Still Fishing

Unlike cast and retrieve fishing which requires continuous movement of the line, most new anglers start with stillwater fishing. Stillwater fishing (or still fishing) is a matter of putting your bait in the water and waiting for a fish to find it, making it one of the simplest and most effective fishing methods for beginners. Conversely, stillwater fishing may prove a bit more challenging when fly fishing as casting and retrieving the fly rod tends to disturb the surface. However, there are stillwater fly fishing techniques to help new anglers with the transition, especially when it comes to fly fishing for trout in still water.

HOW TO PRACTICE STILLWATER FISHING 

1. Stillwater fishing is one of the most versatile way to fish. Still fishing can be done from a pier, a bridge, a boat or from shore.
2. If you don’t care for an anchored boat, drift fishing is another fun way to introduce stillwater fishing to beginners by boat.
3. Depending on water depth and the type of fish you may want to still fish near the surface, at a mid-water depth, or right down the bottom using a float, or bobber.
4. You can also still fish on the bottom or off the bottom in ponds, lakes, rivers and streams for a variety of species.
5. Your still fishing rig, the size of the hooks and bait you use depends on what kind of fish you’re after. For example, midges are consistently named as one of the best flies for stillwater trout in winter. But your best equipment for still fishing is patience. You must wait for the fish to bite.
6. Still fishing can be practiced during most seasons and during any part of the day.

Learn more about other fishing techniques with lures in our next section