5 Tips for Fishing Spring Runoff

Spring runoff is a time of year that most dedicated fly fishers despise. The water is muddy, full of debris, and overflowing the banks. The weather is cold and the wading is sketchy at best... But don't let the runoff get you down... here are a few tips to help you find success during runoff....

5. Figure out the time of day that your stretch of water has the best visibility. Often times in the spring the cold nights are enough to slow down the melt and provide a 5 to 6 hour period of time where the water clarity improves. You will see this more readily the closer to the snowpack you are fishing. As you move further down drainage this becomes less apparent but windows of slightly clearer water can be found.

4. Fish the softest water you can find. This means right along the bank and the inside of large eddies. Fish will move out of their normal spots and find spots that provide some food but more importantly shelter from debris like logs floating down the river. I have good luck in very large eddies right along the bank where the water is flowing upstream and the fish are looking downstream.

3. Fish big flies. With low vis, it is harder for fish to find your offering. Up the size of your flies and include more weight in your subsurface patterns to help them reach through the turbid water.

2. Push water. Streamer fishing with large flies that move a lot of water can be great during runoff. Spun deer hair heads and jointed flies with beads in the middle (to add a rattle) can be deadly when stripped through large pockets of soft water.

1. Go fish on a lake!

Stay tuned for my next blog, 5 tips for spring lake fishing and don't forget to take a look at this old blog.