geartalk

Modern-day anglers are drowning in information, but starved for knowledge.

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News

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Apr 24, 2024

Reading Water: Focus on the River’s Subtleties

The more time you spend understanding rivers, the better your odds of hooking fish.

Skills

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Apr 20, 2024

Reading Water: Focus on the River’s Subtleties

Rock On

That rock in the middle of the river, or jutting off the bank, should always get your attention. Why? Because that slab of granite affects the flow of the river, altering the current and creating subtle microcurrents around it. From downstream, you’ll be able to see two distinct current lines to the right and left, where the water folds around the rock. Eventually, those currents merge like the bottom point of the letter “V.” That’s where cast number one should land, at the bottom of the “V.”

Your next casts should be right up the two current seams. The fish will usually be where the fast water meets the slower water. That dead spot right behind the rock might also be worth a cast or two, although the fish usually don’t tuck their noses right onto the stone.

Think about it. The food is washing downriver, packed into that seam where the current meets the slower water. The fish could swim out into the heavy water, but that takes energy, and the insects there are moving by at a quicker pace. If you were a fish, wouldn’t you hang out where you have to use as little energy as possible to hold your position, especially when the buffet is churning right there?

Pillow Talk

Trout like hanging out behind rocks, but it’s always worth looking in front of them as well. The hydraulic effects of water rushing downstream and pressing against a rock create a small backwave in front of the rock. Call it a cushion or pillow, but a smart (often big) trout can ride that wave just like a surfer on a board, expending little energy, and reaping the benefits of seeing and eating insects as they wash downstream.

Never leave a rock without at least making a cast or two on the front side.

Rob the Banks

The Yellowstone River is one of the last great undammed waterways in the West, and in many anglers’ opinions, the ultimate trout river. Fishing the Yellowstone with author and guide Kim Leighton for several days (many years ago) was a particularly enlightening experience, because he taught me the importance of adhering to the banks when targeting casts. Although the mighty Yellowstone is wider than a four-lane highway in some areas, it is amazing how much of the trout population can be found within feet, if not inches, of its banks.

The reason is simple: Trout find cover such as rocky outcroppings and fallen logs along the banks. They are less exposed to predators such as eagles and herons, especially when compared to the open currents in the middle of the river. They also find plenty of natural forage, including sculpins and grass-hoppers, close to the banks.

A trout angler should concentrate on “robbing” the banks. Whether fishing from a boat in a downstream direction, or wading upstream, your fist focus should always be tight to the bank. Watch where you step. Fix your attention on the bank, and work your way out toward the middle of the river, covering the bank-outward as you cast and move.

How to Take Better Fishing Photos: Ten Tips

While “happy snaps” can do a fine job of documenting a trip, why not up your game and tell the whole story, not just part of it.

Skills

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Apr 29, 2024

Woman holding black and white picture of herself

How to Take Better Fishing Photos: Ten Tips

Cameras have gotten faster, cheaper and a whole lot more powerful. Almost everyone owns a camera, or has one on their phone, and, therefore, everyone can be a photographer.

While “happy snaps” can do a fine job of documenting a trip, why not up your game and take better photographs? Creatively composed shots are not as complicated as you might think. By following and practicing these ten suggestions, you can tell the whole story of your trip, not just part of one.

1. Learn what camera buttons do: Sit down with your user manual and read. You don’t have to learn everything, but knowing the basics is important. Modern point-and-shoot cameras, as well as your phone, are powerful machines that combine a ton of features that are easy to use and can vastly improve your photos. Most people never take their camera off “auto,” which is a shame.

2. Check to make sure your camera’s working before you head out: Are the batteries fresh? Is everything working properly? Are your memory cards erased? Check to make sure the camera is not still switched to the “indoor light” settings from your little sister’s birthday party the night before. There have been numerous occasions where my first great shot of a trip is ruined because my settings were wrong for the occasion.

3. Have your camera accessible: I can’t tell you how many times I would’ve had a great shot if my camera wasn’t buried under pounds of fishing gear, lunch or my rain jacket. Have the camera at the top of your bag or dry box. If you’re worried about it getting wet, buy a small dry bag that can be slipped into a vest pocket. Dry bags have gotten slimmer and less expensive. They are easily worth the money for protecting your camera.

4. Be aware of condensation: Much like bringing a cold beverage out of the freezer, your camera will “sweat” and fog up if brought from an air-conditioned environment into a humid or hot environment. Some cameras will malfunction, even shut off, if the condensation becomes too much for the internal circuitry. The same goes for shooting in the winter–if it’s hot inside and you march right into the cold, the same thing will happen. Let your camera get accustomed to its environment for a full hour before first use.

5. Use your macro setting: Most point-and-shoots have amazing macro capabilities that are never utilized. On most cameras, the icon for this setting is a little flower. This will allow you to fill the frame of your picture with a fish’s eye, the fly you tied, or the streamer sticking out of the fish’s mouth.

6. Centered images can be boring: While this isn’t always the case, try and use the “rule of thirds”–divide your frame into thirds, both horizontally and vertically. Place the center of attention on one of those “third lines.”

7. Make the fish, or gorgeous wooden boat, image “pop”: Use the camera’s longest zoom setting (without using digital zoom). Without going into the technical details, this “stacks” the image compressing space. Typically, this will throw your background into a soft focus, drawing the viewer’s eyes to the subject.

8. Always look for distractions in the photo: This is harder to execute than you might think. It’s a practiced skill, but will vastly improve your images. For example, don’t let cousin Joe’s backpack, or your buddy’s fishing rod, hover into your shot from out of nowhere. Isolating your subject matter, without distractions, will improve the overall composition of the shot.

9. Be steady: Take a breath, and hold, while you shoot. The reason most wildlife shots don’t turn out is that the camera moved during the photo, producing a bit of blurring or fuzziness. Many people blame this on the camera, but it’s almost always the photographer. Be especially aware during low-light situations.

10. Be stealthy and slow down: This not only helps your fishing, but your photography. Putting your rod down and walking slowly will allow you to see some amazing things while out on the river, lake or ocean. Fish won’t dart away; birds won’t flush and spook everything in their path. Some of the hardest shots are fish eating flies, and a quiet approach can greatly increase your odds of blending in and capturing these moments.