Pools on a trout stream are similar to a whitetail buck, they vary in size, appearances, and peculiarities but all share the same basic anatomy.  Understanding the structure of these fish pools is the key to finding and taking fish in trout streams.  Consider fish pools as the "tenderloin" of a trout stream.  Charging in without a game plan is the surest way to turn your fishing adventure into a disappointment.  When you are fishing for trout, carve the water into separate fishable portions.  With fishing tactics such as these any sufficient fly rod and fly reel combo will work perfectly.

Strategy for fish pools:  Cover as much water with as little disturbance as possible, by work systematically from the tail to the head, and from near to far waters when fishing for trout.  When no action is raising out of the fish pools, here are some steps when fishing for trout.

1. Keep low but stay above the fast water that will snatch your line and drag the fly.  Use a dry and dropper combination to work the tail out the trout.  A dry and dropper combo is a dry fly with an additional sinking wet fly attached further up the leader.  Begin at the near bank and fan your casts across to the far side.
2. Stay right behind the lower lip of the fish pools.  Cast upstream, gradually lengthening your casts and working across the lip.  Pay special attention to the deadfall of the trout fishing lure as you want the lure to remain in constant motion.
3. Cast along the band of current from the soft water in front of you to the inside edge of the seam.  Don't cast into the current tongue from here, you'll get instant drag on the fly ruining your presentation.
4. Fish the flat running water all the way out to the seam.  Then work to the upper lip, still keeping your fly on the inside edge of the seam.  Finally, search each finger of current spilling through, you can find these by noticing changes in water flow and noticeable ripples.
5. Walk the bank of the trout stream to the tail, and wade quietly into position.  Stay in the slower water, ideally about one rod's length away from the seam, which will help you minimize drag.  Work across the gut from seam to seam.
6. As you wade to this position, begin covering the far bank by quartering downstream and shaking slack into your cast.  It's easier to control drag this way than by casting upstream from lower in the fish pool.  Place your fly as close to the bank as possible when fishing for trout as this will give you the best chance for a strike.
7. Continue wading toward the upper lip of the trout stream, working the tongue with quartering-upstream casts, and the far bank with quartering-downstream casts.  Finish by searching the outside edge of the rock shoal, lip, and across the tongue to the edge of the eddy.
8. Make your way back to the tail of the trout stream.  Replace the dry and dropper with a tandem nymph rig.  Fish positions 5 through 7 the same way as you did before with this new fishing gear.
9. Cross the stream, staying well behind the eddy when fishing for trout.  Use a dry and dropper again, concentrating on the bank side of the eddy.

POOL ANATOMY

Below is the defined terminology of the above tactics about fishing for trout.

1 TAIL: The most commonly overlooked and undervalued section of a trout stream.  It holds nice, but spooky, trout when light is low in the early morning, in the evening, and on overcast days, primarily late spring through fall.

2 LOWER LIP: The downstream edge of the deep part of the fish pools.  The bottom rises abruptly at this lip, and trout will lie just ahead of it.

3 BANK WATER: The bank water is From the outside seam to the water's edge.  Good from late spring through fall, this strip along the bank hits its peak from midsummer until late fall when overhanging vegetation offers shade and an abundance of terrestrial insects.

4 SEAMS: Where the tongue current meets slower water on its outside edges.  Often marked by a foam or bubble line, it's a prime feeding area all day long.  Large trout will hang in the seams, but this would be the best area to rack up large numbers of fish on a trout stream.

5 GUT: When fishing for trout, the gut is considered to be the sweet spot.  Trout stack up in this, the deepest part of the fish pool, from late fall to spring, making it the top choice for winter fishing.  During summer, you'll find fewer trout here but generally they will be the largest trout.

6 TONGUE: This is the main flow of current through the fish pool. It creates the seams and transports food throughout the trout stream.

7 EDDY: Formed where the current breaks around a point of land.  Bigger is better, but even an eddy the size of a turkey platter can still lead to success when fishing for trout.  Eddy’s are most reliable after early summer.

8 THROAT: The narrow section of water that runs into the fish pools. Unless there is visible cover on the bottom such as boulders or shelves, don't waste your time fishing for trout here.  Swift current over a smooth streambed won't hold fish.

9 RIFFLE: Produced by a shoal at the inside of the throat, any current here that is more than a foot deep can hold big surprises. Broken, well-oxygenated water draws fish in hot weather. The riffle and flats below are a good high-water bet when fishing for trout.

10 UPPER LIP: The upstream edge of the deep part of the pool. The current tongue slows as it drops over the upper lip into deep water; trout tuck up behind this shelf to feed making this a trout stream sweet spot.

Do you have any fishing tips and techniques that you would like to share with other anglers? Please leave a comment below on the outdoor news section and find all your fishing sporting goods at PoorFish Outdoors.