Wading provides an excellent way to fish creeks and many rivers for multiple species including various trout, black bass and panfish.
Specific techniques and lures vary substantially by species, season, stream size and conditions. However, following these few principles can help you fish more effectively in most stream wading situations.
Stay Back
You’ll see a lot of anglers who will wade out to the center of a stream before they start. This admittedly opens things for backcasts, but it also makes the angler far more visible to the fish.
Try to work from the edges of a creek or river, as much as the situation allows, and even cast from a few feet back from the stream’s edges at times for small streams and clear water. The less fish are aware of your presence, the more likely they are to feed without inhibitions.
Of course, the degree of stealth needed depends on stream size, water flow and color and the fish’s general “mood,” but being aware of your visibility can make a significant difference in many stream wading situations.
Wade Upstream
Whenever possible, position yourself downstream of the spots you want to work. Since a fish propels itself with its tail, to stay in place in current it has to face into the current. When you cast upstream and work lures or drift flies back toward you, that puts you behind the fish, where you are less apt to be detected.
If you’re wading through a section of stream, starting at the lower end of that section and working your way upstream keeps you downstream of the spots you haven’t fished yet. That approach also allows the fish to see your offering, moving in a natural direction.
Casts don’t need to be straight upstream. Most situations call for some casts that angle across and upstream, and for larger waters, especially, some casts might be straight across. Some runs on the far side of a river might even be best fished by allowing the bait to swing or drift downstream of your position. Nevertheless, generally orienting yourself upstream as your fish tends to work the best.
Capitalize on Ambush Positions
Stream reading is an important part of stream fishing success. A vital aspect of that is leaning to identify gamefish’s ambush positions and then making effective presentations.
Most fish don’t like fighting current continually, but they like the foodstuff current lines carry. Therefore they love to hold at the edged of eddies, just out of the flow, facing the current. The eddy might be formed by a boulder, a downed tree, a ledge, a cut in the bank or something else. If it creates a protected spot with current sweeping past, it’s apt to be a good fish-holding spot.
Once you identify a good ambush spot, position yourself less than a cast’s length downstream and possibly across and cast your offering upstream just enough that it can be engaged and swimming properly as it sweeps past the obstruction.
If a fish’s first awareness of your offering is seeing it pass through the prime ambush zone, a reaction strike is likely!
Fishing on Foot 