Whether fishing with flies, spoons, or garden hackle, one will need to find water where trout are holding.  Thus the topic of this first in a series articles, "Reading the Water".

Trout, like any other animal, have to balance the amount of energy they spend getting food against the energy they actually get from the food.  This is why in general you will find trout relate to structure in a river that provides them some break against the current of the river, while funneling food past them.

This first picture below shows a classic boulder strewn stream where one could find pocket water holding trout behind each boulder.  Many times the water will be high, covering the boulders and making them not so obvious.  The idea here would be to stand slightly downstream from the boulders and start dead drifting (generally the best method) your bait from the back of the closest boulder to you and work out to the furthest.

The second picture below shows a classic example of some holding water below a drop in the stream or river.  This drop can be caused by a wall of rocks or even a log jam.  What you want to look for here is the largest, deepest, pocket of water behind this structure.  Again, a natural dead drift of your bait or fly through this water is generally most effective.

The next picture shows what I would call a "sweeper".  This is usually a tree or trees that have fallen into the water along the bank and is sweeping the top of the water.  It provides good cover for the trout from above protecting them from the prying eyes of eagles or the like, as well as shade and cool water.  Many times in Michigan this will be a Cedar tree dragging in the water or a Tag Adler that has grown into the water along the bank.  It can be a challenge to get your bait in and under such structure without hanging it up, but the results can make it worth your while.

The last kind of structure I will discuss is the "undercut bank".  This generally happens on a curve in the river where the water has been channeled against the bank and has taken out some of the earth underneath the bank.  This holding structure provides the perfect habitat for trout - cool, a break from the current, and a funnel for food.  This picture shows the classic case where there is grass growing and supporting the bank on the topside.  This could be the perfect place to try a grasshopper pattern during the right time of the season.  A similar structure to this not shown in any of the pictures can be a log that has fallen in the river parallel  to the bank.

In summary, find the holding structures in the water you fish and you will find the trout.