In a recent article titled "Be Prepared," I talked about some of the considerations I look at when planning my time on the water. In knowing the conditions we may face, we can better prepare for any outing. But what are some of the modern tools and resources we can use to best prepare?
The first thing I had mentioned in the article was to know the waters you plan to fish. I often refer to the USGS website to check flow rates on tributaries that have gauges. This is a great resource as you can access information regarding stream flows for previous years, and compare the recorded Cubic Feet per Second (CFS) to the current measurements.
Some gauges will record water temperature, but unfortunately the ones in my area don’t always have that feature. Paying attention to the air temperature and weather can help to gauge what the water temperature may be like. If it’s been hot for a few days, and the flows are lower than average, I would expect the water temperature to be a bit higher, especially in sections of the river where the water runs over a large population of boulders. The heat that the granite gains as the sun bares down tends to transfer to the water as it comes into contact with the splashing current.
Another tool that I have come to rely on heavily is the Gaia app. I started paying for the premium subscription yearly after doing a short trial. With all the overlays offered, this app helps me to understand and predict the terrain and access points on a river before I leave the house. Another function that I use when scouting new waters is the “Add Waypoint to My Location” button. Whether walking or driving, I can drop pins on turnouts or little trails that look like they may provide good access. I revisit these pins over time and weed out which ones may not be great, while also updating the good areas with notes.
If you’re not a fan of digital maps, or maybe you just enjoy a good paper map, you shouldn’t overlook the option to mark down fishing spots and notes on a hard copy. I have maps of my local area with fishing spots that I have explored. I circle and number the spots on the map, then write notes about the spot on the back.
Regardless of what medium you use for your navigation, maps can also help you to determine what stretch of water may be best for the time of day you plan to fish. My local creek fishes much better in the evening than it does in the morning, and it took me a while to catch on as to one of the factors that play into that. The orientation of the creek. When fishing in the morning, the sun rises just above a ridge, casting a harsh glare down the small canyon and downstream. While a few spots have a little bit of shade, the majority of the creek is exposed to the sun until the late afternoon. It’s hard to see upstream while fishing, and if the light makes it difficult to see for a person, I imagine a fish has a hard time seeing food moving down the currents as well. Using your map to know the orientation of the water you plan to fish can be extremely useful.
As far as weather goes, there are plenty of resources online. From websites to apps, you can find plenty of weather predictions for any region in the world. Find a source that seems to be accurate for your area and stick with it.
Outside of using a website, paying attention to weather trends can also help you in planning. You’ll know the patterns and little quirks in your favorite areas to fish better than I can guess, and taking those aspects into consideration can help to make your time on the water more productive.