Fly Fishing 101: How to Hunt and Sight Fish
Some people view fishing as just throwing something out in the water and waiting for a fish to bite. These people probably only go fishing a few times a year or maybe only a few times in their life. If the action is not steady, they get bored. If they don’t catch any fish, they think fishing is lame. I understand that. I don’t like boring or lame fishing either. That’s why I like to hunt for fish. Not only is hunting for fish an interesting activity in itself but the ability to sight fish before casting gives you a distinctive edge when it comes to catching fish.
In topwater situations, it’s pretty easy to find the fish. You simply need to seek out the locations where they are rising to insects, tailing, pushing water, or crashing bait. When they are not rising or disturbing the surface, you’ll need to look for subtler cues to their locations. In order to find them below the surface, you will need polarized lenses and a plan for your approach.
Polarized Lenses
Having a good pair or even several pairs of polarized lens glasses is essential to sight fishing. Without them, you might as well not even bother. Simply put, polarized lenses reduce glare by blocking reflected light. The surface of the water reflects light. To see through it, we need to reduce that reflected light. Most anglers prefer lenses with a light brown or copper tint for normal and bright light. For cloudy days and reduced light, amber and yellow are ideal. The goal is to see through the water’s surface and be able to see contrast within the background. Quality polarized lenses are the best tool in an angler’s arsenal for seeing fish.
What are the best fishing sunglasses? Learn here.
Have you Ever Heard about Snell’s Window?
If you are not familiar with principles of Snell’s Window, then you are at a disadvantage when it comes to stalking fish. When a fish looks upward, it will see through a circle of 48.6 degrees for each eye, giving them a view of approximately 97.2 degrees. If the water is broken, that view is even more limited. The circular window of a fish is roughly twice the depth of the water where they are positioned. How does understanding this principle aid the angler?
Fish stationed in shallow water, especially shallow broken water, have a very limited angle of view above the surface. As the water gets deeper, their view expands. This is why we can get close to fish when they are on shallow saltwater flats or in skinny broken riffles. The deeper the water, the further they can see and the more cautious we need to be in planning our approach. If you’ve ever walked up to a deep pool on a small stream and expected to see a bunch of fish, you may have been surprised to see nothing. The fish saw you coming and are hiding.
It may be counter-intuitive, but in deeper water, it is easier for fish to spot you above the surface. You may be looking to the right locations, but the fish may already have seen you and moved before you were looking. When looking for fish in deeper water where their cone of view is wider, it is important to consider cover and camo.
Cover and Camouflage
When stalking fish, it is essential to use cover when you have it. Trees, bushes, shadows, etc. The clothing you wear can also make a difference. A bow hunter is not going to wear a bright red hat and a white t-shirt and neither should an angler trying to stalk a fish. Recently, Simms Fishing Products developed a line of camouflage technical gear for fly anglers. Here is what they say about their camo waders:
Stealth isn’t a fashion statement. It’s a science. Utilizing exclusive patterning created by Veil Camo, a leader in scientifically-engineered camouflage, SIMMS offers you the first wader designed to keep you from being seen by fish. If you’re like us, you’d travel halfway around the world for a chance at the fish of your dreams. Make the final feet count by getting closer in River Camo. Fish aren’t blind: The River Camo pattern distorts the fish’s ability to detect shape and movement so you can position yourself for the ideal cast.
I’ll take any advantage I can get. For open water or ocean flats, light gray or light blue clothing is often ideal. In wooded and vegetated areas, greens and browns are excellent. The bottom line is, don’t be seen by the fish you are trying to catch. One big factor when trying to remain hidden is to pay attention to light angle.
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Light Angle
Low angle light creates challenging glare. Often the best time to sight fish is when the sun is high in the sky. Sometimes the best fishing conditions are when the sun is lower though. In general, if you stalk fish looking toward the sun, you will find that it is more difficult to see into the water and you will be lit up from the fishes’ perspective and easier for them to see. Sun can also glare off your sunglasses, your fly rod, and even your fly line when you cast.
