5. Where should you fish first? (5 of 16)

If you're not experienced in finding trout, one of the things I would recommend is that you watch our video on reading the water before you go out and prospect. You know, when I'm prospecting for trout, I like to look for a place with a variety of water types, because I don't know where the fish are going to be. So, I look for a place with some fast water, with some slow water, with some big rocks, with some bends in the river.
Any place where there's more structure, there's more chances of finding fish there. And since you don't know what kind of water they're going to be in, if you've got a lot of variety in front of you, you've got a lot of places to explore. I like to start out at the head of a pool if I can. Trout always live there and are eager to feed and the broken water hides your approach. Plus, in faster current, trout don't have a chance to look over your fly too well and need to make snap decisions.
At first, until you learn more, here are some places to avoid. Long stretches of shallow water. Flat, featureless water can be productive, but it's difficult to figure out where to start unless the fish are rising. Very fast water with no protection from the current. These places might prove to be better than they look at first, and you may find a hidden gem.
But when first starting out, you need to raise the odds.