Fishing Rivers

[abassin34]

Currently near a river in the Northeast. Was wondering if anyone had any tips for finding good spots in rivers / tips for fishing a river with a strong current. Anything helps.

[bigjim5589]

It usually will depend on the river, as they can be different even in the same state. I had fished various rivers in MD, and although some of the same tackle & techniques were used for them all, how they were fished was different.

For example, an area on the Potomac that I liked, had a lot of submerged ledges, and deep holes, but on a river such as the Susquehanna, that was more chunk rocks & boulders. I also liked fishing sections of the Patuxent, which had primarily sand & gravel bottoms, and there the deeper holes and where there may have been downed trees, was the places I would look for to find the fish. They were not everywhere. Also, there was a good bit of undercut banks and washed out tree roots. So, my approach was often different even when using the same lures. I liked flipping small 1/8 to 1/4 oz jigs there, as that water was shallower. i also liked lighter spinner baits there. I very seldom used a crankbait, but would toss surface lures.

I found that on the Susquehanna, and I liked fishing below Conowingo Dam, when they were running a lot of water through the turbines, that often pushed the fish to the edges, or behind the rocks and trying to get a lure to them meant many lost lures. I used heavier jigs, like 1/2 or even 3/4 oz, with both fiber or wire snag guards, and rarely had to cast them out more than 20 feet. When the current was not as strong, casting further was necessary as the fish would spread out. 

Generally as far as strong currents, if you have to fight it to get the lures into spots, so will the fish to get to the lure, and they're going to be places that allow them to stay out of the strongest current, and still be able to grab any prey that gets washed past them, or your lure.

I have also fly fished these same waters, which can make it even more difficult to get a fly where the fish may be, since flies lack the weight of lures. Fly lines are larger diameter too, and the current moves them differently than a thinner line. These are variables that have to be considered and adjustments made to get the fly where the fish may be. There was certainly times that fly fishing was wasted effort, if the current & depth was too much. Then I would go fish the smaller streams. 

I could usually wade that area on the Potomac, but had to be real careful not to step into a hole, or get my foot caught in a ledge crack. It was easy to lose my balance and those rocks are slippery too. The Patuxent was much easier to wade, but there some areas had soft silt bottoms, especially the deeper spots, and might require walking around them on the bank.

I have waded some in the Susquehanna too, but when the current was real strong, it wasn't safe to try, so was always a judgement call when I got there. I took my jon boat, but only when the currents were not real strong. That's some very dangerous water even in a boat when they've got the turbines open in the dam.

All of this had an impact on how I may have fished those individual waters.

I also liked going to the Patapsco River and mostly fly fished there. It was more of in between all these other rivers as to the bottom structure and current strength.

The best thing that you can do for any body of water, is go there often & fish an area and become familiar with it. That's going to take time and the bigger the water, the more time it will take.

[Smallie_Stalker]

I'm assuming it's not a tidal river iIf it is that's a whole different approach).

Generally speaking, in rivers with strong current the fish will set up on objects like rock or wood to break that current. They usually sit in the calmer water behind the object and wait for food to wash by them or even into the eddie where they are sitting.

Cast up-current and let the current carry the bait past or into the eddie.

Experiment with different casting angles to try and maximize your opportunity to get the bait washed into the eddie if possible.



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[Dark3]

Sometimes cover from current isnt always visible. Sometimes a shoal or rock in the center of a piece of current can be used the same way. Also in my area where its alot of shoals and rock, finding areas of grass can be key.


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[Donald Garner]

Generally speaking, in rivers with strong current the fish will set up on objects like rock or wood to break that current. They usually sit in the calmer water behind the object and wait for food to wash by them or even into the eddies where they are sitting.

Cast up-current and let the current carry the bait past or into the eddies.

Experiment with different casting angles to try and maximize your opportunity to get the bait washed into the eddies if possible.

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I have (2) small rivers that I fish here in Central Texas.  One being the Lampasas River that feeds into the  Southwest end of Stillhouse Lake.  The other is called Cowhouse Creek that feeds into the West end of Belton Lake.  These are slow current moving waters (When the dams are open)  that have numerous laydowns, rock rip wraps and under water structure mixed in.

Smallie mentioned a technique of casting up stream and letting the bait drift down.  I use this on  occasion when the water is running.  When it's not running I still fish the Down Stream side of the objects.   

   

[bowhunter63]

Look for current breaks Eddie's Feeder creeks and any pocket that blocks current. Like on a small river find the forage and you will find the bass