How to fish a river in ten yard increments.

The 10 yard swath system.

THE FIRST STEP in this system is to locate productive water in the first place. Knowledge of your quarry and where they live in all seasons of the year is vital in this starting point. Making a plan before you even step out the door of your house is THE SECOND STEP. After all, we are there to catch fish and not waste valuable time! Knowing a river intimately will help you locate fish faster than the weekend, or recreational angler. Even if you are a recreational angler, or weekend angler, this system will work for you. The next downloadable articles will be ‘where to find the fish in all four seasons of the year’! Once we arrive at the river WITH A PLAN, we then begin to break the river down in 10 yard increments.

Starting at the top of a pool for example, we spend 10 minutes in that 10 yard area of river. If the fish are there and they are feeding, you will most likely hook into one within the first 10 minutes of fishing. Let’s say you do not have even a bite, or do not land a fish within that 10 minute window, why would you stay in that location for any longer? Are you wasting precious time waiting for the fish to come to you, or are you going to the fish?

BE THE HUNTER!

No bites and no fished hooked we move down the river, into the next 10 yard swath of river. Now we are fishing an untouched, virgin section of river. Perhaps the fish are down further in the pool or run, how we find this out is we move to the fish, WE HUNT! Now our lure or spinner is entering into fresh water, perhaps there is underwater cover here such as weeds, or large boulders, where they are not present at the top of the pool. All of a sudden we get a bite, or we actually hook one. We have moved into where the fish are living in the pool. We reel said fish in and let him go to be caught another day. On the next few casts we manage to catch another one, followed by another one several casts later. Then all goes quiet again. We make several more casts and come up empty.

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WHAT HAPPENED????

We know that there were fish there and we hooked and landed 3 already. Then we spooked the school, where did they go, WHAT HAPPENED? The fish moved somewhere! They just saw three of their school mates get caught and they left the playground, BUT WHERE DID THEY GO? You just spooked the school and they went one of three places.

  1. Up the river to find shelter and get away from you.
  2. They went down river to find a safe place to hide, again to get away from the playground (your 10 yard swath of water).
  3. They went to the other side of the river to run and hide.

WHAT DO WE DO NOW?

There are a few things we can do now once this happens. We can move down the river and present our lure or spinner into the new 10 yard section of untouched river, locating the fish again after they have moved out of the previous 10 yard swath. If we again hook and land fish in the new 10 yard area, we proceed to keep casting and catching.
If we don’t find active fish in the new 10 yard area of river, we can sit down and admire our beautiful surroundings, giving the fish a chance to forget about the three or more fish they just saw you catch 5 minutes earlier. I like to give the fish at least a five minute break when I do this, that way they forget about their 3 friends that were down there in the school with them getting caught. During this time we can keep a look out for active fish rising, or feeding, further down the pool, or back at the top of the pool where we started. We can also CHANGE LURES, offering the fish something new during this 5 minute breather. REMEMBER, the fish may have went across the pool to the other side, so we may want to choose a lure or spinner that is heavier at this time, that way we can reach those active fish that have moved further across. If you are fishing a narrow stream, the chances that they went across the stream are next to none. They will ONLY move up or down. If you are fishing a wide river, then this tactic will come into play. Switch the lure or spinner to a heavier model and proceed to cast further across the river, maximizing every inch the river has to offer you, AND catching as many fish in the area that are feeding.

LET’S MOVE ALONG

Moving down again after this resting period will set you into a new 10 yard chunk of real-estate, and again into new untouched water. Using the same methods and tactics that have landed you fish that day; work this new 10 yard swath over and catch more fish. Sometimes you will notice that the smaller fish will live at the top of the school and the larger fish will be at the middle of the school, or at the bottom of the school. The BIG FISH are dominant and will battle for better position within the school. The big boys will have the best hiding spots as they are the kings of the castle. We need to keep moving in 10 yard increments to find those trophy fish within the area. I don’t mind catching those smaller fish, but after you become a more advanced angler, you will look for those massive fish each and every outing. You will find these BIG FISH once you start employing the 10 yard system, and keep on the constant move to locate those said BIG FISH. The process of elimination becomes easier and you will find yourself on BIG FISH more often, and more frequently with less wasted time. Once you have fished the entire pool or run, head back up the river and repeat this proven process. You have given the top portion of the pool a 30-40 minute rest and may now catch many more fish where you started.
Keep working the entire pool in these 10 yard sections and you will put more fish in your net every single outing. If you find you are not catching any more fish in the stretch of river you are fishing, it’s now time to pack up and move to a new location of the river. Repeat the 10 yard swath technique and soon you will be the talk of the local tackle shops.

