Grid Casting

[Dejon Hamann]

Pursuing rising fish on Stillwaters is an exciting endeavor.  The thrill of the chasing visible active rising fish across a glass playing field can really get the blood lines pumping.

Often though, even many competition level anglers (including myself), go at it a little haphazardly.  We see a fish rise - we blindly cast.  See a fish rise - we cast.  Often never putting any thought at all into what pattern the fish may be on or what pattern our casting takes.  Spending a little time on both can greatly improve your chances to grab rising fish whether it's in a boat with a top level french competitor or the the guy your sister guilted you into taking out for the weekend.

Look out!  Here comes a serious over simplification.  Rainbows "cruise".  Browns "sit & ambush".  Each fish is different and every lake has it's own character, but generally you can count on Rainbows to keep on the move while Browns often search out good holding areas.  Considering that fact as you think about the following casting pattern will often prove effective.

In the following diagram we have the basic idea of a casting grid.  This obviously isn't rocket science... it's fishing science.  The over complicated reminder here is that rather than casting without direction developing a method for "tracking down" a fish's rise form will give you the upper hand.  Many hunters will see this is very similar to picking up the blood trail on a lost deer.  I've created just one circle in the diagram, but you can start forming larger concentric circles if you don't intercept the fish on the first pass.  A few notes:

1) You can continue your casting circle either clockwise or counterclockwise. The important thing is to start at the bottom so you don't accidentally cast over the cruising fish and spook them.
2) Modify this pattern for cruising or holding fish.  For example, if you've identified a rise form and believe you are targeting rainbows and see another rise form believed to be the same fish, skip the new circle and make your cast on the linear prediction of those two rise forms - kind of like leading a clay pigeon on the shooting range.  Or, if you're targeting Browns you may want to pause before casting and place your cast directly on the last rise form as that fish may just be targeting a specific area.  The latter especially relates to fishing any perceived cover.

[Jay Looper]

Nice tips and diagram - thanks for your hard work Dejon. I also wanted to say how much I appreciate, look forward to and will use the reports and conditions updates - Great Stuff!

[Mark Hanes]

I will give this a try when the stock some of my local lakes this fall.  Thanks for the info Dejon.  Any thoughs on flies for active rising stockers?

[Mike Norton]

nice tip thanks I will have to give that a try

[Mark Hanes]

So how would wind and possible current direction effect this?  do you change your first casting spot ever?

[Dejon Hamann]

Oddly enough I would say no to all3.  The variable of intercepting a cruising fish on a flat field is just too large...unless of course if you have to sighted rise forms.  But this is based on a single rise form - something that happens quite often as you are drifting around a lake. You can really start the searching pattern anywhere on the circle except the far side. 

[Mark Hanes]

so it goes right,center(front), Left, Behind?

[Dejon Hamann]

Perfectly fine variation.  There's a chance you might spook a fish heading directly toward your boat though if you start the circle on either the left or right.

[Mark Hanes]

I guess it really all depends on what you see.  Wild trout are much different than stockers all other species variation.

[Todd Oishi]

Great tips Dejon, but if I may be so bold as to go a little further with this subject...

Here is a diagram that I drew (I use this in my "Advanced Tactics for Stillwaters" seminars), which illustrates how I systematically cover a rising fish - when the direction of its travel/route has not been identified. In this scenario, I am increasing the search area with increments of five feet per cast from the center of the ring, which should account for an average trout’s rate of travel from the last known position. Making your last cast to position #4 will reduce your chances of "lining" and spooking the trout if it has moved to a position that is somewhere between your location and the center of the ring.

It is best described in person, but this should give you some idea of what I am talking about:



The first cast is intentionally placed short of the ring as surface feeding trout tend to travel against the surface currents that are created by the wind, which makes this location one of the most likely place to cross paths with the trout. The angle of the sun would also come into play, as rising trout often swim at an angle to (or away from) the sun...

[Dejon Hamann]

That's an important detail: taking into account the distance the trout may have covered with each of your previous casts. 

Todd, Randy said you hit one particular lake in Quebec with 2 dries while everyone else was throwing some sort of sinking line.  Even when there were really no apparent risers.  And I believe you nabbed 8 on that session. Could you describe how you made that decision and the details of your cast/thinking?

Btw, I know you're getting bombarded with questions/replies here!  It's a good sign.  I know you have a busy schedule so there's no expectation to get to it all.  At your own pace, cheers!

[Chad Drawbaugh]

All no Todd your ours.......Just joking. I am on information overload with the recent post.

[Todd Oishi]

...Randy said you hit one particular lake in Quebec with 2 dries while everyone else was throwing some sort of sinking line.  Even when there were really no apparent risers.  And I believe you nabbed 8 on that session. Could you describe how you made that decision and the details of your cast/thinking?

It was actually 10 trout that I scored in that session with the dries. I was using 3 dries even though everyone else had nymphs and wets on their casts. My boat partner thought I was a little crazy with my choice of tactics - until I had a triple-header, at which time he also switched to dries...

