Maine's Natural Guide
Stop, Look, & Listen
by Richard Babine

Well the course is over and we've had a chance to discuss a sometimes confusing and frustrating activity but by breaking the act of fly fishing into smaller simple pieces, I hope we managed to have it all make sense. After it was all said and done, we even got to go fishing together. I hope the course was entertaining, interesting, but most of all educational. The course is designed to be both rather intense and at the same time somewhat humorous.

Now, you can take the time to really read the Student Manual and little by little the information will take hold and you will find in time, that the more work you put into this activity, the more good luck you will have coming your way.

I can't stress enough, the importance of being totally aware of the environment around you. We discussed the survival techniques of both the fish and the aquatic insect that the fish depend on for survival. All aquatic creatures have to learn survival tactics in order to adapt to the water column's environment.

The observant angler will almost always have greater success simply because he/she will place themselves in a position, where the probabilities of success are the greatest. To find this elusive position, you first must know what to look for and how to take advantage, once you've found it.

When you first arrive to your fishing destination, don't get all geared up and run for the water. Remember, your success, as an angler, is directly dependant upon the environment above and below the water's surface. There's no need to rush. Take the time to observe what's going on all around you.

Quietly walk around to find a spot that will allow you to have a good view of the water's surface. If you can, find a spot that is elevated, so that your view is from above the water's surface plain. Can you feel the slight breeze blowing ever so gently. Take note of its direction because this is nature's way of blowing potential food items and particles across the waters surface to particular spots. This same process will also deposit the potential food items to the waters surface and the currants will collect the food particles and direct them to certain areas of the waters surface. This creates feeding lanes and the food is delivered to the waiting fish, downstream. Check for bird activity. If there are birds and they are high off the water but making repeated runs up and down the course of the river or stream, this could be that there are insects coming off the water and the birds are feeding on them as they fly high above the water's surface. If this activity is over a riffled area of the stream, then the chance are that insects are forming a mating swarm and there will be egg depositing and spinner activities later on during the low light conditions of this coming evening. If the birds are swooping down to the waters surface repeatedly, then there is a hatch of some kind going on and the birds are grabbing the insects off the water before they become air-borne.

Now it's time to get down to the water's edge. Check the surrounding shoreline and riverbank vegetation. Hatching insects will sometimes use these plants to either crawl up from the waters surface to dry their wings or use the plants as shelter in order to await their final moult into adulthood. A simple shake of the plant will cause any present insect to become air-borne.

While at the waters edge, you can bend over and inspect some submerged rocks for signs of aquatic insects. Once observed, you can easily see the color, size, shape and texture of the insect for future matching with an imitation. Also before you move on, check the shallows for free-swimming, clinging, crawling aquatic creatures and any signs of small baitfish that might be in the immediate area.

Now cast your eyes to the water itself. Look for rises or bulging caused by fish feeding just below or on the waters surface. These fish don't break the waters surface but leave an unmistakable impression (bump or bulge) on the waters surface when they take the insects just below its surface. If the fish take insects from the surface, then the rise tends to be splashy and a telltale sign of surface activity. Those insects that successfully reach the surface of the water create a hatch by breaking the surface tension (Meniscus) and then resting on the waters surface to dry their wings before taking flight into the new air-breathing environment. Observe the water next to the bankings for signs of smaller fish creating a surface disruption caused by fleeing from feeding fish.

There's an old saying that, "you can't see the forest for the trees". The moral of this saying is that for many anglers, looking is not really seeing. The hidden message is that the successful and well educated angler not only looks up but down, on, next to, under, and in and around the water for the evidence that he/she needs to make educated choices on which imitation will produce the best results.

You have also learned that there are places that a fish needs to find that will provide shelter, safety, comfort, and a steady supply of food. This allows the fish to have maximum gain with minimal effort. Riffles, Runs, Pools, Flats, Eddies, Back Eddies, Velocity Seams, Feeding Lanes, Undercut Embankments, Overhanging Vegetation, and various Aquatic Plants all tell the careful observant that there are probabilities of success based on careful observations.

Train yourself to be observant and your chances of success will be greatly increased. The added and most important benefit is a much greater appreciation for your surrounding environment, which will make your day on the water that much more enjoyable.

Some so-called experts would have you believe that if you can't see the fish you're after, then you are fishing blind. But after taking this course and reading these last few pages, you can now understand that careful observations made can be a great key in unlocking the mysteries of this sport.

Nature is surely, "The Ultimate Guide".

Best of Luck and Keep a Tight Line,

Dick Babine