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StevenBecker has written 5 articles so far, you can find them below.


How to Locate Trout in a Lake

Filed under Camping by Steven Becker on February 11, 2012 at 21:35 {no comments}

Trout are elusive to the inexperienced angler. Knowing where to find the productive water in a lake will increase your fishing success. Trolling is a great method for finding fish and casting is effective once they are found.

Trout will seek the security of choppy water and overcast or low light conditions rather than bright sun and calm water. They are easily spotted in the latter by their natural predators – birds and people.

If there are no signs of feeding fish I start trolling in water adjacent to the bank where I can see the bottom on one side and not on the other. This is the prime zone for feeding trout. Use your surface presentation on the shallow side.

There are several areas the trout can consistently be found. Rock piles, downed trees, stumps and weed beds are great places to start your hunt. Reservoirs are man made lakes. The bottom contours extend from the shoreline. A point which will usually hold fish is started above the shoreline and will extend in the same manner below it.

A depth finder is helpful in finding deeper fish. Most units will show the bottom as well as mark fish and depth. Turn the sensitivity up on the unit and learn how to read the display. Fish will be more likely to hold over rocks and gravel and not over sand. It is harder to fish the bottom but if there is no surface action this can be productive.

Fish can be located by the ripples or bulges they make when feeding on or near the surface. Trolling will also show you where the fish are when you hook up. Once the fish are found it is time to break out the casting or fly rod and methodically probe the area.

Finding the right depth can help you locate fish when they are not feeding on the surface.

Get our Free Quick Start Guide to trout fishing to get our pocket sized guide.. For tips, hacks, products and more information check out The Fishing Geek

Paddling for Trout

Filed under Camping by Steven Becker on February 9, 2012 at 14:40 {no comments}

Fishing from your kayak or SUP can be great fun. It adds to the paddling experience, not only being outdoors, but the excitement of catching a fish is hard to beat. When I go for a paddle without fishing I tend to make it an exercise outing. Adding the fishing pole slows me down and gets me more into nature. Adding a fishing rod to your kayak is easy and fun.

Lake trolling can be as simple or complicated as you want to make it. You can use from 1 to 3 rods at a time, carry a ton of gear or very little. I define the amount of gear that I bring as to whether it is a paddling trip or a fishing trip. Then I have my expectations in place.

Once you are at the water some simple observations will help you get started. What kind of light is there – is it low light, overcast or bright sun? Is the water clear or murky? How much wave action is there – is it flat calm, slightly rippled or small waves? Each of these observations will help you select the right fishing strategy. This Quick Start Guide will help you.

A clear, sunny and calm day will call for a different lure selection than an overcast day with some chop on the water. Lures and terminal tackle are affected by these conditions. It is important to match the finish and color of your lure and terminal tackle to the conditions you are faced with.

Attracting fish to your lure is acheived with several factors. Choosing the correct finish for your lure is important. A dark lure on a cloudy day will not attract the fish. A bright lure on a clear day will scare them away. I have seen fish following a lure that catches a little sun, flashes and the fish is gone.

Color is transmitted through water depending on it’s wavelength. Red is more visible at the surface on a clear day, where violet is visible at depth. As wave action increases the colors will be visible at less depth. The same is true with sun or shade. The brighter the day the deeper the same color will be visible.

How to fish deep will help you get to the right depth as well. Trout are in their comfort zone at 55-65 degrees. As the temperature moves further from this range they will become increasingly lethargic. Cooler water slows there metabolism so it is important to troll slowly. Warmer water will have the fish seeking underground springs or seeps as well as staying closer to inlets and outlets where the water is moving.

Fishing while you paddle can be a great experience. A little observation before you start will make it even more enjoyable.

For more information get our free Quick Start Guideto lake fishing. Choose the right lure, fish the right depth and lots of tips. All the resources you need and more can be found at The Fishing Geek

Using Water Temperature to Catch More Trout

Filed under Camping by Steven Becker on January 31, 2012 at 23:02 {no comments}

External factors play a major role in fly fishing. Water temperature as well as weather and water clarity and flow need to be observed. We are going to focus on reading and using water temperature to fine tune our strategy for trout fishing. When there is no active feeding water temperature is a great indicator of how to fish.

The kind of thermometer is not that important. I use a digital because it is quick to register the temperature and lets you know when it is finished. The other upside of a digital thermometer is that it is easy to read in all light and especially with polarized glasses. A standard thermometer is good as well – and no batteries.

Time of day, sun or shade, style and fishing strategy are all revealed by water temperature. Trout have an ability to change their metabolism to suit the environment they are in. As water cools or warms they will adjust and act differently. At each extreme of hot and cold they will slow down and seek optimum survival conditions. I group the water temperature into five ranges listed below.

#1 = 50 degrees or lower

2. 50-55 degrees

Zone 3 – 55-65 degrees

Zone 4 – 65-70 degrees

Zone 5 – Over 70 degrees

Air temperature and sunlight will change the water temperature over the course of a day. The water, especially shallow water, will warm significantly with sunlight. Zones 1 & 2 are best fished when the sun is on the water. Getting higher into zone 2 will increase the time window. Zone 3 is the optimum and can be fished throughout the day. Zones 4 & 5 are better fished in low light, early in the morning or late in the evening.

