# Fishing with lures in streams and rivers



## Jed (Feb 25, 2009)

When fishing with a lure in a stream is it best to reel in the lure against the current or with the current? :O•-:


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## LOAH (Sep 29, 2007)

Both. Try throwing upstream first, and if nothing happens, try it the other way. Both will catch fish.

When you're reeling in against the current, you may have to reel very slowly so the lure doesn't skip along the surface. Sometimes just pausing your retrieve to let the lure spin/wobble in one spot can get it done.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

LOAH has the answer.... I used to fish just downstream because thats what I was shown on the Duchesne. Then I watched the In Fisherman vid on stream fishing... and it changed things. I think in big water (more than a little creek) the thing that has worked best for me is the "quartering" approach they teach. Start upstream and then just work your way down and across making several casts to cover all the water before moving on.

One thing I've heard (and seen in the video) is that with stream trout, you shouldn't sit and work a hole or a spot like you would with a bass. I don't agree and will often be pretty persistent about really working over a location with a lure if I think its "fishy" enough. I've had enough success by being persistent that I hardly ever do the one or two cast and move on thing.... could have been a follow you didn't see or a bump you might have thought was a rock or twig on the bottom... it'll pay off to take a little extra time and really work the good spots when using a lure.


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## FishNaked (Apr 15, 2009)

+1 with LOAH and Rat. I'll also work a hole or certain stretches of water longer if I've got that fishy feeling...at times changing up colors or lures to try and trigger the fish. When floating I like to cast back upstream or quartering away to either side and retrieve the lure with the current back to the pontoon.


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## Dagwood (May 12, 2010)

I agree, both will work. In fact I think I catch more fish when casting upstream. It's a little trickier keeping the hardware up and out of snags when the current is working against you but it's well worth it.

I also agree about working the same stretch of water. If I am confident that the spot I am working is holding fish but I have no success on the first dozen casts or so... I like to use this as an excuse to sit down and have a beer while I tie on something new and wait for the water to settle  :O•-: I enjoy these quiet times and it has paid off big in the past.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

What all these guys said. +1.


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## Jed (Feb 25, 2009)

Thanks a lot, guys!   8)


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## brookieguy1 (Oct 14, 2008)

A 1/16-1/8 ounce maribou jig quartered upstream and bounced back across the bottom can be a productive hardware alternative.


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## Riverrat77 (Sep 7, 2007)

brookieguy1 said:


> A 1/16-1/8 ounce maribou jig quartered upstream and bounced back across the bottom can be a productive hardware alternative.


Do you use it all the time Dave or just on clean bottoms? I'd worry about hanging up with it a lot if I used a jig on Diamond Fork or somewhere like that that has real snaggy bottoms. Have you used it on waters like that and been productive? Any way to rig some sort of weedguard on a maribou jig or does the maribou kind of serve that purpose?


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## campfire (Sep 9, 2007)

I agree with everything that has been said. You do have to retrieve any lure slower when fished down stream and a lot faster when fished upstream in order to get it to "work" properly. But don't over look casting across the current and "swinging" the lure across the stream particularly on big water like a Rapala on the Green. The lure covers a lot of water that way.


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## brookieguy1 (Oct 14, 2008)

Riverrat77 said:


> brookieguy1 said:
> 
> 
> > A 1/16-1/8 ounce maribou jig quartered upstream and bounced back across the bottom can be a productive hardware alternative.
> ...


I don't fish rivers much anymore but the Green is where I learned to use them about 25 years ago. Rivers and streams with big deep holes and runs work best. Otherwise, you really need to figure how to keep the jig close to bottom and work it while trying to keep it out of the rocks. Trust me, I've donated pounds of lead to the rock monsters! But hey, they're way cheaper than most hardware or cranks, and more effective IMO.


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## Crow (Sep 15, 2007)

campfire said:


> I agree with everything that has been said. You do have to retrieve any lure slower when fished down stream and a lot faster when fished upstream in order to get it to "work" properly. But don't over look casting across the current and "swinging" the lure across the stream particularly on big water like a Rapala on the Green. The lure covers a lot of water that way.


Was wondering if someone was going to say something about the swing. I fish 95% of the time upstream and the swing across. Most fish are facing upstream looking for what is coming downstream. Most of my strikes come within a second of the spinner or rapala hitting the water. Accuracy in casting is a must. I use a small spinning pole and a fast retrieve reel. If your working a stream be prepared to lose a fair amount of hardware.


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## RnF (Sep 25, 2007)

Straight across works too. The point here is to work the entire stream/river with different presentations before moving on. They will all work good at some point.


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