Reading Holding Water - We cant adequately explain this topic without writing a whole book but will try to give you some general tips. Remember that every river is different and many change throughout a season due to varying water flows. Further, fish travel and rest in different locations throughout the day, which change due to water conditions, and other factors. Understand that the fish are traveling to their spawning grounds so they are motivated to be on the move and their resting places change frequently. Further, they will often take a path of least resistance, and finally, whenever available, they will seek out cover in the form of broken water on the surface, or underwater obstructions where the current is interrupted. Please notice the caveats, because in reality, they may be anywhere in a river at any one time. The tips offered here hopefully will give you a few "more likely" places to find some fish.

Color Guide to Steelhead Drfit Fishing, By Bill Herzog
Spinner Fishing for Steelhead, Salmon, and Trout, by Jed Davis

As much as 80% of a river holds no fish and as simple as it may sound, it is important to be fishing where the fish are. Steelhead hold in different water than salmon -- usually in the heads and tails of a drift and usually in faster water than salmon. Salmon on the other hand usually look for slower and deeper water. In any case as the fish move up a river to spawn they will often travel in the paths of least resistance and they quite actively search out "resting" places in the river that provide both a respite from the river current and a place to hide/feel safe from predators.

We usually divide the topography of a river into sections:

• "The riffle" - the spot at the end of a rapid where the water is usually moving very fast over exposed or barely submerged rocks. The water depth can be anywhere from 2-10 feet. Steelhead will seek out the protection of the riffle usually in only a few select conditions. A good time to fish this section of water is when the sun is shining directly on the water. In addition, steelhead will migrate to the riffle in warm water conditions, ie 50 degrees-plus, because this water usually holds more oxygen.
  
  One of the most productive places to fish is right where the riffle ends and the water starts to deepen into a pool. The water usually has a small ripple and will be in the 6-12 feet deep range.
• "The pool" - the deeper, slower moving parts of the river. Fish will usually not hold in the deep pools but rather at their edges in the slots made between back-eddies and the main current. There are two exceptions when the fish may use pools. First when the water is very cold, ie just above freezing, the pools tend to be a bit warmer and the fish will migrate to these warmer spots. Conversely when the water is very warm,ie higher than 65 degrees, the pools may contain cooler water and the fish will seek out this cooler water. Finally, during very low water conditions, the pools may contain the only "overhead cover" available for the fish to hide. Fishing a poll is often difficult because of many current changes and the difficulty of getting your offering close to the bottom and still being able to feel the bite.
• "The tail out or break" - is the section of water that starts after the back end of a pool where the river bottom is beginning to rise and ends just before the next riffle or rapid. This is one of the primary locations in which to look for fish. Steelhead tend to hold mostly in the tail-out sections of the water during overcast conditions. They like to stop in this relatively calm water after negotiating a strong riffle or rapids.
• Other river sections - Most of the these places will not hold any fish. Rapids where the water is moving violently over rocks or through narrow chutes seldom hold any fish because of a lack of resting places. Long stretches of water that have a smooth water surface and are shallow, usually less than three feet, almost never hold fish - an exception would be if there is an obstruction, ie large boulder or log in this type of water, it would be well worth trying. Shallow and very slow moving water almost never provides adequate cover for the fish.

Where the fish are holding at any particular time is a factor of available cover, water depth/rate of flow, the temperature of the water, the water clarity, and which fish are in the river. Following is a list of things to consider when looking for a likely place that holds fish:

Cover - Steelhead seek out cover wherever they can find it. Common examples include large boulders, fallen trees, or any obstruction in the water. In addition, they find cover in colored water, and a rippled water surface. Steelhead like to lay in front, behind or beside rocks and other obstructions in the water. These can be as small as your fist if the general area is mostly gravel, or as large as a boulder that is protruding from the water so long as it changes the flow of the water on the bottom, and they can tuck in to the relaxed water it provides. They often hold a few feet behind the obstruction in the "slick" formed by the current breaking around the obstruction. In addition they may hold right in front of an obstruction in the "bow wave" that it creates.

Weather and Water Conditions and Time of Day - Steelhead often change their resting locations based on the temperature of the water, its clarity, and prevailing weather conditions. Often steelhead can be found in tailouts early in the morning and then again late at night. During the day, they tend to seek more cover in the heads of a drift or in choppy water. See our discussion on the impact of weather and water conditions here.