Trout can adjust their metabolism to the conditions they find themselves in. When the water is cold they go into a dormant and slow moving state. These fish are best fished with small nymphs dead drifted on the bottom. They cannot move quickly so slow is the way to go. As the temperature warms into the mid range of zone 3 the trout will act and feed voraciosly. They will take any fly with a normal presentation. As the water temperature climbs into zones 4 & 5 trout will seek cooler conditions and more oxygen in the water. Look for close to the bottom and by springs and tributaries. They will take smaller flies with longer leaders and terrestrials if they are present.

Learning how to read and use water temperature to your advantage will increase you stream-side success.

The Fishing Geek features a Pocket Guide to Fly Fishingthat features a single page dedicated to water temperature. Along with knots, pictures of flies and bugs and more tips the guide will help you catch more fish.

“Start Here” for Successful Fly Fishing

Filed under Camping by Steven Becker on January 31, 2012 at 14:51 {no comments}

When you unpack a new electronic device it comes with a “start here” guide because most folks don’t read manuals until they are in trouble. Same goes for fly fishing, except most folks read the books and watch the videos but can’t remember what they read or saw when they get to the river.

This is a summary of the one page titled “start here” from my Pocket Guide to Fly Fishing. Go ahead and get on you waders and we’ll get started.

Being able to evaluate current conditions is essential for fishing success. A good start though is to get some local information. Talk up the guy at the fly shop, read the outdoor section in the newspaper and listen to the radio shows. They will give you a great place to start – but the rest is up to you.

I’ll pack my bag or vest after getting the local information. Be prepared but not overpacked. I do always carry a rell with floating line and a reel with intermediate sink line which is great for streamers. I have to fight the urge to be stupid here and not set up my rod, reel, leader and fly at the car. This never results in the right combination. You have to evaluate the conditions NOW to get the setup right.

We need to figure out what the fish are eating, are they holding or feeding and what they are eating before we can setup. This is a great way to connect with nature and that is why we are here. If you just wanted to catch fish you’d have a 6 pack and can of worms.

To find what the fish are eating we need to look above, on and in the water. Look for birds and visible hatches first. A lot of action there will indicate good dry fly action. Next get down low to the water and see if there are bugs floating or emerging.

To figure out where the fish are eating we need to watch the water. Look for anything out of the ordinary especially bulges and ripples. If you see a ripple tie on a wet fly – the fish are feeding on the surface. If you see a bulge the fish are feeding under the surface and will more likely take a wet, nymph or streamer. Look under the rocks and see what crawls out to know what is going on under the surface.

Water clarity is important. The clearer the water the more the trout will spook. Be careful on your approach and use a long thin leader. Stained or discolored water calls for a shorter leader.

You can set up your reel and leader now. Use floating line, lighter and longer leaders for dry flies. Use floating line and medium length and thick leader for wets. Tie on the fly that resembles what you found. Sometimes it is that easy – and you can thank the patron saint of fly fishing – St Orvis.

If there is no evidence of any activity from trout or bugs, and there are plenty of days like this, try streamers of nymphs. I use the intermediate sink line and a 7.5′ leader for streamers. This gets them down in the water column. Nymphs are generally fished floating line, a split shot weight above the fly and a strike indicator.

Now look at the water. Can you see the current? It should be visible by a surface film to the side or bubbles. You can often find fish in the calmer water right outside of the main current.

Follow these steps before you tie on your fly and your catch rate will increase.

Check out The Fishing Geekfor all kinds of fishing info, product reviews and tips.

What do Trout Eat

Filed under Camping by Steven Becker on January 28, 2012 at 22:23 {no comments}

There are external things that need to be evaluated before fishing such as weather, water flow, clarity and season. We are going to discuss the food that trout eat here. It is hard to remember what each bug is, but important to learn for success.

The bugs on a trout stream can be found by turning over rocks, looking in bushes. Skim the surface with a small aquarium net to catch anything floating by. Finding the bugs is the first step in determining what the fish are eating and making a good choice in what fly to tie on.

The life of a bug in a trout stream goes through several stages. From larvae and puppa to nymphs and emergers and finally adults. Tying on a fly that matches what the trout are eating is essential for your fishing success. Try and catch what you see and compare it to the flies in your box. Look for size and color as well as the overall look.

To identify the bugs you find look for these clues. Mayfly adults have curled tails. As nymphs they will have 4 legs and 3 tails. Stoneflies nymphs have 6 legs and 2 tail sections. Adult stoneflies will have 4 wings. Stones are a pretty large fly as an adult. Caddis nymphs have a wing case and 6 legs. The adults have 2 wings and 2 antennae. There are often grasshoppers, ants and beetles around. These are great to imitate.

Once you know what you’ve got the next stage is to pick a fly that will match. Not all the bugs and flies look alike so it helps to know what the flies are as well. Hold the bug you are matching to your fly box and compare. Match size and color as well as overall look. If it looks good to you it will look good to the fish. Matching exact hatches is only really needed during a major hatch where there is abundant food for the trout to choose from.

When selecting your fly remember that trout are looking up at it and you are looking down. Turn the fly over before picking it. Smaller is usually better if the exact size cannot be matched. Trout will usually go for a smaller imitation and shy from a larger offering.

Follow these steps to better fly selection and watch your catch rate improve.

The food chain is constantly changing, so it is a good idea to check the stream regularly.

Best of Luck and tight lines

Check out our pocket size guide for on the water references that will help ID the bugs you find.

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