When possible, it is best to hunt with the light behind you. Then you can see into the water with more clarity and you will be backlit and harder to see from the fishes' perspective. Just watch your shadows. In a perfect scenario, if fish are in shadows, you can have the sun directly behind you, have an easy view of the fish, but because they are in the shade, your shadow will not fall on them.
When stalking and trying to sight fish, especially in lower angled light, it can be very difficult to see while wading or even when standing at water level. If you can’t see well enough to spot fish where you are, you may need some elevation.
Elevation
The higher you get, the easier it is to see into the water. When I’m stalking fish from shore, I often peer over high banks or bluffs. I’ve also been known to climb up on fences or even into trees. It’s amazing what you can see when you get high above the water.
To gain elevation in a boat, you can stand up on a seat, a cooler or install an elevated deck. I often get up as high as I can to scan for rising fish on larger rivers. Just remember that the higher you get, the more likely you are to fall into the cone of vision of the fish you are seeking.
Putting on the Stalk
Go slow. Hunting is not a run and gun game. It requires patience and attention. Most anglers never see or are even aware of the larger fish available in the water they fish. If you move too quickly, you will likely miss opportunities and the fish will likely not miss your presence.
When trying to spot fish, eliminate all the water where you can easily see the bottom and don’t see any fish. Narrow down the locations where the fish have got to be and focus there. Plus, don’t expect to see an entire fish like you’d view one out of the water. Sometimes a partial view is all you can find.
Within your target zone, there are several things to look for. When fish are actively feeding below the surface and opening their mouths, often you can discern the white of their mouths without ever seeing the entire fish. If they are moving around to take food, you may get a glimmer or flash of reflected light off their sides. Subtle motion is often key to picking out a fish. I frequently find a wagging tail before I ever spot the entire fish. Sometimes the tail is all I can pick out.
While fish are generally well camouflaged, some fish have certain colors that stand out. Often times char can be spotted by the distinctive white lines on their fins. Sometimes rainbows and brown trout will have a light-tipped fin or the spots on their tail will stand out. Often fish like salmon or largemouth bass will have a darker colored tail that is the first thing you will see.
In some situations, fish are so well camouflaged, that you will never see them. They can’t however, hide their own shadows, especially over lighter colored bottoms in gin clear water. Seeing fish in very clear water can be much harder to see then you think, often because of the interference of reflected light. But if you find their shadow and factor in the angle of the light, you should be able to figure out where they are.
When looking into broken water, you will find that the disturbed currents and aerated surface make it very hard to see. But, in some locations, you will find that occasional smooth windows develop. You can use those temporary windows to get good views below the surface.
When hunting for large fish, don’t ignore smaller fish that may be lurking along the edges of the water you are surveying. If you spook them, they may scatter and alert your larger quarry.
Don’t get in the water unless you must. Once you are in the water, you'll lose visual elevation and it’s much more difficult to be stealthy.
If you find a good fish and spook it, mark the location and come back with a little more stealth 20 or more minutes later. There is a good chance the fish will be back.
Once you find your fish, you will need to make a plan to get yourself into position to make a cast, without spooking your quarry. That’s why we call it hunting. Just make sure as you approach the fish, you don’t break Snell’s Window. You might need to get lower as you move into fishing position.
Hunting Fish is Interesting and Exciting
All fly fishing is fun. Sometimes rolling down a river and chasing a nymph rig with some buddies is fun. Prospecting with a streamer to likely holding water and looking for reactive strikes can be a blast. But sometimes, it’s more interesting to go hunting -sighting and then targeting the fish you find is exciting.
Once you find a target, it’s important to remain calm. Once you can see the fish or know its location, staying relaxed can be challenging. Plan a good cast. If you make a few casts and don’t get a response, stop. Give it a rest. Observe some more. Maybe you’ll need to change flies. Repeated casting can alert and spook your fish. Take your time and make your presentation count. You may have to put in a lot of effort to find that special fish.