04-16-2004, 02:00 PM
[size 2]How to read the water’s surface to find fish
by Jeff Little[/size]
![[Image: jlittle_surface_article1.jpg]](http://www.riversmallies.com/images/jlittle_surface_article1.jpg)
[url "mailto:yakfish@earthlink.net"][#000066][size 2][/size][/#000066][/url]
[size 1]This prespawn smallie was caught from a deep-water submerged boulder that produced an isolated boil on the water surface. [/size]
Much has been written on how to read water for navigational purposes, but being able to discern between different current speeds, directions, and characteristics shouldn’t only be a paddling skill. If I had only one feature upon which to establish a pattern, it would be current. At different water temperatures, seasons, and aggression levels, fish will hold in different types of current. The angler who has a good eye for the subtle differences in water surface features can pattern fish quicker and more accurately than anglers who are just looking at objects that they can see.
Eddies are easy to identify and most anglers know to target them. While knowing that the fish that you just caught came from an eddy is important, you should break it down further to develop a more specific pattern. Consider the size and shape of the eddies that have been producing when developing your pattern. Paying attention to the type of object causing the eddy (i.e. ledge, wood, or gravel bar), and whether it is a mid-river or shoreline eddy can also narrow down your pattern parameters.
Once you have an idea of the type of eddy you have been finding fish in, take notice of where in the eddy they have been biting your lure. Aggressive fish are often found toward the head of the eddy, or tight to the eddy line where they have the first shot at prey targets drifting by. Less aggressive fish or fish in cold water can often be found in the center of the eddy where foam or floating debris gather on the surface.
By watching this foam, you can gauge the relative speed of current. Be sure to keep an eye on the bank when watching foam to gauge speed. The fact that you are also drifting freely can distort your current speed judgment.
Shoreline eddies often form foam triangles downstream of the current turn. In larger eddies, two or more swirl patterns often form. Where the two circles meet, and currents merge, a split forms. The split can create an even larger foam triangle on the shoreline. This feature provides an easy place for a big fish to hold, where it can monitor for prey objects in two distinct whirlpool patterns.
Splits aren’t the only shoreline feature that big bass prefer. Billows, also referred to as soft washes are areas where still water along the shoreline is periodically invaded by a gentle push of circular current. I think of the shape of this circular current in a billow as being on a different plane as the circular current in an eddy. A cross section view of the river would be needed instead of a top view in order to see it as circular current. On the surface, you may see a line of gently mixing current that parallels the shoreline. This type of current requires deeper water on the shoreline than a traditional top viewed eddy.
In deeper flat water sections, identifying isolated boils can help you establish a pattern. By searching for these characteristics, casting upstream, and intersecting your retrieve with the unseen object that creates the boil, you can often connect with bass holding on the cover.
Similarly, submerged ledges create long linear boils. These can be probed with a bottom bouncing lure. Once you see the angle of your line drop, let the lure have slack so it can descend straight down into the trench. Keeping a taught line will cause the lure to pendulum swing and miss the fish holding tight to the ledge.
Often the largest fish in some watersheds will hold in a shallow featureless area. The slow laminar flow (current traveling in a straight, nonturbulent course) in these areas must be an easy place for fish to hold without making positioning adjustments. I make a habit of paddling over to locations where I just caught or hooked and lost a big fish just to see why it was holding there. Many of the 22 inch and longer smallmouth that I have caught or hooked and lost have been holding in a featureless laminar flow area. Many of these areas are found just upstream of push water, or water that is accelerating into a riffle or ledge drop.
![[Image: jlittle_surface_article2.jpg]](http://www.riversmallies.com/images/jlittle_surface_article2.jpg)
[size 1]Above photo: By watching the speed of the foam in an eddy, we can find the preferred current speed, and pattern fish more specifically. [/size]
The use of polarized sunglasses has become popular with most anglers. Targeting specific cover objects that you can see is a great way to start a pattern. However, the turbidity is often too high for these objects to be seen. Additionally, kayak anglers sit too low to see the objects until they are almost on top of them. Water surface features are often missed by anglers who use polarized sunglasses. The lenses are designed to reduce the glare on the surface. The contrast of glare with the absence of it is how we see subtle surface characteristics. If you are having difficulty identifying the characteristics outlined above, try removing your polarized sunglasses, and use them again when the water clarity returns.
