By Ryan Wilson
I hate to be the one to break it to you, but the secret is out. While there was once a time when the choicest trout spots could be held close to the vest, that time is over (mostly). The word has spread on just how great the fishing is on NC Delayed Harvest trout streams. From a fish population, size and accessibility perspective, Carolina fly anglers are about as spoiled as they come. The second edge to that sword however, is that other people have found out about it and those people have fly rods too.
While there are certainly some things an angler can do to help avoid crowds, like fishing during the week, fishing marginal water rather than obvious pools and taking advantage of crappy weather, the fact is, no DH stream is that hard to find and popular spots are popular for a reason. For most of us, it is inevitable that at some point, weâre going to have to cast to highly pressured fish.
Fishing pressure can be both gradual and acute. Gradual pressure happens over the course of the season. Those hatchery bozos become accustomed to the same prince nymph/ squirmy worm combo drifting by time after time and become more selective. Acute fishing pressure refers to what these fish have seen today. Both types of pressure will mean that youâve got to improve your game if you want to be successful.
When entering a pool that another angler has just vacated, it might make sense to not cast for a few minutes. You can position yourself, fiddle with your gear and otherwise observe whatâs going on, but allow the spot to rest for 10-15 minutes before tossing right in. DH trout donât take too long to get over an angler intrusion, but they do require some time to get comfortable.
When approaching pressured fish, your fundamentals must be on point. Make as little disturbance as possible when moving through the water and making your casts. Youâll blend in better by wearing neutral colors and planning out your approach. Keep your rig organized and avoid making too many false casts. If you make a poor cast, allow the drift to finish rather than picking the line off the water too soon and spooking your fish.
Fluorocarbon tippet is a necessity. Fluorocarbon doesnât catch light like standard monofilament and is therefore much lower visibility under the surface. The extra couple of fish youâll hook will absolutely be worth the extra couple of bucks you spend on the spool. For most applications 5X will get the job done, but I recommend 6X or even 7X for those that can tie a good knot and know how to fight fish on light line.
Although your fly selection shouldnât change drastically, consider going up or down a size. Finicky trout will often still take much smaller nymphs, because most anglers arenât using them regularly. Oversize flies, on the other hand might present that fish with an opportunity thatâs just too good to pass up. The trick here is to not overthink your fly selection. Your favorite pattern works because it looks like what fish want to eat. Stick to that principle and just tweak the execution enough to separate yourself from the crowd.
Rather than digging through your box to find that magic fly, your time will be better spent adjusting your rig. Adding or removing weight, sliding your indicator and adjusting your drift will drastically change the way that your fly is presented to a fish. Experiment with these different presentations until you find the combination that works for you. In general, your goal should be to get your flies as close to the bottom of the water column as possible, without constantly snagging the streambed.
Although fishing pressure can absolutely have an impact on a troutâs eagerness to take flies, the bottom line is that I rarely let it dictate how I approach a stream. Even if a spot appears to have been âworn outâ itâs unlikely that it really has been. Itâs the rare angler that will be able to hook every fish in a given spot and itâs almost a certainty that any spot you approach will have some fresh targets. By keeping your fundamentals solid, using good sense & stream etiquette and allowing yourself to be creative with your presentation, youâll undoubtedly have plenty of success on those not so secret honey holes.
Ryan Wilson is the Owner and Operator of Madison River Fly Fishing Outfitters in Cornelius, NC. If youâd like help making the most of your time on the water, please contact him at madisonriverflyfishing@gmail.com or call at (704) 896-3676. Check us out on Facebook: Madison River Fly Fishing Outfitters or on the Web: www.carolinaflyfishing.com