Podcast: Find Your Water — Find Space — S3-Ep7

by | May 8, 2022 | 3 comments

 The Troutbitten Podcast is available everywhere that you listen to your podcasts.

** Note **  The Podcast Player, along with links to your favorite players is below.

Every angler wants to fish somewhere new — someplace untouched. We want novel experiences. Something about trout fishing, about catch and release and about throwing flies, attracts the explorer. Long term anglers are most often the adventurers. They’re the pathfinders — the ones who find the qualities of solitude and peace more important than fishing big-name waters or catching a bunch of trout.

And these days, one of the most common complaints heard among fishermen is about crowded waters. People say there are more anglers than ever and that you can’t get away from all the fishermen out there. But I think you can. And, In turn, one of the most common questions I receive is how to find the offbeat waters, where are the places that everyone doesn’t fish? Inevitably, people ask about these places because they want to see fewer anglers.

That solitude on a trout stream is there if you truly want it. By putting in the time to learn your waters, you’ll find the under-fished areas.

You’ll learn that the headwaters of your home stream hold just as many trout as the popular section that meets the road. And here, among this wooded stream just twenty feet wide, the peace and seclusion you seek is there for you. It’s a place where life slows down a bit, and no one else will bother you.

Or maybe do the opposite. By exploring downstream of the catch and release section, by going beyond what anglers talk about as the trout water, you wade into a marginal river. Maybe there are half as many trout, and maybe the creek runs behind a strip mall before merging with its parent river. But this too is water to call your own. And after a handful of casts to moving water and the prospect of a big trout, the imperfect surroundings fade away — because you’re alone.

If you want space, if you want to find your own water, it’s there for you.

Think about where and when. Consider the conditions. And learn to recognize the habits of anglers — because they are always predictable. Avoid every access with a clever name like Rainbow Riffle or Three Dollar Bridge. Sure, the fishing might be great, but these are not the places to find your space.

And if you roll up to a popular access of a blue ribbon trout stream, if it’s noon on a Sunday, if it’s June with prime flows and sunny skies, then stop complaining about the cars and anglers.

That’s your choice. It’s on you. And by making that choice, you’re now part of the predictable habits of anglers.

We Cover the Following
  •  Are there really more anglers?
  • The effects of weather on angler pressure
  • How the habits of anglers are predictable
  • Popular water, unpopular spots
  • Popular waters, uncommon times
  • Lesser known waters
  • Exploring, walking

 

Listen with the player above, or . . .

Find the Troutbitten podcast on any of these services:

— Apple Podcasts
— Spotify
— Google Podcasts
— Amazon Music
. . . and everywhere else where you listen to podcasts.

Resources

READ: Troutbitten | Why Everyone Fishes the Same Water, and What to do About It
READ: Troutbitten | Cover Water, Catch Trout
READ: Troutbitten | Explore | Learn | Return
READ: Troutbitten | Save the Discovery
READ: Troutbitten | One Thing at a Time

 

You can find the dedicated Troutbitten Podcast page at . . .

podcast.troutbitten.com

 

Season Three of the Troutbitten podcast continues with Episode 8.  So look for that one in your Troutbitten podcast feed.

Fish hard, friends.

 

** Donate ** If you enjoy this podcast, please consider a donation. Your support is what keeps this Troutbitten project funded. Scroll below to find the Donate Button. And thank you.

 

Enjoy the day.
Domenick Swentosky
T R O U T B I T T E N
domenick@troutbitten.com

 

Share This Article . . .

Since 2014 and 1500+ articles deep
Troutbitten is a free resource for all anglers.
Your support is greatly appreciated.

– Explore These Post Tags –

Domenick Swentosky

Central Pennsylvania

Hi. I’m a father of two young boys, a husband, author, fly fishing guide and a musician. I fish for wild brown trout in the cool limestone waters of Central Pennsylvania year round. This is my home, and I love it. Friends. Family. And the river.