[signature]
by Jeff Little[/size]
[url "mailto:yakfish@earthlink.net"][#000066][size 2][/size][/#000066][/url] [size 1]This prespawn smallie was caught from a deep-water submerged boulder that produced an isolated boil on the water surface. [/size]
Much has been written on how to read water for navigational purposes, but being able to discern between different current speeds, directions, and characteristics shouldn’t only be a paddling skill. If I had only one feature upon which to establish a pattern, it would be current. At different water temperatures, seasons, and aggression levels, fish will hold in different types of current. The angler who has a good eye for the subtle differences in water surface features can pattern fish quicker and more accurately than anglers who are just looking at objects that they can see.
Eddies are easy to identify and most anglers know to target them. While knowing that the fish that you just caught came from an eddy is important, you should break it down further to develop a more specific pattern. Consider the size and shape of the eddies that have been producing when developing your pattern. Paying attention to the type of object causing the eddy (i.e. ledge, wood, or gravel bar), and whether it is a mid-river or shoreline eddy can also narrow down your pattern parameters.
Once you have an idea of the type of eddy you have been finding fish in, take notice of where in the eddy they have been biting your lure. Aggressive fish are often found toward the head of the eddy, or tight to the eddy line where they have the first shot at prey targets drifting by. Less aggressive fish or fish in cold water can often be found in the center of the eddy where foam or floating debris gather on the surface.
By watching this foam, you can gauge the relative speed of current. Be sure to keep an eye on the bank when watching foam to gauge speed. The fact that you are also drifting freely can distort your current speed judgment.
Shoreline eddies often form foam triangles downstream of the current turn. In larger eddies, two or more swirl patterns often form. Where the two circles meet, and currents merge, a split forms. The split can create an even larger foam triangle on the shoreline. This feature provides an easy place for a big fish to hold, where it can monitor for prey objects in two distinct whirlpool patterns.
Splits aren’t the only shoreline feature that big bass prefer. Billows, also referred to as soft washes are areas where still water along the shoreline is periodically invaded by a gentle push of circular current. I think of the shape of this circular current in a billow as being on a different plane as the circular current in an eddy. A cross section view of the river would be needed instead of a top view in order to see it as circular current. On the surface, you may see a line of gently mixing current that parallels the shoreline. This type of current requires deeper water on the shoreline than a traditional top viewed eddy.
In deeper flat water sections, identifying isolated boils can help you establish a pattern. By searching for these characteristics, casting upstream, and intersecting your retrieve with the unseen object that creates the boil, you can often connect with bass holding on the cover.
Similarly, submerged ledges create long linear boils. These can be probed with a bottom bouncing lure. Once you see the angle of your line drop, let the lure have slack so it can descend straight down into the trench. Keeping a taught line will cause the lure to pendulum swing and miss the fish holding tight to the ledge.
Often the largest fish in some watersheds will hold in a shallow featureless area. The slow laminar flow (current traveling in a straight, nonturbulent course) in these areas must be an easy place for fish to hold without making positioning adjustments. I make a habit of paddling over to locations where I just caught or hooked and lost a big fish just to see why it was holding there. Many of the 22 inch and longer smallmouth that I have caught or hooked and lost have been holding in a featureless laminar flow area. Many of these areas are found just upstream of push water, or water that is accelerating into a riffle or ledge drop.
[size 1]Above photo: By watching the speed of the foam in an eddy, we can find the preferred current speed, and pattern fish more specifically. [/size]
The use of polarized sunglasses has become popular with most anglers. Targeting specific cover objects that you can see is a great way to start a pattern. However, the turbidity is often too high for these objects to be seen. Additionally, kayak anglers sit too low to see the objects until they are almost on top of them. Water surface features are often missed by anglers who use polarized sunglasses. The lenses are designed to reduce the glare on the surface. The contrast of glare with the absence of it is how we see subtle surface characteristics. If you are having difficulty identifying the characteristics outlined above, try removing your polarized sunglasses, and use them again when the water clarity returns.
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