Upstream or Downstream?

S

sam

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Aug 3, 2020
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Feels weird even asking this question, but here it goes...

I started fly fishing last summer and I've gone out maybe 5-7 times specifically for trout. Of those 5 times, I've only caught panfish and suckers - no trout.

I'm not stressing about it too much and really just focused on my technique/presentation/casting. I just enjoy being outside in nature.

However, I've been reflecting on my last few trips and I've realized that I always seem to fish heading downstream. Then my walk back usually isn't even fishing - it's walking trails or rail tracks back to the car. I'm not sure if this is just the result of where I've been parking and the general layout of the streams I've fished, but I'm curious if upstream or downstream is preferable for a beginner. Despite me doing a lot of downhill fishing, I'm thinking upstream might be better for slack control, presentation, and just overall stealth.

Maybe I'm overthinking this one?

 
Hi, welcome to the Addiction. #1 are there trout where you FF. #2 FF up stream , fish feed into the current , so your approaching them from behind. I fish upstream and coming back down stream. You have to walk slow if in the water, Try using nymphs for the bottom, You will catch more fish with nymphs. Also midges for surface film of water. Drys when there's a hatch, or atracter flys. Look on you tube for FF videos. Read some books on FF. But don't give up. The more you FF, the more you will learn. Hope I hit for you. I'm sure others will be along to add.
 
As stated in the post above, you can fish either way. Most times you fish nymphs and dries upstream and streamers downstream.

One thing you should be aware of is where you fish. You stated you caught panfish and suckers fishing in the summer which are common warmwater fish. Be aware that many stocked trout streams do not hold trout in the summer because the water temps become too high. It very well may be there were no or few trout in the stream you were fishing.

Keep on trying. Experience is the best teacher. Good luck.
 
Fish both ways. Some days you'll do better upstream, others downstream. That goes for whatever it is you're fishing -- dries, wets, nymphs or streamers.

Trout have almost 360 degrees vision. (They have a blind spot of about 15 degrees directly behind them -- and directly behind them is almost almost always a bad angle for presentation.) You can usually get just as close fishing downstream as up, unless you're fishing on a silty bottom, in which case fishing downstream is going to muddy the water below you. Generally, fishing downstream requires less false casting, so you have less chance of spooking fish that way.

Fishing downstream has the advantage of presenting the fly before the leader. Fishing upstream has the advantage of making it easier to get a drag free drift. Of course, sometimes you want to move your fly a bit -- Leisenring lift, "sudden inch", etc and that's easier to do downstream.

When fishing downstream, the fish will often hook themselves. OTOH, if you do set the hook downstream, you're more likely to pull the hook out of their mouth. You'll get more positive hookups fishing upstream.

It boils down to "you pays your money and takes your chances." There are advantages and disadvantage to both approaches.
 
+1 on all points redietz makes !
 
Depends on size of stream. Mostly fish upstream on small creeks. Especially fishing dries. On larger creeks I often fish down and across with dries or streamers. There is a thread on stealth and it is maybe one of the best things to consider no matter how you fish. When I was a beginner I fished upstream and it did serve me well even on bigger creeks like Penns. I was mainly fishing dries then.
Lately I have been more interested in stalking close to surface feeding fish. I am often interested in a particular fish, a bigger one, and it may be moving around and feeding among other fish so it requires careful looking and planning. I prefer this to just haphazardly making long casts that often put selective big fish down.
 
Thanks for the advice everyone. Super helpful.

And I'm pretty sure there are fish where I've been going. I have had a few bites, just none landed.
 
Sam, I had the same problem for the first year. One day, stream side, a guy moved into the hole I was fishing and he caught one fish after the next. I jokingly mentioned that they're my fish hey should be jumping onto my hook. Well dang it if this guy didn't ask me a few questions, give me the correct flies and correct the way I was mending. Within a cast of two I had the first fish. I caught fish the rest of the day and will never forget this gentleman and his patience and tutoring that got me going.
Look for some meek old man that is catching fish and introduce yourself and see what happens.
Worked for me.
 
