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Fishing Camo – How To Sneak Up On Fish

I fish with spinning gear, trolling gear, levelwinds and all sorts of conventional tackle, but deep down I am a flyfisherman. I started flyfishing for trout when I was sixteen years old. I still remember the first fish I caught on a fly. I was in an Oregon State Park by Mount Hood with my uncle and flyfishing mentor, Fred Hornshuh III and there was a small stream running through it. I don’t remember the name of the park or the stream. I do remember my uncle letting me take his prized flyrod down to the stream while he made hotdogs for the family. I remember the dead fall tree that hid my shadow from the water. I remember thinking, I’ll hide behind this log and dap my fly in that pool on the other side. No one told me to sneak. I just instinctively know that if the fish didn’t know I was there, they would be more apt to eat the fly. I had no flyline out at all. I just reached over the log and laid the fly on the water near the head of the pool. The fish ate it, I hooked him, landed him, killed him, gutted him, and brought him to my uncle to cook on the grill with the hotdogs.

Since that time, I’ve noticed many anglers in the myriad of fishing destinations I explore understand this very important fact:  Fish get scared when they see things above them. But I’ve seen many more that don’t give camouflage a second thought. I’ve seen the industry offer up camo fishing shirts that look like sky, trees, leaves, and sand. But I usually see anglers in brightly colored and photo friendly colors or bright whites that reflect the sunlight keeping them cool while providing a beacon of fear inducing light to any fish within casting range. Fish have great eyesight and know that much of the danger that nature offers comes from out of the water.

Joel and Charles stalking permit in Belize…notice the natural colored clothing!

Here are some tips that will help you catch more fish.

REMEMBER FISH ARE PREY FIRST – PREDATOR SECOND
Fish are born with the instinct to avoid danger in order to stay alive. They are chased by bigger fish their entire lives. They also are stalked by eagles, herons, osprey, and other birds of prey. Raccoons, bears, and of course humans teach fish to be careful and scared. To eat, they become predatory for brief moments…but fish that don’t remember they are prey don’t live very long.

SPEED KILLS…YOUR CHANCES
A methodical approach to flyfishing is necessary for success. You can’t be in a hurry. Well, sometimes you have to hurry, but don’t hurry in a big obnoxious way. You have to be sneaky. You need to avoid being seen. You need to be quiet and slow with your movements above the water and below. Wade slowly, cast low on the horizon if possible, and don’t make sudden or large body movements if you are close to your targets.

DON’T WEAR WHITE
I don’t care if Labor Day is far away and your spouse says you look awesome in white. White shirts, white pants, white shorts, white anything is bad for fishing. Don’t even wear a white hat. Stick to natural colors that blend in with your surroundings. If you are saltwater fishing, wear skyblue or grey, mottled sand, or mangrove camo. White reflects light. It acts like a mirror. And that spells disaster for any fishing where you are stalking your targets. If you are trolling in a cruiser, don’t worry about it. But if the fish can see you, don’t wear white – ever. Try this Exofficio Digi Camo fishing hat!

KEEP THE SUN AT YOUR BACK OR IS IT YOUR FACE?
This is tough. It’s rare that you’ll actually be able to avoid casting a shadow on the water. And the sun at your back seems counter intuitive. But if the sun is at your back and the fish is looking in your direction, it is looking straight into the sunlight. And this is perfect. Watch an osprey when he dives into capture a trout. Often he’ll have the sun right at his back. Of course, in stream fishing if the fish is facing the sun, you can always sneak up behind him. That is also perfect.

Confusing…don’t worry. These are just hints. I’ve seen many photos of really famous anglers wearing bright colored shirts holding pretty impressive fish!

I hope this helps you catch more fish. Send me a photo of your best fishing camo – you can feel free to be funny or sarcastic. I tried that once!

About the Author

Dale Williams has traveled and fished the world since 1985. His business, Rod and Reel Adventures is a worldwide fishing travel agency. They offer objective information that helps travelers make well informed decisions. Follow him on Twitter @traveltofish. Read his blogs at travelandfishtheworld.blogspot.com, or check out the Rod and Reel website at www.rodreeladventures.com.

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