(The Shokuryoshi Experiment)
If you’re like me, you spend plenty of time thinking about fishing. I imagine most anglers do.
The start of 2023 brought with it a long, cold, snowy winter for the Sierra Nevadas. As storms battered Northern California, I had plenty of time to sit and think about fishing. Time to think on how to make more use of my time on the water. How would the shokuryoshi have done it? Simply put, I think one of the best ways to make the most of your time on the water is to be prepared. In being prepared we, as anglers, set a foundation for efficiency. So where do we begin in preparing for an outing?
There are many things we can do to prepare for a fishing session, and I would say a large portion of them take place at home. From stocking your fly box and maintenance of gear, to packing and planning, the time and effort you put in to preparing off the water should pay itself off during your time on the water.
There were a lot of changes and refinements in my habits, both on and off the water, this last year. Aside from an evaluation of the gear I use, one of the big changes was in my planning. I started thinking more about the waters I fished, and how I could maximize my time fishing them. While the points I cover in this post weren’t completely overlooked in the past, paying more attention to some of the smaller details this year really helped me to better plan my outings. Listed below are the things I found really helped me to capitalize on my fishing this last season.
"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." - Benjamin Franklin
Have A Plan
Having a plan in place, in my opinion, can be one of the most important aspects of making sure you can take full advantage of your time on the water. Having a plan doesn’t mean that you have to have every moment of your day laid out in rigorous detail, but having an idea of how you want to spend your time on the water will help in preparing. I’ve also found that having a plan in place makes it easier to adjust and adapt to changes in the conditions and situation as they happen.
Know the Water
When using a tenkara rod, I like to fish the style in its traditional sense: fishing for trout and char in high gradient streams and rivers. I spent last year focusing on these species and that type of water as I felt that was the best way to really adopt the mindset of the Shokuryoshi, and to put these ideas to the test.
Sometimes the water I plan to fish will determine what species I’m most likely to encounter, and sometimes it’s the other way around. My favorite river to fish holds a healthy population of rainbow trout, but I know that if I want to chase brown trout or brookies I have to hit different waters in my area.
Another aspect I try to take into consideration are the water conditions. Following the record-breaking snowpack in the Sierra Nevada mountains, the flows throughout 2023 were much higher than the previous couple years. The higher volume of water coming through normal fishing spots added a new challenge, and some adjustment of tactics.
Outside of flows, water clarity and temperature also play into how I prepare for an outing. The way I fish in clear water differs from how I may approach water with more turbidity. There’s a point where it may not even be worth trying to fish water that has turned to the color of chocolate milk. There was one afternoon when I hit the local creek as some rain was setting in. The water was clear when I arrived, but after fishing for a little bit, the water started becoming more and more hazy - up until the point where it wasn’t worth fishing. The change from clear water to an opaque slurry happened over just a few minutes. With the already slow bite completely dying off I collapsed my rod, spooled up my line, and moved to a different creek where I could get skunked in water that was more clear.
As for water temperature, I generally move around the river to different spots depending on time of day and how the air temperature has been leading up to my fishing session. Some spots I like to hit are better in the morning, and some in the evening. If it’s been hot for a few days, I try to fish higher up in elevation, or in sections where there is plenty of shade offered by tree cover. Regardless of the heat, the bite tends to slow down quite a bit mid day. I generally plan my outings on either side of that - more often than not, hitting the evening hatch.
We have the modern luxury of websites and apps that can tell us flow rates and water conditions for our favorite rivers or streams. We also have access maps and weather forecasts. Be sure to make use of all the tools and resources we have available when planning. I’ve often found that knowing the area around the water can be important too. Which brings me to the next point…
Lay of the Land
Beyond the water, I also look at the terrain in the area that I plan to fish. If you fish a spot often, you probably already know what to expect from the area surrounding the water. When I look to fish a new area I like to try to get a feel for what I can expect.
I like to know if I will be able to park close to the water or if I’ll be walking in. If I will be walking in, it’s also nice to know about how far away from the water the trailhead is (assuming there is a trail), and what I can expect as far as elevation changes to and from the water.
I also like to know what to expect when I reach the water I’m planning to fish. How easy is it to access the water? Will I be fishing my way through a flat meadow, or scrambling over boulders as I climb my way up a creek? Getting a sense for the terrain in and around the river requires some research, but helps me to figure out what gear, or even how much gear I’ll be bringing with me.
Weather
Aside from knowing the topography of where I plan to fish, I also take into consideration the weather conditions I’m likely to face.
What can I expect as far as air temperature? Will it be clear skies or should I expect a bit of rain? Anyone who has spent some time in the mountains knows that the weather can be a bit unpredictable at times, and can quickly change from what was forecasted. If I’m planning to be further away from my car, I will often pack a light insulative and/or water repellent layer, depending on the time of day and point in the season I’m going to be out.
Regardless of whether I’m in the mountains or at a lower elevation fishing a tailwater at dawn, In my experience, the temperature next to the water can vary from what the forecast says. I will often bring a jacket with me, especially as summer winds into fall and the days get shorter. Generally speaking, I like to plan and pack in a way that prepares me for the least favorable conditions. When I get to the water or trailhead, I can always adjust and leave some gear in the car.
As we come to the end of this article, I just wanted to point out that there will always be some variance in the conditions we face, and how we plan to deal with those conditions. What I wear and pack for fishing a creek in the middle of June is different from what I bring to fish the same creek in the fall. Considering the factors in water, terrain, and weather has helped me to make more of my fishing time. While these are some of the considerations that go into my planning, I encourage anyone reading to create a system that works for their individual preferences, based on their experiences, that will help take some of the guesswork out of what to bring when you hit the water - regardless of the season.