I am continually amazed at few times fishermen speak of watermanship;which I define loosly as the study of currents in river systems as it relates to fish behaviour and fishing methods and the nature of the river bottom.
The fish rely on this knowledge to define feeding areas,resting areas and migration paths. Moreover our choice of the best lure and fishing method is dependant on this knowledge.
While the overall current speed is determined by the rte of fall of the river channel,it is the roughness of the bottom which creates the difference in speed of the current from the surface to he bottom. Based on the relatively small number of current gradients I have measured in the course of buiding timber bridges and dams It appears that in streams of over four feet in depth surface current may be as much as three times faster than current at the bottom. Indeed if it were not the case it would be impossible for fish to rest comfortably . They are only capable of swimming in waters speeds of more than two miles per hour for relatively short periods. Slots which occur on the eroding bank have in addition to bottom friction ,the slowing effect of bank friction ;thus they often become the prefered migration route of weaker swimming species like Pinks and Chum
This being said I have never encounerted a book on fishing which in my oinion does a thourough job of explaing current patterns . I am still looking for such a book so if you know of one please post a reference. I dont want a textbook on Hydrolics just a fishermans understanding.
coot

I found this page a month or two ago and posted it here. There are lots of tips by east coast steelhead fishermen. One such tip deals with what you are looking for I believe.

Noodlebagger.com

Hi Skaguy: Many thanks for the information. I goes part way towards what I was looking for but seems to be confined to the vertical profile of current speed. It is also, based on my study of currents, somewhat missleading. The gradient from top to bottom is much steeper with a more abrupt change near to the bottom and a more gradual decline at levels above the bottom foot of water.
There is of course also a well defined horizontal pattern to current speed which declies towards the edges of the channel but is influenced by the meander patterns of the channel as well as by various obstructions which occur along the shore lines.
It is when you bring together the horizontal pattern with the vertical pattern that you begin to see the true variations in current which influence the fishermans cast. Along with this we have the influences of variable current on the float movaing at surface speed and the weight and bait moving under the influence of the bottom current speed. and indeed the interaction between the two with the float pulling the weight while the weight holds back the float.
It would be obviously impossible to know or visualize all the opposing forces involved nevertheless we need to synthesize all of this complexity if we are to fish intelligently.
Our ability to modify the behaviour of our float and bait is confined to being able to feed or slow the feed of line from our reel and to modify the direction of travel by use of the rod tip. Long rods and free turning reels are a great help in this but the ability to visualize the current forces involved can be our greatest asset.
If you locate any other sites which provide information ;please pass them on to me I shall do likewise.
coot

Coot,

You have brought up a significant subject. For one thing, being able to communicate the dynamics of running water and structure on fish position and behavior is a complex and long subject; very difficult to put into the written word well. In my book due out next year, titled The REEL TRUTH, I will have close to what you are seeking. But in my original rough draft form my book would have been close to 400 to 500 pages long. My publisher says that most prospective buyers don't want the task of such a long study, and sales will actually be higher if you can effectively cover the subject matter with less pages to read. This has been my biggest challenge in re-writing my book. But it has also given me extra time to add results of important field testing of the latest bait cures, scents, and techs by having it come out a year or so later than planned. ... I have heard there are some very good books that cover reading water and the resulting proper techniques for it pretty well - one excellant one being Bill Herzog's "Coloring Guide to Steelhead Drift Fishing". But it's possible that limits could have been placed on some of those works. I am giving it my best shot to completely cover the nitty gritty intricacies of your subject, as well as all aspects of salmon and steelhead fishing. I plan to use pictues of river fish holding areas with overlay skematics, rather than illustrations, to help with this task. ... Excuse this sounding like a plug for my book - but it is a plug for my book. But also an attempt to answer your Q.

RT

Hi Steve: Many thanks for your reply Your book sounds to me as though it will be well recieved even if one has to do a lot of reading to get at the truth.
I like the sound of you approach to presenting watermanship its exactly what is needed by even experienced fishermen. Truth is most of them rely on fishing the holts that were productive last time they fished rather than logically arriving at the location of the optimum holts.
I just purchased and read Hertzogs book and was dissapointed in the watermanship coverage.I know you will do better.
When you get down to it Herzogs book is really just a history and application of fishing lure designs with a bit of periferal material.
What I, and I believe many others are looking for, is the watermanship information, plus the line and rod manipulation techniqes to insure that different lures are being presented properly in the various types of holts.
Its a big task but I`m sure you are up to it.I sympathize with you rewrighting problem because as a forest research scientist I was faced with the same problem in presenting my research .
I`m putting my name on the register with Amato now for an early copy of your book.Hurry up as I am 80 now and havent got much time to apply your valuable knowledge.
Regards
Coot

Thanks for the kind words Coot. ... Just after I recently got the excellant drift fishing video by Herzog and Amato, I picked up a copy of 'Zog's drift fishing book. I haven't read it all yet, but I have heard a lot of good acolades about it. I think one way I might be able to do a better job on the watermanship thing than Bill is to steal all of his stuff and add some things to it. Hey, just kidding Bill. Maybe. I'll see after I read it. As you found out, that's one advantage of coming out with books after other works have been published. Remember decades ago the "Steelhead Drift Fishing" book by Bill Luch? It was my first steelie read. And it had a good section in it on steelhead flyfishing by Frank Amato. ...

Coot, since you have been an outdoorsman in the beauty and clean air of B.C., and only 80 (which is much younger than it used to be in past generations), I bet you will be with us for many more years to come - and catching lots more fish. Take care.

RT

Coot, you're 80? Is that in Canadian years? Just kidding.
You've got many more fish coming buddy!

Hey RT, so approximately how many pages CAN we expect the book to be?

Gonna try to keep it under 300 pages. Maybe under 250. It depends on how many funny fishing stories I put in the humor section at the end of the book. Thanks.

Hi RT: At the risk of being presumptuous it strikes me that most of the books I have read on anadromous sport fishing try to appeal to both the rank beginner and the serious fisherman and do justice to neither.
We know that 10 percent of the fishermen catch 90 percent of the steelhead which means that there is a vast audience who have fished 4 or 5 years and are serious about improving their catch rate.
It is this audience i suggest you might write for. They already have most of the gear they need,they hopefully have consentrated on two or three lures exclusively and know them pretty well; their big problem is finding fish .They lack the tricks of where and how to look for them,they expect to see whole fish when they should be looking for parts of fish. They waste time on fishing trips when the river isent right.They dont know the weather sequences which bring fresh fish into the river.
They dont know watermanship and they cant visualize how their lure is behaving when its invisable at depth.
They cant manipulate the lure so that it fishes properly.
I may be way off the beam but I think if you can answer these and similar questions in depth you will make an outstanding contribution to the sport fishing literature.
Best of luck
Coot