Down-and-across without being seen

[taylor16]

I've recently started to fish the variety of soft hackles and flymphs that I've tied and had some luck with upstream casting with dead-drift, as well as through quick riffles with weighted flies, but still haven't hooked up with any trout on the classic down-and-across. Our streams here in NE Iowa are quite narrow, 20-30 ft at the most, so how do I approach a favorable section and, especially if wading, cast without being noticed by the fish? It's something I've never really had to worry a out with upstream casting or in dense riffles. Is it recommended to crouch, stay low and fish from the banks without getting into the water?

Thanks y'all.

[CreationBear]

Is it recommended to crouch, stay low and fish from the banks without getting into the water?

The correct answer I think is "All of the above" , but to be honest I think this might be a case where the fish are telling you how (or how not) to fish for 'em. If you absolutely have to fish from upstream, you might have to forgo the "swing," lengthen your leader/tippet, and dump a dead-drifted fly into their feeding lane.

At any rate, it's amazing how "variably spooky" even wild trout can be--I've seen stream-bred browns in Central Pennsylvania's Spring Creek act almost tame during a Trico hatch, whereas my trout here in the Smokies usually demand a level of stealth (and camoflauge) that most of us would associate with turkey hunting.

[Old Hat]

I think anytime you can stay out of the water you are better off. It is certainly not always an option. Down and across works better on larger rivers for sure but shouldn't be forgotten on the smaller ones. I generally approach the down and across with steelhead tactics. Just how I learned it. There are two considerations one must take. One, you want to cover the water efficiently. Two, be selective of the hot spot, knowing where your primary target point is.

My preference to down and across is to target the top of riffles. Where you have a nice run and then the stream begins to shallow a bit before running through a riffle into a pool or another run. Of course you can fish anywhere, this is just the water I look for otherwise I will probably employ a different tactic. So my real target area is a few feet above the riffle and a few feet into the head of the riffle. this distance is just dependent on riffle size and size of the water.

The approach. Once I see a likely target spot. I position myself upstream from the target hopefully about twice the distance that the stream is wide. I approach the bank quietly and carefully. Before I get to the bank I will start making short casts into the near bank. A lot of times you can get fish close to the near bank if you don't just walk up and jump in the water. Keeping a a consistent length of line out then I will take a couple steps toward the bank, make a couple more casts (so you are reaching out a bit farther into the stream. I continue doing this until I am in the water along the near bank. You'll just have to accomodate to any brush or trees of course. Anything you can do to be stealthier is to your advantage.

Once I am in the water (if needed) along the near bank, I then continue casting but instead of stepping forward with a constant length of line, I stay in place and cast a few times each with a little longer line until I am reaching the far bank. Once you are casting to the far bank, then you keep your line length constant again. Make a couple casts and swings then take a step or two down river, make a couple casts, take a couple steps (all the while keeping your line a constant length) and continue until you have fished through your hot spot.

On a 30' wide stream this would place you 30' above the fish. You should be OK depending on other conditions. Of course once your streams get too small (maybe 15' across) you will probably want to change tactics a bit. One which you can do is to cast across then let out line to try and get you fly to drift downstream along the far bank then when you think it is on target let the line go taught and have it swing back to the near side.

This technique will assure you confidence in one thing. You have covered all the water. Be patient and do not rush through it and it rarely fails.

One other thing on the swing. When the fly is swinging I like to keep the rod tip low and slightly lead the fly across the water toward the near side bank below me. Keep you rod tip targeted just in front of your fly as it crosses the stream. Once it is along the near bank below you don't just lift it out of the water to cast again but let it sit for a a couple seconds and then strip it up toward you a ways. I have caught lots of fish in that last little stripping motion.

Again, anytime you can be stealthy and stay out of the water you are only increasing your chance with any technique.

I always remember a quote by Gary LaFontaine about spooking fish " You can't ever sneak up on fish, they always know your there, Hell, even the hatchery fish know your there. It's just that the hatchery fish are glad to see you."

Not word for word but close.

[taylor16]

I think anytime you can stay out of the water you are better off. It is certainly not always an option. Down and across works better on larger rivers for sure but shouldn't be forgotten on the smaller ones. I generally approach the down and across with steelhead tactics. Just how I learned it. There are two considerations one must take. One, you want to cover the water efficiently. Two, be selective of the hot spot, knowing where your primary target point is.

My preference to down and across is to target the top of riffles. Where you have a nice run and then the stream begins to shallow a bit before running through a riffle into a pool or another run. Of course you can fish anywhere, this is just the water I look for otherwise I will probably employ a different tactic. So my real target area is a few feet above the riffle and a few feet into the head of the riffle. this distance is just dependent on riffle size and size of the water.

The approach. Once I see a likely target spot. I position myself upstream from the target hopefully about twice the distance that the stream is wide. I approach the bank quietly and carefully. Before I get to the bank I will start making short casts into the near bank. A lot of times you can get fish close to the near bank if you don't just walk up and jump in the water. Keeping a a consistent length of line out then I will take a couple steps toward the bank, make a couple more casts (so you are reaching out a bit farther into the stream. I continue doing this until I am in the water along the near bank. You'll just have to accomodate to any brush or trees of course. Anything you can do to be stealthier is to your advantage.

Once I am in the water (if needed) along the near bank, I then continue casting but instead of stepping forward with a constant length of line, I stay in place and cast a few times each with a little longer line until I am reaching the far bank. Once you are casting to the far bank, then you keep your line length constant again. Make a couple casts and swings then take a step or two down river, make a couple casts, take a couple steps (all the while keeping your line a constant length) and continue until you have fished through your hot spot.

On a 30' wide stream this would place you 30' above the fish. You should be OK depending on other conditions. Of course once your streams get too small (maybe 15' across) you will probably want to change tactics a bit. One which you can do is to cast across then let out line to try and get you fly to drift downstream along the far bank then when you think it is on target let the line go taught and have it swing back to the near side.

This technique will assure you confidence in one thing. You have covered all the water. Be patient and do not rush through it and it rarely fails.

One other thing on the swing. When the fly is swinging I like to keep the rod tip low and slightly lead the fly across the water toward the near side bank below me. Keep you rod tip targeted just in front of your fly as it crosses the stream. Once it is along the near bank below you don't just lift it out of the water to cast again but let it sit for a a couple seconds and then strip it up toward you a ways. I have caught lots of fish in that last little stripping motion.

Again, anytime you can be stealthy and stay out of the water you are only increasing your chance with any technique.

I always remember a quote by Gary LaFontaine about spooking fish " You can't ever sneak up on fish, they always know your there, Hell, even the hatchery fish know your there. It's just that the hatchery fish are glad to see you."

Not word for word but close.

That was brilliant. Thank you!