Fishing from your Raft

Every year, whitewater buffs float over thousands of trout that are off limits to those fishing from shore. And these neglected fish are often bigger and wilder than those in more accessible stretches.

To access these fish you’ll usually be in either a raft or a dory. The techniques for reading the river and finding the fish are the same. The main difference is that in a raft it’s harder to stand on the spongy floor and you have to be a little more careful with your hooks. Dories are also inherently louder so you have to be more careful when it comes to hitting rocks and climbing around inside. The big plus to dories (or driftboats, as they are often called), other than providing a more stable platform for fishing, is that they are much easier to hold in water than a raft. Because they have more rocker, dories don’t sit very deep in the water, making them more maneuverable. But a raft takes a beating better in low water (and won’t sink if swamped).
Luckily for whitewater buffs, some of the best fishing occurs after rapids. Big swirling tail-outs below rapids are probably the best bet, as opportunistic trout lay in wait for stunned minnows and bugs after their own run through the rapids. So slide out your rod as you slide out of the rapids and get a line in as soon as you can. Try casting your flies and lures against deep rocky banks, behind boulders and up eddy lines. For fish, these locations provide cover, shelter from the current and easy access to food. Use the eddy current to drift back upstream if a particular eddy line proves productive.
Fishing from a raft can also take the bite out of the flats. Long, slow sections after rapids invoke memories of laborious rowing or paddling into stiff headwinds. It’s not so arduous if you’re dangling a line. Spinning lures, nymphs and streamers will work, but in many situations, trout will be rising to feed on the surface.