Tight lines,

Mike

Energy and Fishing

Many anglers understand that giving off good “vibes” on the water can be more productive! It goes without saying that a happy employee for example, is usually a productive employee and will accomplish more work in a day than say a disgruntled employee. This is my approach to fishing. When I am happy and enthusiastic, I am generally a more productive angler and seem to put more fish in the net, as opposed to when I am frustrated and feeling down.

Many people do not talk about this subject, but I believe it is very important to discuss and implement into your “fishing system”. First off, I would like to discuss how I feel about energy, and how that affects my daily catch limit or effectiveness when out on the river. I firmly believe that when I am happy, when my gear works properly, and when my lure runs straight and true, my energy is calm, and I am sending out positive vibrations which the fish can feel. How can the fish feel my vibrations you may ask? I believe that when you are sending out positive vibes, you are holding the fishing rod in your hand, then once you cast, your vibrations are transferred into the water by the line which is attached to the line. It is in my opinion, that the fish feel these vibrations and react according to my energy I am emitting outwards. You ever had a day when you and your fishing partner head out and are using the same rod, same reel, same lure etc. The one angler seems to be catching more fish than the other angler, and often, we cannot figure out why. Sometimes it can be the technique used by the one angler, but I believe it can also be that the one angler is sending out positive vibes, and as a result, the fish react to that positive energy, as opposed to the other anglers negative, frustrated energy. I truly believe that positive energy puts more fish in the net.

How to create positive energy.

Positive energy is created much before you step on the banks of the river or onto your boat for the day. It is created by checking your gear, by making sure each and everyone of your lures is in tip-top shape, and it is created by paying attention to the small details BEFORE you head out onto the water. Here are some of the details I pay attention to before even leaving the threshold of my door.

  1. Clean and check my reels that I will be using for the days trip. This includes lubricating the reels in the spline of the reel, the ball bearings in the handle, as well as, lubricating the inner housing of the reel. I want to make sure that the reel is clean and free of and dirt or grime. I want to make sure that the reel is spinning properly and not binding up in any way. I will double check the screws in the reel as well, making sure none of them are coming loose in any way. Then I will flip the bail of the reel open and closed several times, making sure the bail will open and close properly.
  2. Making sure I have fresh line is very important to me. There is nothing worse than getting out on the water and having line issues that waste time and effort. I would rather check the line at home, and if I feel that there will be an issue of any kind, including line twist, breakage, or if the line is brittle in any way, that I remove the old line off my reel the night before my planned trip, and respool with new fresh line according to the quarry I intend to target. What I mean by that is this. If I know I will be targeting 4-6lb trout, I will spool my reels with 8lb test line.
  3. Checking all my lures for defects including cracks in the bills of the lures. It is super important to me that my lure is swimming tried and true from the beginning of the trip, until the end of the trip. If I see visible cracks in the lure, or the lure appears damaged in any way, I will leave that lure at home and replace it with a new lure from the factory packaging. It is also necessary for me to remove any old line from the lures I have used on previous trips from the lure before I head out fishing. In many instances, leaving old line on the lures can cause breakage of the line, leading to frustration of losing a fish, or possibly losing the lure when casted.
  4. Using your confidence baits will increase hook-ups! Most of us including me have their favorite lures they are super confident with. Once I have checked that the lure is working properly with a few test casts, I feel confident and at ease. My energy level is positive which leads a great day on the water. I believe it is important for you to have this same confident approach every time you fish. This brings us to our next point. What if I am having a frustrating day on the water, what should I do?
  5. If in fact you have followed all the steps contained here in this chapter, and your day goes sideways for any reason, what should you do? Either by boat or shore fishing, I will stop and take a break and let the feelings of frustration subside or pass. If I am in my boat, I will immediately pull my boat off the river in a safe location and get recentred. If the lure is not working properly, I will adjust accordingly. If my casting is not accurate, I will sit there and have a drink or just pause to take in my surroundings. Whatever it takes to get rid of the frustration or negative energy, I will do before carrying on with my trip. Same thing applies when I am shore fishing. I will pause and sit down and just take a break then resume fishing once my frustration level goes down. After I feel calm, cool and collected, I will pick my rod back up and resume casting.
  6. Having sharp hooks that are in perfect condition is another important factor for me to create a happy, positive fishing experience. Before I leave the house, I make triple sure my hooks are sharp and undamaged. Often, our hooks get damaged from previous trips and become dull, bent, or broken entirely. If we triple check our hooks before starting our day, we will often notice these defects. I will remove the hook from the split ring and replace the damaged hook with a laser sharp Eagle Claw hook. I find these hooks strong, and super sharp, which I trust. Having faith in a product and trusting a product, will keep you confident and happy on the water!

