On our travels we fish with other guides and we抳e noticed that all quality guides share at lease one commonality. It抯 something we like to call 揼uide vision? Regardless of whether you fish the saltwater in the Florida Keys or in Montana fly fishing for trout, seeing fish puts you at an advantage. You might have thought that most guides just have exceptional vision, but really it抯 not about having good eyes, more importantly it抯 about knowing how to look at the water. We are going to give you a few pointers to start you on a path developing your own guide vision.
Developing your guide vision
Keys to developing your guide vision:
Spend some money on good, quality optics and take care of them. There are several good sunglass manufacturers out there whose products are worth the $150 to $250 dollars, most of them even have options for prescription lenses. Make sure they fit properly ?a high quality lense is only good if it fits correctly. Sunglass lenses should not touch your eyelashes and should not let light in from the sides or bottom. You should also consider the color of the lens, we prefer browns and coppers. Grey lenses block out too much light and yellow might let too much in for those with more sensitive eyes. Fly fishing is a visually active sport and if you can抰 see your fly or the fish you are at a huge disadvantage.
Move to a good vantage point
Spend more time on the water (you can even tell your significant other we said so). Obviously, the best way to do this is with a guide or an experienced angler by your side. Ask questions, most guides and anglers love to share their knowledge with those eager to learn.
When you are out on the water be observant; look for subtle color changes, flashes, and movement. Don抰 look for the whole fish under the water, instead look for the movement of a tail, a flash as the fish rolls on its side to eat a nymph, or a change in the color of the bottom which might be the shadow of a fish.
How many times have you been fishing from the back of the boat and the fly fishing guide, who is in front of you, is able to see your fly eaten before you do. This is a simple matter of opening your vision. Don抰 concentrate so hard on finding a fish that you loose your peripheral vision. Make sure that you can catch a movement or splash out of the corner of your eye. When looking at your fly you should also be able to see your fly line (is it time to mend again?), and the water surrounding your fly (is it time to recast?).
When fishing try to put your back to the sun, you抣l be amazed at how much more you can see. Put those new polarized sunglasses to work for you, sometimes it even helps to tilt your to one side or the other which can reduce glare off the waters surface.
Learn to read the water effectively to spot feeding fish. If there is surface activity due to a hatch where are the fish concentrated? Focus your attention on the most active areas and spend your time there. As you develop this skill you抣l spend more time fishing to actively feeding fish and less time fishing unproductive water.
If you spot a fish, but have to move to make a presentation make sure to mark the fish抯 location so you can find him when you抮e repositioned. You might do this by identifying something on the bottom or the stream bank. If you think you抮e in position to make the cast don抰 rush in, be patient and wait for the fish to show himself again.
Spend time reading the water
Don抰 get frustrated this is a skill that can take years to develop. Typical Montana fly fishing guides spend months at a time on the water so it won抰 happen for you overnight. Keep practicing. These are just a few of the keys to seeing the water and spotting fish more effectively. By learning and using these basics you抣l be on your way to developing a skill that will dramatically increase you angling abilities.