Baron-" meek and old" being the operative word.
Yeah Sam, ask and you shall receive. Also do not forget any lessons you learned if you were doing some other type of fishing previously. I watch some newer flyfishermen and they often seem really caught up in making a big commotion whipping the line back and forth and pulling it off the water.
Don't let the mechanics of casting get in the way of just presenting your fly. Start by making shorter casts and stalking the fish and carefully observing. I started taking my grandson out when he was ten and he was hooking (not always landing) fish on many trips.
 
Generally, I fish upstream, because I use dries and nymphs most of the time.

There is zero question in my mind you can get closer to them from the downstream side. It doesn't matter as much on big water because they are less spooky, but try a brookie stream and its night and say.

Dries - generally upstream, end of drift when its about straight across. I will often try skittering too. Pull, let drift, pull, let drift. Gotta be up for that.

Nymphs - cast up, end drift when about straight out.

Streamers, I also fish up like a nymph often, or actively work it down. But I'll also frequently let it swing below me too. No way is wrong, try stuff and see what works that day.

Wets - cast slightly up, let drift down and around.
 
I agree. Too many variables to give set rules. It depends on the water, weather, flies, size of the waterway, how safely you can move to approach a different area, etc

I will use whatever tactic it takes to be able to work an area of water over with my best chances of pulling out a fish. How is that for worthless advice.

Afishinado gave you some great advice. If you are looking to catch trout, make sure that there are trout there t be caught.
 
jifigz wrote:
I agree. Too many variables to give set rules. It depends on the water, weather, flies, size of the waterway, how safely you can move to approach a different area, etc

I will use whatever tactic it takes to be able to work an area of water over with my best chances of pulling out a fish. How is that for worthless advice.

Afishinado gave you some great advice. If you are looking to catch trout, make sure that there are trout there t be caught.
Click to expand...

Yes. Many beginners fish stocked streams in the summer believing they hold trout. Many / most of these stocked streams are actually warmwater fisheries which are mostly barren of trout in the summer because of high water temps. The OP was wrote he was catching panfish. Catching these warmwater fish is a sure indication that the water may be too warm to hold trout. It's best to use a thermometer to check the water temps before fishing. Anything near or above 70* F is likely too warm to fish for trout. My suggestion to many beginners is to fish for panfish. They're a lot of fun and usually easy to catch. It is a great way to learn the basics of FFing.
 
afishinado wrote:
jifigz wrote:
I agree. Too many variables to give set rules. It depends on the water, weather, flies, size of the waterway, how safely you can move to approach a different area, etc

I will use whatever tactic it takes to be able to work an area of water over with my best chances of pulling out a fish. How is that for worthless advice.

Afishinado gave you some great advice. If you are looking to catch trout, make sure that there are trout there t be caught.
Click to expand...

Yes. Many beginners fish stocked streams in the summer believing they hold trout. Many / most of these stocked streams are actually warmwater fisheries which are mostly barren of trout in the summer because of high water temps. The OP was wrote he was catching panfish. Catching these warmwater fish is a sure indication that the water may be too warm to hold trout. It's best to use a thermometer to check the water temps before fishing. Anything near or above 70* F is likely too warm to fish for trout. My suggestion to many beginners is to fish for panfish. They're a lot of fun and usually easy to catch. It is a great way to learn the basics of FFing.
Click to expand...

He nailed it again. Just because we are using a fly rod does not mean that we have to fish for trout. And, I agree, there are very few good trout streams I can think of that harbor populations of wild trout or sustain stockies that well. I love catching panfish on the fly rod.
 
Well to be honest I catch most of my trout when I am straight across from them....slightly below or above and then mend as needed. So now that you are thoroughly confused....
 
I prefer upstream. There is USUALLY better access downstream (unless you live on top of the mtn). With that said I prefer not to drive past good water. I will park at the first good spot, fish upstream until I'm tired. The walk downhill and back to the vehicle is always easier. If there was a hole that I thought I should have done better. I can hit it again on he return trip also. The smaller the stream, the more this applies. I think others mentioned that as well.
 
It depend. I have fished a spot upstream then at the top of the run back down. Like Tom I prefer up the back down hitting whay I may have missed. Dropping back down gives you a different perspective on the water. GG
 
Quick follow-up, I've gone out several times in the last month and worked on the different techniques/approaches mentioned here. Excited to update you that I've caught some trout as well as a 6lb steelhead this past weekend (an awesome experience!).
 
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