Sneaking up on trout is the best way to have a great day fishing when the rivers are low and the sun casts a long shadow over the water this time of year.
One does not necessarily have to drop down on all fours to be successful, but it helps if you can break up your silhouette a bit by wearing less bright colors, or by using the terrain to help camouflage your body movements this time of year.
This is especially good advice if one is searching for and targeting the larger trout in the system. I have watched many an angler stand practically on top of trout in a pool or run while casting away futilely. In all honesty, I have done this more than once over the years myself when the heat of the day had dulled my predatory instincts. An angler might hook a whitefish or smaller trout now and then that kept the fly rod bent and reel busy, but the larger trout usually ignored the angler’s best efforts.
Sadly for the anglers, the big one more often than not slips off into the depths to casually feed on the nymphs and larvae drifting in the current on the bottom undisturbed, where life is easy. The smart, big ones only come out of hiding or feed on the surface when it is evident the predatory angler has moved on.
No doubt, prior to the arrival of us anglers, the big one had a prime spot where he could easily sip any late summer insects drifting down river. Unfortunately, we either missed seeing the larger fish, or we announced our arrival by forgetting to use some stealth in our approach.
Having given you fair warning about approaching low and clear water in rivers, streams and lakes, it should be said that one can stand fairly close to big or smaller trout without spooking them away or alerting them of your presence. However, besides stealth and the things just discussed, to catch the largest of the trout, the angler must also be very conscious of fly placement, leader length, tippet size, how hard the fly hits the water and how the fly is going to look to a trout as it drifts down current over the trout, etc.
Many of the rivers that exist in Yellowstone National Park or our adjacent Absaroka Mountains contain good-sized trout in most places September through mid-November. These will keep anglers very happy until winter comes and freezes over the rivers and streams. Catching the larger ones when the rivers and streams are so clear the bottom is well defined even from a distance could be the most fun time of the year to test your skill set.
By now, you should realize streamside approaches require stealth and luck on the part of those pursuing trout whether spring, summer, fall or winter. Without luck, most of us who fish would have quit a long time ago. Without stealth, one cannot consistently hook larger than average fish. Ask any salt water flats angler how important (actually, it is mandatory) it is to “pull a sneak” on large bonefish or permit when fishing for them. The same holds true on trout streams and lakes. If I had a choice, I would rather be lucky than good. But, the fact and hard truth is that you can create your own luck if you begin implementing a bit of stealth into your fishing program.
Sneaking around on a river is not always something drug dealers or weird people do. If equipped with a rod and reel, they are no doubt anglers in search of the big one. Okay, maybe anglers are weird.
Anyhow, either told by columnists like me, or learned by experience on their own, they have figured out what it takes to land the big one besides the right equipment, skill and choice of lure or fly. A good pair of polarized sunglasses with amber, brown or photochromic copper lenses will help you spot the trout or flats fish well before they see you. Sunglasses also block that irritating glare on the water and also protect your eyes from bad UVA and UVB light and flying hooks.
Here are some final tips: Before watching the big one get spooked and disappear into the depths before you can fire off a cast, view the water and observe first! After all, you do have those sunglasses for a reason and you are supposed to be smarter than the trout you are planning to hook.
For instance, heads might be up, or rings on the water, indicating a hatch is in progress. Swirls or baitfish jumping out of the water might indicate a much larger fish is feeding, requiring a fat hopper pattern, a streamer or weighted wet fly to catch that one.
If you have to get down on your hands and knees to get into the right place for the best cast, do so. The point of this message, besides attempting to help those who need or want to become a better angler, is to look before you leap into the water. Your time on the water will be better spent. Even better, you will definitely wow your buddies should they have joined you. You might even catch more than the occasional big one now and then.
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