Fish will hold in the pools created when the current slows to make the bend. Therefore, multiple anglers tend to stack-up to fish these productive waters. Fish that hold in these areas can become extremely picky and sometimes completely shut down because of the pressure. But, if you catch the fish on the right day, the action can be outstanding.
Fishing the outside of the bend is a common approach. If you discuss fishing bends with other anglers, most will choose to approach the feature from the inside (soft water), and fish to the faster flowing current of the outside of the bend. The faster water produces the basic needs of trout – from food to oxygen. A good drift from slower to faster current is something to consider. Work the water from the inside to the outside of the bend and be aware of the changes in
bottom depths as you work through the bends.
A lot of the bends have a sharp and sometimes undercut bank on the outside, and this is an excellent place for fish to hold. Tactics from swinging a wet fly to drifting a dry fly work on the outside and certainly toward the middle of bends.
The soft water of inside of a bend is a good place to provoke resting fish. You have to get to these
places before another angler comes and stands in the water to fish the outside of the bend or at least let some time pass after the others leave. If you have the opportunity to fish from a boat, keep the boat in faster water and toss big, ugly streamers into the soft water close to the bank. Strip the “Big Uglies” (big deer hair and marabou streamers) back toward you to imitate a fleeing fish that has mistakenly moved into the soft water zone. Work the inside waters every 3’ – 5’ and don’t be
surprised when a larger fish rises from the darkness and inhales your fly.
