Fly Fishing Lessons: What Is “Pocket Water” and How To Fish It.

Often overlooked but seriously productive.

Pocket water fishes well year-round. | Photo by Mark Pickrel

Walk or drive along a well-known trout stream on a nice day, and you’ll likely see anglers occupying all the desirable spots – the classic trout water that features long runs, riffles, and deep pools. You’ll notice breaks between anglers – sections where boulders litter the stream and create all kinds of irregular currents. These are "Pocket water," and it scares most anglers off, which makes for some excellent fishing if you’re willing to step out of your comfort zone. 

Reading Pocket Water

This water gets its name from the small pools that form when boulders deflect the current - pockets. There will be stretches where several boulders are located close together, creating several different current patterns as water flows downstream. The swift currents may seem overwhelming, but the key is to treat each boulder as its own pool. Find where fast water meets slow water, get a decent drift, and you’re likely to find fish. 

Wading Pocket Water

One of the chief deterrents to fishing pocket water is the careful wading it requires. By definition, the water will be chock-full of boulders – some that you can see and some submerged – waiting to trip you up. If you step on a boulder, make sure you choose one protruding from the water – the subsurface ones tend to be pretty slippery. Make a conscious effort to slow down; it’ll keep your falls to a minimum and help you to fish more methodically. 

How to Fish Pocket Water

There’s no wrong way to approach fishing pocket water – throwing dry flies or tight-line nymphing can both be effective, but I personally think the best way to fish these stretches of river is with a dry dropper rig. 

The pockets that are created in these boulder gardens are typically not very big, so you’ll often be working with short drifts –  a large indicator fly trailed by a fast-sinking nymph opens you up to both surface and subsurface eats, and it drifts particularly well through inconsistent currents.

When to Fish Pocket Water

You’ll find trout holding in pockets year-round, but the best pocket water fishing occurs during summer, when water temperatures spike. Warmer water pushes trout out of the slower pools and runs to the river sections with faster-moving, oxygen-rich water. It’s also much more fun to fish pocket water when it’s warm enough to wet wade – trying to navigate around large boulders in tight waders can be a pain. 

Get Creative With Your Fly Fishing

In the early season, it’s possible you’ll be able to fish the honey holes on your local trout stream without much competition. But when summer is in full swing and the tourists arrive, the “good water” tends to get busy. Don’t let it keep you from fishing – head to the pocket water and the unbothered fish.