Which side would you fish?

[fishcreekspinners]

Put yourself back in this place.... You're standing on a river bridge looking upstream and downstream about to start fishing. Which direction do you head to catch the most fish? Which side will bring you the best luck? Upstream left or right or Downstream left or right?

You can assume clear passage both sides, but if there's something influencing your choice, go ahead and share it!

No test, just some winter fun!

[Coastfishin]

downstream, on the left

[fishcreekspinners]

I'm right handed, fishing spinners and also downstream left.

[flinginpooh]

depends on what the river is doing. Where is the rocks. Where is the fallin tree. The breaks in the water are located where? Id toss where the river is tellin me to toss it. And if that dont work toss it down stream left lol.

[fishaholictaz]

Below the bridge slightly upstream right..... Bringing it straight across the pool that is usually below bridges..

[Rollin with Rolland]

depends on what the river is doing. Where is the rocks. Where is the fallin tree. The breaks in the water are located where? Id toss where the river is tellin me to toss it. .

Gotta read rivers. ALL DEPENDS....so many variables.

Take the left fork.

[fishcreekspinners]

Hmmm, thinking some more. Solitude is as important to me as great water conditions or rocks causing chutes and riffles. If one direction is stacked up with other fishermen like telephone poles, I would likely head the other direction, but definately try to hit under and below the bridge.

If fishing pressures high, I'll just bend off the water into the woods for 100 yards or until I could find a nice stretch of open water. Reading the river, is key, but still feeling lucky downstream on left!

Something that 'would' change my choice of direction would be any bigger animals on the water. Moose, Bear, Elk cow or calf, a dog, or bees. No need having a little race or playing hide and seek in hip boots!

If I'd fished the stretch before. If so, I would likely repeat my path to try to catch that 'big' one that rose but did not strike or any remembered hot spots. Habits. A prior trip could work the other way if during that trip, I discovered an obstruction or major tributary, posted land, etc. but this scenario was supposed to be open access.

As far as my recollection of luck on rivers though, barring other influences, my memory brings back more fish caught headed downstream off the left bank for some reason, which surprises me, since I mostly fish across and upstream unless its a pool, letting the current control/tumble the spinner downstream. My memory could be playing tricks on me, happened before!

[fishing collector]

... This is where local knowledge will help, along with a map!

[Toni]

Depends on how hard it is to get down to the river.

[fishcreekspinners]

How true! First things first.

[fishnislife]

With everything said, I would pick up river left. I am left handed so casting would be easier being on the left bank of the river. Going upstream is a thing I have always done, when possible, for flyfishing. It is better to go upstream and not disturb the water or scare fish like one would do going downstream. One more thing I would consider in this situation would be the direction the sun was casting my shadow. Just more food for thought.





fishnislife

[sellis_414]

My luck, and it happens all the time... I get to one side and fish it and wish i was on the other side! Do I go to the other side? NO Too much time wasted! But I would probably go down on the left.

[Lotech Joe]

Depends a lot on the water temp. The colder the water the farther downstream I'd fish. The warmer the water, the farther upstream. Just feels right to me.

[SAPIplate]

Usually downstream and on the left side, since I'm left handed I guess. Unless I'm fishing a small stream for spooky fish, I go upstream on whichever side will give me the best concealment from the fish.

[panfisher]

i'd fish the side that shows the most fish since i would be on it looking down:-"

[Dustin07]

maybe I just make life harder for myself, but I wanted to go upstream instantly and fish from the right. I'm right handed.



always seems like there are more people down stream.

[Drewp]

Upstream. No preference on which side.