We've been doing it since 2003! Low water levels made demonstration difficult on the Mississippi, but even at this level the kayak turned on its own. Skilled paddlers may use the increased velocity on either side of the rock to their advantage, picking up a bit of speed. Water weighs 8 pounds a gallon. Simply, this means how to look at a section of river and work out where there will be the best chance to find a trout. Related: How to Survive a Rip Current in the Ocean. Maintain this angle and heel. They can flow at two metres per … The feature: An upstream-pointing “V” indicates a submerged object, most often a rock. The speed on the surface will not give you an indication of the undercurrent. If I was planning to set…, A wonderful guest article today by Milo Carnegie Mee. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. The danger: Hit that submerged rock sideways, and a boat might flip. You will find an explanation of what to look for as well as a photo to provide a visual. You can be fishing a high producing river and have the right flies on your line, but if you aren’t fishing the right sections, your odds of catching fish will diminish. But people don’t always realize that rivers may have very fast currents, and getting caught in the rushing water can be very dangerous. Water will accelerate whenever it passes through a narrower gap – like when you put your thumb over a tap or the end of a hose – and so a fast current that flows out towards the sea is formed. Some of the most mesmerizing ones I’ve seen were smaller than my hand. Keep safe, stay focused and be aware. But once we know what to look for, we can revel in seeing them on a much smaller scale. Regions which are not checked or assigned for swimming are considerably more so. ‘Anyone who spends time in, on, or by, water – whether at the helm of a narrowboat or merely playing Poohsticks with grandkids – will benefit from some of the extraordinary insights in this book.’ – Waterways World, ‘Jam-packed with information, this book will fascinate sailors, fishers, birders, naturalists, hikers, and anyone interested in the natural world.’ – Forbes, ‘This study of rivers, lakes, puddles and seas brims over with astonishing facts…His observational skills can be breathtaking’ The Sunday Times, ‘This inspired guide to water in all its forms will make a big splash…Gooley has done his subject proud – this is seriously fascinating stuff.’ The Times. The solution: Attempt to avoid it by back-paddling and maneuvering around. ( Log Out /  Includes hundreds of clues, signs and patterns, “Rip currents are feared and much misunderstood. The shape of the glitter path is a measure of how high the sun is and the roughness of the waves. Here are a few things to look out for to keep you safe while on the river. Rivers are a key element of the outdoors, they supply camps with water, give campers a place to cool off in the summer and the view isn’t bad either. The slope forces the water to pick up speed as it flows over the top. The feature: Water comes off a steep angle and recirculates, making it look as if it’s piling back on itself. ( Log Out /  Knowing how to read a river is arguably one of the most important aspects of fly fishing and can be the most difficult to learn. Holes are such important features of white water that they have many other nicknames, including ‘hydraulics’ and ‘stoppers’, but I prefer ‘holes’ as it reminds us what is going on beneath the surface.”, “This long line of shimmering reflections is known as a ‘glitter path’ and is caused when our eye picks up thousands of tiny sun reflections of the sides of waves stretching into the distance. Rivers flow from high points to lower ones and eventually down to a larger body of water. Many factors contribute to the strength of river currents. The danger: Get trapped in a strainer, and it’s difficult to break free. Hit it at the wrong angle and risk capsizing. It’s indicated by a parting of the current. Then press down on the opposite edge of the canoe to turn you upstream in the eddy. The glitter path will get narrower as the sun gets lower and broader as the waves get steeper.”. How to Survive River Currents. By being able to read a river, anglers can avoid the lower percentage water and concentrate on targeting the areas that are more likely to hold fish. Each bend in a river creates an area with a tighter radius, places where the current folds around objects. Swimming is an unsafe action, even for individuals who are solid swimmers. The solution: Be alert and aim to avoid. The waves have a shallower angle and don’t recirculate as much. Remember, there is sometimes a current on the surface, and an undercurrent. Cloud shore is an extended series of alternating waves and holes. Change ), http://www.sctimes.com/story/life/outdoors/2014/08/30/reading-river-instructor-says-know-paddler-experience-water/14807337/, http://www.paddling.net/guidelines/showArticle.html?566, Reading River Currents and Understanding Hazards. ( Log Out /  I took it during a night walk along the Brighton seafront. When the river’s higher, that recirculating water produces a big foam pile. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. On the Mississippi, eddies also are good places to catch walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike and channel catfish. Once you're in the main current allow your bow to open its angle; you'll feel your speed increase up until you're about 45 – 90 degrees to the main current. They get called ‘rip tides’ frequently, but they are not a tidal phenomenon, and this is just the start of the confusion that they seem to create.