Lunch

  • Notepad and pen

  • Waders

  • Fly rod

  • Leaders and tackle

  • Warm clothes

  • Raincoat

  • Hat and sunglasses

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