In answer to your question:
I anticipated that the trout were cruising fairly shallow and working the bottom of a fairly wide shoal (fairly typical for that time of year and for the conditions at that particular time), which meant that my dries had a very good chance to be seen by these fish as they foraged for food. My selection of flies was made based upon this fact, as I selected patterns that left significant "foot-prints" on the water's surface.

Just to back things up a little... A trout's cone of vision or the "window" that allows it to see through the mirror-like reflection of the water's subsurface is greatly reduced as the trout sits in closer relationship to the water's surface. There are times when trout specifically target a fly that sits high above the water’s surface, but often a fly that sits partially submerged within the surface film is more effective due to the footprint that it creates, which increases its overall visibility to trout that are cruising in close proximity to the water’s surface.

I placed my dries five feet apart and used a sequential casting grid in order to cover the most likely areas to find the trout that were working the shoal. This meant that I was covering an immense area, as my flies were able to cover a distance of ten + feet per presentation (the low-profile of the flies made them visible even further when you factor in the horizontal view). Here's another one of my diagrams that illustrates how I cover water while "prospecting" (blindly casting) for trout:



Note that Angler A is covering far more water (and fish) by using a tighter casting grid than Angler B, thereby by reducing the amount of overlap in his presentation. Many anglers will cast repetively over the same water (as Angler B is doing), which greatly restricts the area and number of fish that are exposed to their offering.

But with that being said; when prospecting with dries it is extremely important to remain focused at all times, while using your peripheral vision to detect rises or unusual surface movements or rises within casting distance. Even after the most perfect cast is made – if a rise is spotted – quickly retrieve and pick up your line and cover it immediately!!!

Hope this helps,
Todd  

[Dejon Hamann]

Not only was it good science switching over to the Dry/Dry method, but I think being daring enough to try a method not being implemented by a vast majority of the field can really give you that edge in competition.  And oddly enough I've noticed that when fish get heavily pressured during a competition they will often positively react to surface presentations... often when they were not normally feeding in that manner leading up to competition.  Goes against my personal belief of how they "should" react: pressured fish stay down and go small.

[Reid Bacon]

Todd thanks for this info.  Those diagrams are sweet. 

[Boris Huguenel]

I agree with toddoishi , I would fishit the same way, thanks

[Pete Erickson]

great information guys!  thanks for a cool thread...

damn you Todd! so that is what you did on that lake! awesome thought process...way to go

I was fishing boobies and blobs on the surface and only manged 4 or 5 fish I think...  I remember seeing your score and wondering "what the hell?"

[Todd Oishi]

That's a great strategy as well Pete (worked well for us in practice) and was my second choice if the dries weren't working.

I only hope that you and I will eventually have the opportunity to share a boat in competition or recreationally. As I have said before... if you are ever in British Columbia, you have a standing invitation to go fishing with me. I believe that you told me that you used to fish up here in your younger days - if my memory serves me correctly...

Cheers,
Todd

[Jason Hearle]

In Quebec last year, Claude from the water dogs was my boat partner on one of the lakes.  He had fished the lakes earlier that year in the spring, and had a good idea that the fish would be staging on a shoal near a creek mouth on the lake we were on.  We could see the nervous water from the fish milling anticipating the upcoming spawn.  I utilized a grid system as Claude did when we fished this area.  I picked up only 2 fish in the nervous water and Claude, I believe only 1.  Is there anything that you guys do specifically when approaching and fishing to nervous water?

[Pete Erickson]

Thanks Todd,

That's true, I learned how to fly fish on the Douglas Lake Ranch when I was about 7 years old... big damn fish!

I would love to fish some of the lakes of my youth with you, Stoney, Minnie, Stump, etc.

cheers
Pete

[Todd Oishi]

They all still fish well these days. The Douglas Ranch has fortunately maintained the high quality and standards of their fishery as well. I also have access to a set of quality, private lakes (owned by a mine) that has trout in the double-digits.

May and June are prime months for dries and emergers. A few lakes have prolific populations of the large "bomber" chironomids (size 8's) and the "traveller sedges" taht draw the largest of trout to feed on the surface. The peak is generally between the middle of May until the end of June. October can provide some fast & furious fishing, as the trout feed heavily in preparation for winter.

Stump is one of my favourites, but nearby lakes such as Roche Lake and Peterhope have trout that are capable of reaching ten pounds, which gives you the impression that you've hooked onto a freight train...

Just set a date and I'm in for the adventure as well...

[Pete Erickson]

sweet...I'll see if I can drive up with Bret.

Is Peter Mcvie still around...my dad and him were close friends in the day

[Todd Oishi]

Sounds like a plan Pete! Just say when, and I'll try to make it happen...   

Yes, Peter still operates the Corbett Lake Lodge (some pretty impressive trout that are well into the double-digits).

[Todd Oishi]

In Quebec last year..... .....Is there anything that you guys do specifically when approaching and fishing to nervous water?

I try to keep a safe and intimidating distance, and cover the rises with delicate and thoughtful casts that are placed with anticipation of the trout's direction of travel. Smaller patterns and straight-line nymphing is always a good tactic if dries or a static presentation isn't being employed...

[Pete Erickson]

Todd,

how do I sign up for that master stillwater class..is it in the UK?

Pete