up or down stream

[Fish For Life 0]

When you are fly fishing do you walk up the stream against the current or down the stream with the current?

[Spanky29ca 0]

I prefer to walk upstream myself, since trout are usually facing upstream I can watch them feed while sneaking up behind them.

[Piker20 0]

Upstream would be my first choice. I've found pike and perch much more willing to chase down a downstream fleeing fly than an upstream swimming one.

[DUBBN 0]

I prefer to nymph upstream, and throw streamers downstream on my way back to the truck.

[mikechell 0]

When fishing minnow imitations, I move downstream, fishing the minnow upstream against the current. Watching minnows flee, they always swim upstream.

Bugs, on the other hand, drift with the current, usually.

Since I usually fish from a boat, both directions are available to me at all times, so I didn't vote.

[Piker20 0]

I would not say minnows always swim upstream. Maybe its a hemisphere thing, bit like which way toilet flushes. I've definately found the downstream presentation better for UK predators.

[brookiehunter 0]

I have always had way more luck fishing upstream.

[JSzymczyk 0]

If you're fishing ONLY one way or the other, you are not a very good fisherman.

[heavynets 0]

I do both because I have to get back to the car. I prefer to start out going upstream because the fish are generally facing that direction, but mainly it's because when I'm tired and ready to go back, it's a lot easier to go downstream.

 

When doing a float trip, I prefer to go downstream.

[tidewaterfly 0]

I'll fish up or down stream for casting, but as far as wading, prefer to wade upstream. Not so much because of the way the fish face, but mud & debris stirred up while wading makes it difficult to impossible to see the bottom, and I don't like not being able to see where I'm going. I've tripped over obstacles in the muddy water & been dunked a few times, and don't really like it much.

 

Wading upstream is safer IMO!

[planettrout 0]

I do both, depending on what the fish are most responsive to. Many times, a down stream presentation, where one is not "lining" the fish, will be successful with dries, wets, and nymphs. I let those guys be the arbiters of how I am going to work the water...

 

 

PT/TB

[hairwing 0]

It would be a good thing to understand the trout's (or any fishes) senses before you approach them or make wading decisions. Just about every fishing book will include what the fish senses are and how it will help you catch them....here's one example:

http://books.google.com/books?id=4AWpR-p474cC&pg=PA161&lpg=PA161&dq=senses+of+trout&source=bl&ots=N4FRyP1ifE&sig=1EKrFIhQaBdbCtO92K--qxC1Vpc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=TJ60UeCUE6SYiQKK8oCoDw&ved=0CDQQ6AEwAzgU#v=onepage&q=senses of trout&f=false

Pay particular attention to the trout's window and what he can see and how the fish uses it's lateral line.

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

I go both so I didn't vote it all depends on the fish

[shoebop 0]

If you're fishing ONLY one way or the other, you are not a very good fisherman.

That was blunt!

 

But probably right on!

[Crackaig 0]

Mostly I would walk in an upstream direction. As fishing is mostly done from a fixed start / finish point this means walking back. If I want to fish I as I walk back I do it in a series of loops. Walk to the bottom of the pool and fish up it, then walk to the pool below and fish up that. Of course this is trout fishing. Salmon fishing is usually done walking downstream, two good paces after each cast is considered good manors if someone else is waiting to fish the pool. Of course that doesn't mean that people do it...

Cheers,

C.