Scouting 101: Keys to finding great fly fishing spots

Scouting fly fishing spots is a challenge for beginners. It depends on combing through lots of sources of information to find places where you might find great water, then verifying those hunches in real life. And time is precious, as a beginner. You want to spend your learning time in a position to catch fish.

Scouting starts with a fundamental truth, however:

People are jealous and guarded about their fly fishing spots.

One of my fishing mentors told me a story of the only time he ever saw his fishing partner really get angry.

He climbed into her car and picked up her well-worn Michigan Gazetteer map book and started to thumb through it, before realizing it had her trout, deer, and mushroom areas marked. They didn't talk for a week afterwards.

As a beginner, one of the hardest things to do is to find new places to fish. Great fly fishing spots are hard-earned. You can devote several different levels of effort to the pursuit. As you gain experience, some of the lower levels will become second nature.