More from this Category

Lane, Depth and Speed – What Matters Most In a Nymph Drift (VIDEO)

Lane, Depth and Speed – What Matters Most In a Nymph Drift (VIDEO)

When a nymph disappears under the surface, it’s easy to settle for a drift that’s merely good enough . . . but we shouldn’t. Underwater currents are complex, and a convincing nymph drift depends on three things: lane, depth and speed. No matter the rig — tight line or indicator, Mono Rig or fly line — we must understand what the nymph is doing and make deliberate choices about its path. And while all three elements matter, trout are more particular about some drift qualities than others. In this video, I break down each element and rank them by importance, with one goal in mind: better dead drifts and more consistent fishing.

PODCAST: Doing the Opposite – S21, Ep1 (VIDEO and AUDIO)

PODCAST: Doing the Opposite – S21, Ep1 (VIDEO and AUDIO)

My friends are here with me to begin season twenty-one with a conversation about doing the opposite. Because if you’re struggling out there on the water, if the net hasn’t been wet in a while and the trout seem to disagree with everything you suggest, then maybe you should do the opposite.

To quote Jerry Seinfeld’s advice to George . . . “If every instinct you have is wrong, the opposite would have to be right.”

Nine Myths About Fly Choice (VIDEO)

Nine Myths About Fly Choice (VIDEO)

Most anglers put a lot of focus on fly choice. And that makes sense, because we have to tie something to the end of the line, and we have to feed something to the trout. The fly is the quickest thing to change, and it’s the easiest thing to blame. Consequently, a lot of myths have grown around fly choice. Here are nine of those myths.

UPDATE ON EVENT: The Troutbitten Film Festival

UPDATE ON EVENT: The Troutbitten Film Festival

Troutbitten is hosting a Film Festival at New Trail Brewing Company in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, and we want you to be there. We’ll gather to share fishing stories, a few beers and good times. The event will feature door prizes with gear from many of the best companies in the fly fishing world, and we’ll have awards for some of the selected films.

The Troutbitten Film Festival features genuine experiences. It’s about the woods and the water. It’s about wild places. It’s about the friendships and stories we all collect from a life on the water. It’s not about exotic locations. It’s not a big fish contest or a big camera contest. If you’re resourceful, you can create something beautiful and endearing for the Troutbitten Film Festival with your iPhone.

Building the Troutbitten Mono Rig – Reels, Lines, Materials, Connections and Knots (VIDEO)

Building the Troutbitten Mono Rig – Reels, Lines, Materials, Connections and Knots (VIDEO)

For over a decade, I’ve written and talked about fishing a Mono Rig for all underwater presentations — nymphs with and without an indicator, with and without split shot, dry dropper, streamers of all shapes and sizes and even pure dry flies.

I’ve detailed the formulas for my favorite leaders in many places, but I’ve never put everything together from the ground up. This video answers the most frequent questions about reels, fly lines, leader connections, materials and knots. No matter what tight line leader you choose to build, the principles shown here apply.

Fishing With Visible Flies — Learning From What You Can See (VIDEO)

Fishing With Visible Flies — Learning From What You Can See (VIDEO)

Seeing the fly is one of the most enjoyable aspects of fishing. But there’s a world of education inherent, too. Watch the fly dance and fall as it mixes with the currents. Notice how it responds to rod tip animation and line strips. Then see a trout materialize around the fly and judge its reaction. Visible flies are teachers. Whether dries, wets, nymphs or streamers, watching the fly helps us refine the techniques that catch fish.

What do you think?

Be part of the Troutbitten community of ideas.
Be helpful. And be nice.

3 Comments

  1. Another gem Dominic. I read in a book once, a while back, to fish marginal waters at prime times and prime waters at marginal times. Your thoughts mirror that author, and I apologize I can’t remember the name or the book. Still your words carry wisdom. I have found some nice fish over the years doing exactly as you describe and not a soul in sight.

    Thanks

    Reply
  2. This one hit home. Appreciate the positivity. I love it. Walk further, wade better, stretch the season, fish the outliers. Like the old joke about two anglers in bear country, you just have to out-distance the other fellow.

    Thanks to the TB crew.

    -M

    Reply

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Articles

Recent Posts

Domenick Swentosky

Central Pennsylvania

Hi. I’m a father of two young boys, a husband, author, fly fishing guide and a musician. I fish for wild brown trout in the cool limestone waters of Central Pennsylvania year round. This is my home, and I love it. Friends. Family. And the river.

Pin It on Pinterest