One of my guides fishes a great amount on his own and catches many fish. When asked how he does it…”I get away from the crowds”.
This is a great idea and a ploy I use often. My favorite part of the Beaverkill in New York is across stream from where Horse Brook Run enters the Beaverkill. By wading across the river here I get excellent dry fly fishing along the far bank and usually have that area all to myself. This same tactics has always been productive for me on the Madison River in Montana. By wading across of the river, I usually have a long stretch of the river to myself and the fishing is great.
Two years ago I headed for the middle part of the Smith River in Montana. I could not locate the section my friend wanted me to fish because it was all “posted”. So I just drove downstream 20 miles to the state take-out spot and fished the fast runs for a half mile upstream. I caught many rainbows and several large browns. When I got back to town I told my friend that I could not find his hot spot but had gone down further. Many boats take out there so he was surprised that I had done that well. I explained that the sections of the river that gave me great fishing were exactly where the boats drifted through. I suspected they spooked the trout with the boat.
Fishing in the East
When I fish mountain trout streams in the East, I like to go into the heads of the streams. Then hike down a hour and fish my way back up the mountain. However, I never park at a trail head on top of the mountain if there is another car there…staying away from the crowds.
I often fish branches of the Shenandoah River for smallmouth bass in the evenings after work. There are many boat access spots along these rivers that provide good float trips. I get some great bass fishing just upstream of these access spots because these areas actually receive very light fishing pressure. I suspect the anglers in these boats are fished out, tired, or running late.
In addition to fishing good fishing in the remote sections of our streams, there is an extra reward. Being alone and away from crowds in nature can provide great blessing one seldom finds in other areas.
If you are looking for more information on the Shenandoah National Park, then get a copy of my book. Trout Fishing in the Shenandoah National Park by Harry Murray.