Low Vis Question

[chidders]

I got out after work for a few hours yesterday and noticed the water vis was terrible but decided to give it a go anyways. 2 hours with changing flies and spots but not even a bump where I would normally get into a least a few. So my question is when the water vis is bad do you change the way you would normally nymph? i suspect your fly placement has to be perfect right in front of the fish for them to even notice it?

[Brownstone]

when fishing in dirt a good drift is crucial, try patterns that are a little more visible, i.e - a flashy worm and size your nymphs up a bit, if you normally fish 16's or 18's try going up to 14's or 12's.. don't be afraid to change up to flashy streamers, they always produced well for me during high/dirty water. probably the single most important - cover more water than you normally would, trout will use different lies during different conditions..but they won;t move far from their "home run". A common mistake is people will spoke fish off the banks/shore (normally clearer than farther out into the river) to wade out to "the run" .. slow down, look, listen & learn .. stay well back from the shore and watch the water you are about to fish from a fair distance, fish will sometimes cruise for surface feed or the clearer shallows in dirty water .. remember even though the river is "blown out" (which it ain;t yet) fish still have to eat .. gimmie a holler in a couple of weeks during runoff, we'll get out for the day..It'll change the way you look at high water ..

[SanJuanWorm]

Use bright colored nymphs and go a size bigger. If not try streamers.

[chidders]

Thanks guys. I have been hearing that Bridge at Glenmore is the trouble.

[Hawgstoppah]

Fish slower water, closer to shore, with bigger nymphs, or streamers. Bright colors arent neccesary, I usually go with black leeches, big dark stoneflies, etc. Find slow DEEP water next to a bank, and your in the money. I usually fish a slow 4 foot deep bank, and fish it about a rod length or less from shore. Some banks will differ and the best spot will be 10-15 feet out, but as long as it's slow, your in the fish. They won't be in riffle or chop water in dirty conditions (unless YOU can see more than a foot). That's my 2 cents..

[Guest JayVee]

Fish slower water, closer to shore, with bigger nymphs, or streamers. Bright colors arent neccesary, I usually go with black leeches, big dark stoneflies, etc. Find slow DEEP water next to a bank, and your in the money. I usually fish a slow 4 foot deep bank, and fish it about a rod length or less from shore. Some banks will differ and the best spot will be 10-15 feet out, but as long as it's slow, your in the fish. They won't be in riffle or chop water in dirty conditions (unless YOU can see more than a foot). That's my 2 cents..

 

Yep this is exactly what worked for me yesterday except I didn't try the bigger flys, though the SJW might be considered such. I could've fished yesterday without my waders!

[Guest bigbadbrent]

Thanks guys. I have been hearing that Bridge at Glenmore is the trouble.

 

 

And FC is pumping in mud

[reevesr1]

You guys have just explained today. Slow water, 3 ft deep, well inside the seam. Lots of hits inside my rod, <5 ft from my feet.

 

I also found that I had to really, really be on bottom. I tried to use a lightly weighted worm because the water was so slow and I was striking at every twitch, which was mostly bottom. Got to really be a pain. So I put on the lighter worm. Didn't tap bottom nearly as often. Also didn't hook nearly as many fish. Went back to the heavy worm. Still a pain, but more fishies for sure!

 

Brownstone,

I hate to disagree, but there are no catchable fish on the bow during runoff. All people need to concentrate on improving their golf game.

[Brownstone]

Brownstone,

I hate to disagree, but there are no catchable fish on the bow during runoff. All people need to concentrate on improving their golf game.

 

I'll have to take yer word for it ... FORE!!!!!!

[ham]

Ya when i drove over the glenmore bridge today it looked like that construction was making an awful mess for the river below it i could just see everything being stirred up with every load they added. So FC is putting out straight mud these days now hey?

[hydropsyche]

Fish slower water, closer to shore, with bigger nymphs, or streamers. Bright colors arent neccesary, I usually go with black leeches, big dark stoneflies, etc. Find slow DEEP water next to a bank, and your in the money. I usually fish a slow 4 foot deep bank, and fish it about a rod length or less from shore. Some banks will differ and the best spot will be 10-15 feet out, but as long as it's slow, your in the fish. They won't be in riffle or chop water in dirty conditions (unless YOU can see more than a foot). That's my 2 cents..

 

Excellent advice, Brian. I went fishing on thurs too and I wish I read this before I left. I would have went looking for better water. I fished fast choppy water but did manage to land two bows on a size 20 black midge (the birds were going crazy at the time). It must have hit them right on the nose. Got one on a 14 copper john and only one on the worm. Overall, a very slow day.

 

ps. I like a bitchcreek in dirty water but I did't try it that day.