Mika Lappalainen | Friday, 3 November 2023
As said fish around rock is one the most common things you hear and read. I often ask from guests about this and they say that yes. We have told to fish around the rock and this case behind. When I ask what it means they tell me to fish behind the rock, which means for them to get fly behind, underneath of the rock.
We start to talk about then how fish are there and what it means to fish underneath of the rock.
Some fish are exactly underneath of the rock or behind (downstream). Mostly those are small trouts, white water is giving protection from up and it is nice spot for lazy fish. And to get your fly over there is has to go just side of the rock so current will suck it behind.
I don't have big expectations to fish that way but sometimes you get lucky.
For most of the beginners fish behind rock means that they cast they fly exactly behind. You know kind of flat water. They fish and fish, no action. Somehow rock and current looks like something from woman... and you need to have similar approach.
Most of the time fish are little bit side way, looking upstream. When you cast in the middle you will have your fly behind of the fish. I don't know about you but I can't see with my asshole and even fish might feel there is something going.... it is too much work.
So what you need to do is get your fly on side of the current, edge of fast and dead water... that is what fish are looking for. Easy food coming down, current will take it naturally in the middle and then you will have some action.
You still have one hot spot, and that is where water is going together again. Just upstream from that connection is great spot for fish. On that spot they have head straight to upstream, more or less, reason is that edge of current are bringing food from both sides and you can just pick up what you want, just like in a buffet.
All of this can be something you already knew, or maybe find little bit of a different approach in how to fish around a rock.
For me it is more important to know how to fish than where. It all comes about reading the waters. There is no way that it can be highlighted enough; this is one of the key element to catch a fish.
Learn reading and you will have much more fun... Remember fish are lazy, just like us.
Have a nice weekend and go fishing,
Mika From Finland
Ps. we had busy week with reindeer again, coldest night -18 celsius