Fishing stillwater for trout is so good for you, and good for your game, on so many levels. But many anglers don’t bother. Here are five reasons to go jump in a lake (or at least fish from the shore
1. Knowledge
You learn things you don’t often learn on the river. Making casts so your flies land gently. Fully extending your leader and tippet. Reading micro seams and currents. Judging the pace of a fish moving to feed. Accurate distance casting. The list goes on and on…
2. Thermocline
The fish can find a break from the heat in lakes and ponds that are naturally cold. And even when the surface is warm, in deeper lakes, trout can find heat relief below the thermocline. And we all must be temperature vigilant these days. https://www.tu.org/magazine/fishing/trout-talk/put-a-thermometer-in-your-pack-and-use-it/
3. Solitude
Who wants to stand shoulder-to-shoulder in the river, when you be part of scenery like this, especially if you are willing to walk a little bit off the beaten path?
4. Bugs
Damselfly eats are spectacular. Callibaetis sips are amazing. The top of the dry-fly hatch-matching and presentation game happens on lakes, in the summer… like right now.
5. Cool off
And even if the fishing is slow, dangling your legs in the water when fishing from a float tube—or even just jumping in the lake—is about as refreshing as it gets.