Waters that Receive Heavy Boating/Fishing Pressure - Many of the most productive river sections receive significant attention from both boaters and bank fishermen. While some of the aesthetic experience of fishing pristine waters may be lost while fishing in a crowd, these areas can still be quite productive. Often a drift boat passing through a run or slot will cause a fish to move from its holding spot and seek another refuge. This move sometimes makes non-biting fish more aggressive as they seek out a new resting location. Often times within 2-5 minutes after a drift boat passes through the spot you have been fishing with no results will spark a vicious take down from a fish that has been forced to relocate.

Understanding that increased fishing pressure will cause a fish to move, can be worked to your advantage. While others continue to target the more traditional holding spots, you may want to try fishing several specific areas. Sometimes disturbed fish will move very low into tailouts or close to shore just because there is less "action" there. This is particularly true when there is good color in the water. Further, while steelhead dont often seek refuge in deep pools, when under pressure, they may move into the deeper and more colored water. Finally, try to identify any obstruction, no matter how small, that may provide refuge for a disturbed fish. Targeting these "unusual" areas during high-pressure fishing days can result in a lot of turned heads as others watch you hookup in waters near to where they may have been unsuccessfully fishing all day. Give it a try!

Observe where others fish - If you are unsure of where to fish on a particular river, I strongly recommend that you hire a guide to show you how and where to fish that particular river. You can also observe where others are fishing and try those spots at another time. Next, if you see a spot to park on the side of the road and see a path leading off to the water, you might try that also. Very few rivers have "really secret" spots and there are usually tell-tale signs of where to fish. Take notes - where fish are caught at different river levels and conditions and remember that for future trips. Finally, it is often very useful to walk down to a river during very low and clear water conditions, not to fish, but to observe. Wear a pair of polarized glasses and you will re able to identify good places to fish when the water is higher and colored.

Foam Lines - Once you have located a spot where you think fish are holding, look for tell-tale foam floating down river. The foam usually denotes the demarcation between faster and slower moving water. Often the fish will hold right at the edge of the the faster water and you want to position your bait/lure travel to travel along the foam lines.

Look for fish - Steelhead and salmon both will sometimes show their position by jumping out of the water. This usually happens early in the morning or near dusk. Remember these spots for future reference. Sometimes during clear water conditions, you can actually see fish resting in the water if you wear good polarized sunglasses. Finally, the best place to catch a fish is where you just caught one. Most steelhead travel in small schools and after a short "water resting period", you can often catch another fish in the very same spot as the fish you just caught.

"Flat spots" in the river. The Bill Herzog book mentioned above was the first to discuss/define "flat spots". Found usually in tailout sections but can be in other areas too, this is where the contour of the river bottom is not sloping downward but actually is flat or rises slightly. These flat sections of water can be of any size, from only a few, to hundreds of yards in length and width. The fish like to hold/rest in this water because it usually provides moving water that is flowing consistently, has a ripple on the surface, and is running slightly slower than most of the rest of the river.

Bottom structure - You want to look for a bottom made up of rubble, rocks, gravel and boulders. Because they dont like sand in their gills, you almost never find steelhead holding in a sandy bottom. The best places are where there is a mixture of rocks is from fist size to large boulders.

Creeks/confluences - Look for creeks and tributary confluences. Often water coming from a different source will have a different clarity and temperature. These different water quality conditions will often attract steelhead.

Sweepers - Often trees will tip or fall into the river and some of their branches will be just touching the surface of the water. In addition, brush along the river's edge may touch the water in certain places.The disturbance that these branches make is a prime place for steelehad to seek cover.

Tidewater changes - The upper limit of a high tide where the water is affected by tide changes is often a good place to look for steelhead. Fish often look for a place to pause and become accustomed to their first experience of fresh water after having spent the past several years in saltwater. Steelehad can become aggressive because the water flow is changing from the tide influences.

High and off colored water conditions - Steelhead and salmon rivers can experience higher flows and turn muddy due to heavy rains. When the water visibility deteriorated to less than a foot and the river is rising and full of debris, leaves, silt, twigs/branches, most steelehad will stick very close to the river's edge. Often they will hold and more likely travel within 2-10 feet of the bank. See the section on the plunking fishing technique for a way to intercept them on their travels.

Think like a fish - When you come upon a section of water and try to determine if it is a likely place for fish to be holding, it helps to take their behavior into account. Remember, they will search for a path of least resistance, often a slightly deeper and slower flowing spot, will try to conserve their energy by not having to fight against the current, and will seek out whatever cover is available for them. Even in the most inviting place the fish will only be located in a very small area and often will not move very far to chase your bait/lure. It is important then to try to figure out where they might most likely be holding. The best way to learn this "feel" for the river and the fish is through experience. You need to spend your time on the river, maintain a positive attitude towards your fishing and always expect your current cast will be the one that will catch that elusive fish.

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