Fishing for cruising browns and rainbows in the near-shore shallows of lakes, like fishing for bones on the flats, is one of the most exciting of all fishing experiences. One sees the fish, one sees the take, and the fight is always fast and furious as the fish heads for deep water. It’s a time of The Angler as Predator, for certain. The fly fisher hunts, stalks, makes casts carefully so as not to spook cruisers, and has to be ready for instantaneous response from the hooked fish.

Because the fish are moving, the angler must place the fly much differently than when stream fishing, where the fish is holding in one place. If the fly rodder attempts to cast only several feet ahead of a cruising trout, it will be inviting disaster. Because the fish is moving, by the time the line extends and falls to the water, the fish will have moved forward several feet, and the line will fall just ahead of, on, or even just behind the fish. Not good. So the fly fisher casts 15 to 20 feet ahead of the moving fish, depending upon its cruising speed. This way, the fly and line fall far enough ahead so that it doesn’t spook the fish—trout, or bone, or tarpon, or permit, etc. This is the “Wing Shooting” tactic. Like shooting ducks, the angler must aim well ahead of the moving target. The cast must be made far enough ahead so that the fly and fish can intersect without spooking the fish in the process.

Then, the angler waits and allows the fish to come to fly. When using a dry fly, one simply waits for the fish to find it. When using a nymph, I use the Jumping Nymph tactic. Wait until the fish is within several feet of the sunken fly, and then I give the line a short pull (about 6 inches) to jump the nymph off the bottom. Don’t allow the fish to get too close before you jump the fly. Too close and you can easily spook the fish. Do it so that the fish can see it, and then move to it.

Sometimes the fish will move forward and cover the fly, but there’s no tell-tale tug on the line to signal a take. In this case, I “Feel for the Fish.” Slowly draw on the line. If the fish has taken the fly, you will readily feel the weight of it on the line. If the fish did not take the fly, often times it will grab the nymph that seems to be sneaking away. Then, hang on.

Theo Bakelaar, fishing a large lake in Holland for big rainbows cruising in the near-shore shallows. The fish are large and spook easily. It is most definitely the time of The Angler as Predator.

Big bows like this require careful stalking and careful casting.

Notice the very clean water in the lake, making it easy to fish,. and easy for them to see you! Notice the dark color of Theo’s clothing,  predator style.

If Theo could find two fish cruising together, his chances increased dramatically as the fish “fought” to see which one would get the morsel of food.