Checking Water Temperatures to Locate Stillwater Trout

Checking Water Temperatures to Locate Stillwater Trout I spend a lot of my fishing time out of a drift boat on a Northern California tailwater. I don’t really pay much attention to water temperatures. The water being released from a dam stays pretty consistent. It’s more about the flows. With stillwaters its a whole different story. It’s all about water …

Indicator Options for Stillwaters

When fishing stillwaters either in the shallows or weed pockets, in depths over 10 feet and up to 25 feet integrating indicator tactics can pay big dividends. Phil Rowley showed me the many benefits of using indicators at his Stillwater School. Here’s some Stillwater Indicator tips. By integrating Indicators into your stillwater strategy you will be able to: Avoids snags …

Slip or Quick Release Indicators

One of the preferred tactics of many stillwater experts is the use of a slow almost painful retrieve especially when using chironomid patterns. This technique is often done “Naked”, which is without and indicator. In order to fool the largest and most challenging fish you must sometimes retrieve the fly at a maddening creeping pace. This pace is often referred …

Double Anchoring a Pontoon Boat

I had the unfortunate experience of fishing an Idaho Lake a few weeks ago when the wind started blowing and gusting like crazy. I was fishing in my pontoon boat and I was soon swinging and swaying with the wind. Trying to cast and present my flies where I wanted to was downright impossible. I essentially gave up. There were …

Stillwater Kit Bag

When fly fishing there are some things we can control and some things we can not. We have no control over our weather or our physical environment such as water temperature, barometric pressure and wind. Our fly fishing equipment is controllable. If we as fly fishers focus on what can be controlled, we will be better prepared for what we …

Top 10 Habits for Success on Stillwaters

Phil Rowley is a strong proponent of being prepared when fishing stillwaters. This means having consistent and good habits. This also means having your equipment in order, knowing the entomology and locomotion of the bugs you will find in stillwaters and maintaining good and positive energy. Here is a summary of Phil’s Top 10 Habits for Success on Stillwaters. I …