To summarize, having confidence in your gear will lead to a more positive, productive fishing experience each time you are on the water. If your energy vibrations are high, chances are, so will your catch ratio be. For me, this is a very important part of my fishing system which often goes overlooked by other anglers. It is a key factor in my success, both fishing alone, and when I have clients in the boat when I guide. Keeping the mood happy, and positive, translates into more fish in the net.

When choosing to fish with another angler, that other angler must also meet these criteria; meaning, that angler must also have a positive attitude while fishing with me. There is nothing worse than fishing with a partner with an attitude that is negative and pessimistic. I choose to fish with positive, enthusiastic anglers with good vibes and high energy levels. It makes for a productive, happy day on the water. Keep your attitude in check, be supportive, triple check your gear before you leave the house, and fish with happy positive people. This will put more fish in your net, and a bigger smile on your face!

Tight Lines,
Mike

Spin fishing the Bow River January 2023

The month of January has been exceptionally warm here once again in Calgary, so its off to the Bow River for some more spin fishing action. Before I head out on any fishing adventure, I like to check my gear to make sure everything is working properly. I respooled one-reel last night, with fresh, eight-pound test line. I also lubed the reel for maximum performance the next day. When you have a twenty-minute hike into a spot, Its wise to make sure your gear is in tip-top shape! I restocked the tackle box with the Robertson Tackle 3.5 inch crank-baits and headed off to bed early for a good nights rest. If you have not seen the new lures I have for sale, please head over to my other website at www.robertsontackle.com and get yourself some.

I was all set to meet Johnny and Zach at the river for a friendly fishing trip on the banks of the Bow River. I parked near the river and started to tie my lures on my freshly spooled line. Shortly after, Johnny and Zach pulled up and off we went down the river. A few casts along the way, and it was not long before I got my first trout, a brown sitting in some deeper choppy water. Johnny also got two fish in water that I normally would have walked past in the winter. Another ten-minute walk, and we were in the deeper water we had planned to fish. It was not long before Johnny was into some amazing Bow River Rainbow Trout, with Zach assisting on the net.

The weather started to warm up and the fishing got extremely good. With that sun kissing the water, and the river warming up even a few degrees, it sent the fish into feeding mode. I started letting my lure sink to the bottom of the river and tapping the bottom a few times, before slowly lifting the lure up and letting it fall again. This slow, methodic method triggered the fish to crush my brown trout pattern Robertson Tackle crank bait.

Both Zach and Johnny were having great success with this technique, and we all put many amazing trout in the net for our efforts. The two colors that were working well were the brown trout pattern and the rainbow trout pattern. With super clear water conditions, combined with that sun, made those lures shimmer and shine down there. Between the three of us, we managed to put over thirty fish in the net. There were many amazing rainbows netted, as well as a few epic browns.

Another fantastic day spin fishing the Bow River between three friends. Hopefully the weather stays warm and we can do it again soon.

~Mike

Winter Angling the Bow River

With the weather splendid, and the sun shining all afternoon, it was great to get out fishing with Jordan this past boxing day. We met up at a local, inner city spot, and fished a few hours landing both brown trout, and rainbow trout.

Both Jordan and I were using the 3.5 Inch Robertson Tackle crankbaits, with great success. Once the water warmed up, the fish started biting and we put some beauties in my net.

It was a total blessing to be able to fish open water the day after Christmas. Thanks so much for coming out with me Jordan. Another great trout fishing session in the books.

Cheers,

~Mike