Cover the tail before you wade through it. Fish lie in the shallow water at the tail of the pool. Fan your casts over it from below first; only then wade up into water you have already fished, and cover the next lie above.
Wading
Approach: fish it before you wade it
What it's for
Wade and fish upstream, stay low, and cover the water before you wade through it. Trout hold in the shallow tail of a pool facing upstream; come in below them, cast to them first, then move up into water you've already fished.
The beats
Read
Trout hold in the pool tail, heads upstream, watching the current bring food down. That shallow tail is the first water to fish — and the easiest to ruin.
Cover
From below, fan your casts across the tail before you take a single step. Land the line and leader off to the side of the fish, not over their heads.
Wade up
Only now move upstream — into the water you've already fished — low and slow, keeping to one side of the lies you covered.
Repeat
Cover the next water above the same way. The whole pool is worked bottom to top: casting first, wading last.
Common faults
Wading straight up the tail
The tail goes dead the moment you arrive; fish bow-wave away upstream ahead of you.
Fix: Wading unfished shallows pushes a wave and grinds gravel — every fish in the tail feels it. Cover the tail from below first, then wade.
When you'll use it
- Every pool on every river — make it a habit, not a tactic
- Low, clear summer water, where a careless entry empties the pool
- Any water where you can see fish, or the shallows where they ought to be
Related
Terms: bow wave · dry fly
Sources & how we know this (2)
- Wading is usually the most productive approach on Irish trout rivers; upstream approach on limestone rivers; breathable waders and a staff recommended
Inland Fisheries Ireland — Trout Angling: Rivers · 2026-07-14 - Enter and move slowly, plan the water you will fish before disturbing it
Orvis — Tips for Safe Wading · 2026-07-14