One of the most exhilarating experiences that you’ll have is sight fishing. Seeing the fish, before it sees you, puts you at a huge advantage. You’ll be able to observe it’s exact location, feeding behavior, depth, and direction it’s facing. However, fish are extremely adapted to their environment, making it difficult to key in on them. Here are a few helpful tips for spotting them:
First things first, you’ll need to equip yourself with a pair of polarized sun glasses - brown and grey tints work best (We find black can be too dark on overcast days). This will give you the superpower X-ray vision you’ll need to look past any glare on the water’s surface. (When just starting out, don’t spend $200 on a pair of sunglasses. We’ve found the cheap ones can work just as well. You also wont have to worry about losing them).
Next, you’ll want to focus the majority of your attention on the 10% of water that you think will contain fish. Try to position yourself with the sun to your back. This will provide you with the optimal angle to reduce glare. Scan the water slowly trying to look into the water, rather than at the surface. If you can get on higher ground to look at the hole, you will gain greater water visibility. Be extra slow and methodical the way you move when you’re above the trout. They’re extra aware of what’s above them because that’s usually where most of their predators come from to get them.