Oh man this is what it's all about. Creek fishing/exploring is my favourite way to connect with nature. Thanks for sharing this moment

Definitely. Fly fishing limits you so you have to have a greater understanding of everything else to fill in the gap

For sure! I’m not out there to catch all the fish in one day, just a well executed land is all I’m after. Fly fishing feels more like hunting to me, which really tunes your senses into the environment and makes it an experience

Coldwater inlets, downed trees or submerged brush are usually good bets!

Besides time on the lake I’d suggest local tackle shops, other watermen while fishing, internet resources that can tell you what is biting in that time of year and where. It’s hard to give a great example because there are so many factors that can affect where they are.

The best example I can give is in my county there is an old quarry that is deep and clear and you can see blue gill and huge bass. Yet everyone said the fishing sucked, turns out a guy had been throwing his Christmas trees in there for 15 years and the fishing was insane if you knew where to drop a senko. Otherwise no interest, no matter any factor. Basically you can get tips from here but time on the body of water is the only true way.

Drop offs are good too. Off of points. Its not always easy. That's why they call it fishing and not catching

Well, if the water is above 80 degrees the fish are usually in deeper, cooler water. In the summer I like to follow submerged creeks and rivers. Bass are usually down in these cuts. If you focus on deeper water, you should have more success.

I always start with fishing any structure like docks or low hanging trees

You need more weight and need to cast into slower pockets created by big rocks or some other type of structure

You ever think about casting upstream instead, and ya know letting it sink down to where you want to start reeling in?

Look for areas where the water slows down. You'll have better success there. If you can't do that, highly visible lures or using live bait will help but you'll be in for a slog

fish cut bait with a large weight

I fish a river just down stream from a 8-10’ dam with really fast current. I catch a lot of fish on an under spin jig with a curly tail worm, inline spinners, and square bills preferably shallow ones. I’ll cast just past the middle and try and make it look like my lure is a baitfish getting beat up by the current. I don’t know what species of fish are in your river but mine has 25 species and I’m only missing 6 or 7 on my catch them all list. I kill it with the small mouth, large mouth, striped bass (when they are running), and white perch (technically a bass) fishing that way. I’ll also throw a second heavier rod out there to shallow areas where there is no current to catch bullheads, Channel cats, or carp.

https://wateroffice.ec.gc.ca/search/real_time_e.html

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You will need to go to the river and get a gauge of what flow, level and clarity looks like otherwise the numbers mean nothing until you have something visual to reference by. Most people won't tell you what their prime numbers are for flow, clarity and level something you'll have to do on your own.

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Edit: Also what one person's prime levels are might not matchup with another's so it's best to figure out what works for your style of fishing.

This is the sort of water that euro nymph fly fishing was designed for.

You don’t with spinners. Gotta find the eddies and bank cuts with slower moving water. That second pic looks like at has some fishable water.

If you want to stick with spinners, try casting it up river at 10 or 11 on the clock face, then retrieve it until it reaches you. There's some specific upstream spinners you could use (so the blade would work in the current).

Otherwise try and fish the edge of the current, the holes and eddies: trout don't usually stay in the current, they wait near it in calmer waters to save energy.

Spoons or twitching jigs

If you search the DNR for the state you are in, there will most likely be a list of the fish that live in that body of water

I travel, so, anywhere in the Midwest. I love Colorado, Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and I’d be open to more recommendations near those states.

FishRules app

Fishbrain app will show you what's in the waters

There are multiple apss that will tell you what is commonly caught in any given body of water but won't be complete. There will be additional species present that aren't targeted or in large numbers.

This is especially true of "rough" or baitfish. For instance, mooneye and skipjack are usually not listed for the Ohio River but are preaent in large numbers and often targetted by catfishermen for bait.

Get yourself an olive wooly bugger. Try weighted ones and non weighted. Also get some poppers. Just look up “how to fly fish for bass” on YouTube b

You are wasting your time with dry flies and nymph. If you must fish a bobber though some kind of jig crawfish or baitish under it and fish it close to bottom. Otherwise through active retrieve flies such as streamers (either weighted or on a sinking line) and poppers, though the former will more likely be your ticket.

There’s no trout there, probably way high up in the mountains

One can fly fish for almost any fish species. I would start digging around the California Department of Fish and Wildlife website to see if there are any fisheries surveys from the river or area. Or just google San Joaquin River fishes. There are trout in that system, but they inhabit the cooler headwaters. Species like American Shad and Striped Bass are present but probably seasonal because they are migrating from the ocean to spawn. My guess is that your best bet at that spot would be to target bass. I would try topwater flies near structure just to see what might be there. Also, if there are any fly shops nearby they would be a great resource for advice, places, flies, and techniques.

It’s easy to forget when there never is any water in it!

r/kernvalley

Beautiful but deadly.

Where’s a good place to hike the kern

Shhh