Summer time is filled with hot weather and sometimes finding fish in river systems can be tough and flat out dangerous for the fish. When fishing in the summer always be mindful of the weather and the impacts it can have on trout. If the water temperature is too warm maybe take the day off or find cooler water. Below are my three favorite places to find trout in the summer.

Where trout frequent in the summer

With hot temperatures, trout look for cooler, more oxygen dense sections of river. Now that you know this, you’ve already narrowed down the sections of river you are more likely to find trout. Trout thrive in water temperatures around 60 degrees and this is when you’ll most likely find them feeding.

When to fish

In the summer, your best bet to catch active trout is early in the morning and dusk until dark. These are also great times to find trout sipping flies on the surface in slower water before the weather warms up. As the weather and water warms up, be sure to move towards cooler water with abundant food sources.

What sections of river are cooler and more oxygen dense in the summer

When the weather is hot, you know that trout are going to be in the coolest sections of the river. But where is the water temperature the coolest? There are two main places I like to look for cooler water within a river, 

Where to Avoid Fishing

When the weather is hot, avoid slow and shallow water as these areas will tend to be warmer and hold less fish. Additionally, areas that are extremely fast are good places to avoid because it is more difficult to get flies down to the bottom as well as fish presence will be limited because of the amount of energy used for these areas is a lot. Instead, when fishing faster water, try the seams. When fishing slower water, find the deeper pockets.

Where to find the trout

Riffles/faster water

Riffles and stretches of faster moving water are great places to locate feeding trout in the summer, especially during the warmer parts of the day. Stretches of quicker water are more oxygenated and cooler making it more comfortable for trout. On top of that, it’s a great place for fish to find bugs stuck in the current.

When fishing riffles, throw your fly right along the seam where fast and slow water meet up. Although trout like the cooler areas in the summer, sitting directly in the fast current causes them to use a lot of energy, so they will most likely be sitting right on the edge of the fast water.

Pocket Water

Pocket water is by far my favorite place to look for trout. Some days, I’ll spend just walking the river and fishing only pocket water. Pocket water is the slow water that is broken up by obstructions in the river. For example, a boulder in the middle of the river can create a pocket of slow water just behind it.

Pocket water can hold concentrated trout that spend the day feeding on insects caught in the current. Trout frequent these areas in the summer because of the consistent food source and the relaxing cool water without having to expend too much energy fighting currents.

Deep Pools

A great place to throw a deep indicator rig. I love tossing a heavy rubber legs under a deep indicator rig in deep pools. The water is generally cooler at the bottom of these pools and oftentimes they hold trout. When the water warms up and you are fishing deep pools look for specific areas in the pool that might hold trout. A big tree or a boulder in the river can offer some cover for trout and are a good bet when targeting these sections of river.