Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3911 May 2020 | Page 10

10 May 2020 VOL.39 • ISS. 11 How To By Cal Kellogg the second is food. Stream trout don’t like to feel exposed and they will always hold near a feature such as strong current, deep water, a fallen tree or an undercut bank that can provide them with protection at a moments notice, should a bank side predator or a bird of prey show up on the scene. We all know the basics of budgeting our money. If you don’t have more money coming in than is going out you will eventually go broke. Well, trout have to budget their calories in much the same way. They’ve got to consume more calories than they burn or starvation will result. This being the case trout like to sit in areas that feature a break in the current, allowing them to hold and expend minimal energy while having immediate access to prey items being swept along by the current. An example of a classic holding area is the pocket of slack water that exists on the downstream side of rocks and boulders. In the pocket there is very little current, but immediately to the left, right and above the current is scooting along briskly. A trout holding in such a location is equiv- alent to us setting in an easy chair with conveyer belts dotted with tasty snacks surrounding us on three sides. Other examples of prime current breaks include fallen trees, sudden drop offs, shelves, bends in the current and root tangled undercut banks. There is no substitute for on the water experience when it comes to reading a stream. Success and failure are both great instructors. When you catch a trout make a mental note of the type of area it was holding in. When you blow it and see trout spook and bolt for cover. Think about where they were located and how you might approach such locations with more stealth in the future. Speaking of stealth and approaching trout, when you’re on the stream try to have a hunter’s mindset. By a hunter’s mindset I’m referring to approaching stream fishing with the idea of stalking the trout and remaining unseen and unheard as much as possible. To remain unseen stay low and keep to the shadows as much as possible. Try never to have the sun at your back. Stream trout expect danger to come from above and if they see your shadow they will bolt thinking there is a threat coming from above them. Water is a great conductor of vibra- tions and in the thin water of a trout stream vibrations can spook fish, particularly the large wild and holdover Located just 35 miles north of Reno, trout we all dream Pyramid Lake is home to some of the of hooking. As move along best sport fishing on earth. Discover you the stream don’t all that Pyramid Lake has to offer. rush and be sure to walk softly this will keep the vibrations you create to a minimum. Most of the time you will have no problem approaching trout effectively from the bank, but on streams that are lined with thick brush it is advantageous at Discover Pyramid Lake Online at: times to get into the www.pyramidlake.us water. If the weather is warm put on a pair of old shoes Follow us on Twitter and “like’ us on Facebook and some shorts and 3822 you’re in business. Discover Pyramid Lake continued from page 8 At other times you’ll want to don a pair of unnaturally through a pocket of holding hip waders. Leave the chest waders to the water. fly guys. In the vast majority of situations The first cast to a potential hold is made it is never necessary for the spin angler upstream of it and the bait is allowed to to venture into water that is much beyond drift down to the trout. You want to drift knee deep. the bait on both sides of the pocket a CONTINUED ON PG 11 The culminating event for the stream angler is the presen- tation. In general Mark Morrison fishing Guide Service terms, stream trout do Salmon, Stripers, Trout, American Shad most of their feeding near the bottom NOW BOOKING STRIPER TRIPS and are accustomed 1-6 people - Full day trips to encountering Fishing gear supplied prey that is drifting helplessly along at Sacramento, American and Feather rivers the same speed as the BOOK EARLY 916-308-3228 current. When using S! FOR BEST DATE bait you want your markmor14@gmail.com offering dead drifting markmorrisonfishingguideservice.com 3904 near the bottom at the same rate as the surrounding water. When the bait moves slower or faster than the surrounding current drag results and this will greatly reduce the chances of getting a hit. With all this in mind the bait angler Now Catching moves upstream against the current, STRIPED BASS making short casts TROUT angled up current. 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