Help with high water trout...

[Tokyo Tony]

Went out yesterday with a buddy of mine to show him some of my trout streams, and after all the rain we've had, the water was up 2-2.5 feet and it was really muddy with tons of debris.  Every cast we were getting leaves on our lures, and it was really frustrating.  We didn't get a single hit in about 3 hours.  We tried going several miles upstream near the beginning of the river, and although the water was much clearer, we still got skunked.  

Am I better off just waiting until the water lowers and clears up, or is are there specific techniques/areas to focus on when we've gotten tons of rain?  

Thanks gents  

[SenkoBasser]

Target the overhanging embankments. A method that works is tossing your bait/lure onto shore and slowly dragging it in. Basically work the areas that look like its a spot where food will drop from above for the trout.

[pondhopper]

Am I better off just waiting until the water lowers and clears up

yes.

[RobbyZ5001]

Dont wait for the water to clear up, you should fish the muddy water. I have caught some of my biggest trout in muddy water. Most streams have some monster native trout and they will see you WAY before you see them. In muddy water they will be much easier to catch they feel secure. Two methods I use which work amazing are a gold bladed roostertail and nightcrawler with a little heavier weight then usual. Nightcrawlers absolutely slay trout in muddy water. Work the current with your spinners. Good luck if you have other questions let me know.

[Tokyo Tony]

Thanks for the replies guys  

That one day I went out, the river was just about unfishable.  The water was racing through there and there was just an incredible amount of debris in the water with <8" visibility.  If it's like that again I'm not gonna waste my time, especially fishing from shore when the spots I can fish are pretty limited.

RobbyZ - that's a very good point though about muddy water.  The larger smarter fish should be more catchable.  Fishing a spinner on that day was pretty much out of the question though because of the debris, but I wish I had some worms with me.

[RobbyZ5001]

Tony I know what you mean I have seen water like that. I don't know what your river looks like but if you hit the holes it should be a little bit slower. One option that might help is a rapala. If it is deep use the rapala countdown sinking CD-7 if shallow use the floating one. Another big thing is position. I like to get in the position where I can just let the riffle rip on my baits and just let it stay in one place in front of possible fish. Then work it back up current slowly. I used to get tons of trout by just letting it swim in the current stationary. Good luck don't let high miserable water keep you from fishing!

[roadwarrior]

Regardless of the water level, trout will always stage in deep pools.

If you know the river, fish where you have found trout before, some

will stay and others will join them.  

8-)

[the old fishing pond]

Most of the time high colored water is also cold, so look to areas that are slow and on the edges.  You may really surprise yourself.  

[GatorBK]

What Robby said is right on a nightcrawler is great bait in muddy high water. I fish a whole crawler so they can smell it and possibly see it better. Also I look for eddys along the bank rather than try to fish the swift water

[jhoffman]

Get down on the bottom, the currents at different depths are different speeds. Or better yet, find a back eddy or fish right along the bank. Sometimes when the water is that high I will catch fish in ankle deep water.

One thing to note is that most people think fish expend more energy in fast water. That is NOT true, fluid dynamics allow trout to hold position in faster currents expending less energy then in slower currents.

Anyone who fishes would gain a lot of knowledge by watch a video called Feeding Lies.... google it.

[HogHooker]

fish bends in the river, where the river takes a 90 degree turn, then fish in the slack water, in that calm water the silt falls to the bottom faster and gives the fish better visibility and oxygen levels, and its easier for them to swim, the bait fish will be there aswell

Trust me, i grew up fishing for salmon, trout and steelhead