The author seeks out water likely to hold the largest fish in a stream.
Photos courtesy Toby Halley
The most important things to look for are are depth, current, and structure.
Depth: The deeper the water, the better your chances of finding a bigger fish. Trout like deeper water because it will protect them from many predators, and the water temperature is cooler near the bottom.
Current: The current delivers food to trout. The fish will sit in the slower water and pull food from current seams. Look for the foam line on the sides of the current. Trout like to use as little energy as possible.
Structure: Structure is probably the most important of this list. Structure is somewhere trout feel safe and where they can hide out from predators or rest until they start feeding. Structure can be something as simple as a log, rock, or a undercut bank.
