Adapted from Small Fly Adventures in the West by Neale Streeks

Here on the large tailwaters, the breadth and volume of the river can be initially dismaying to small-stream anglers. It would seem foolish to fish tiny flies blind in so much water. What the angler must do here is cut the river down to size. You're not going to fish all of it, just the most likely zones. You can always sweep a Woolly Bugger and catch some fish, but more are likely to be taken in the right places on small stuff. Since at this point we're still talking about fishing blind, it's the nymphs that offer the greatest potential here. Blind-casting small drys might bring up the occasional fish, especially in well-defined holding positions like grass banks and narrow ripple lines. But on the whole, small nymphs or two-fly systems produce best.

Anywhere the water slows on a tailwater is a likely fish-holding zone. Edge waters all hold some fish, and often a good number. They don't need any cover in the traditional sense, either. Inside bends and especially where points of land transmit expansive ripple lines are prime locations. The trout will be in the ripple or eddy line, and on the bank side of it in slower, shallower water. If a good hatch or spinner fall is on, many rising fish are likely to be seen in these quarters. Nymphing such ripple lines and just to the bank side of them is a very likely tailwater choice.

Anytime a broad gravel bar is encountered, trout are likely to be found both upstream and downstream of it. The downstream location will generally have the most fish and prove to be the best nymphing site. This should be fished very systematically—cover all the water a bit at a time. Often schools of trout are located, and they can be tightly bunched. There is enough food on these rivers that trout tend to have reduced territorial aspirations and will huddle closely. Trout will rise well here too during a hatch, but can be tricky to see in the rippling water. Stare hard and scan widely. More on this in a moment.

Upstream of gravel bars or islands is a broad and shallowing tailout. This can be a very expansive flat that's possible to wade. Here trout will be more thinly spaced but widespread. It is a good location during a hatch in which to pick off steady risers. It's a bit more work to nymph here when compared to the downstream gravel-bar dropoff position, which is more concentrated and well defined.

Island systems draw fish and fishermen to their varied water types. The tailout above them (upstream), the ripples emanating from their heads, and converging currents below all house trout. Extensive gravel-bar systems are often associated with islands, and trout will be found in dropoffs, depressions, and anywhere the water velocity is reduced to ideal holding levels. Tailwater trout seem to like the confinement of small side channels, too, perhaps being desirous of small-stream intimacy.

At the tails of islands and along the true riverbanks are converging currents, troughs, and big eddies. Some can be quite deep, and all hold varying concentrations of trout.

Any quality bank cover and eddies will hold fish, as they do on any stream. But on tailwaters, even straight, shallow banks with no cover have some fish, for currents are reduced here, and food is delivered. These are the conditions tailwater trout need most. No water is too shallow for them if it can cover their backs!

Small weighted nymphs are best bets here in nonhatch periods, including such contemporary classics as Pheasant Tail Nymphs and Beadhead PTs (Baetis, PMD, and Pseudo nymph imitations); Brassies and midge pupae (midge larvae and pupae imitations); scuds and cressbugs (crustacean imitations); and San Juan Worms (aquatic worm imitations). San Juan Worms are fished in sizes #8 to #14, scuds and cressbugs in #12 to #18, Brassies and midge pupae in #18 to #28, and PTs and Beadhead PTs in #14 to #24. These are among the most consistent tailwater producers in nonhatch periods and are fished deep and dead-drift, often with extra weight and strike indicators added to long leaders. The average depths of holding trout are six inches to six feet. Other major pattern types include caddis worms and emergers in #14 to #22, and crayfish and baitfish (minnow and sculpin) imitations in sizes #8 to #4.

Blind-nymphing a tailwater calls for a degree of faith and patience at first. There seems just too much water to dally with. But if you cut the river down to size, concentrating on the most likely zones, success will follow. It certainly helps to talk to others, stop in at local fly shops, and watch successful anglers on-stream if you're a newcomer to the scene. Highly experienced tailwater nymphers catch a lot of fish, and in a seemingly effortless manner. It is their understanding of aquatic life, trout-holding zones, and line control that allow them to do it.

Move on to The Hatch Return to Top

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