I regularly read that tactics should be dependant on observation and I have no issue with that. But I find my observation skills sorely lacking when it comes to fishing. Granted, I'm sure some of this is attributable to the limited frequency of my visits to the river but normally I pride myself of noticing tiny details October miss in over aspects of life.

The text books and experts suggest I should watch how fish are moving.
Other than rising fish, and those that pass within a rod's length, despite Polaroids, stealth and gin clear chalk stream, I rarely see fish and am left to guess at their location and movements.

Fly choice should be based on prevalence of naturals.
When I do see insects hatching or landing on the water they are rarely close enough to identify.

I am not an unsuccessful fisherman and reasonably competent caster, yet despite using the same flies as others on the water I am far from prolific by comparison. So I am forced conclude that I am not seeing the right things, or am not interpreting what I see correctly.

Discuss.

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You can only fish for so long before you have to throw a stick of dynamite in the river.

Two anglers can do identical things, with identical tackle, in the same area but one catches fish and the other doesn't. What you are basically asking is why?
The angler catching is doing something subtly different. In fishing there are hundreds of variables so no two anglers ever fish identically it's an impossiblity. However, it is possible to get all the variables right and start pulling out fish. Depth and retrieve are probably the two things that make the most difference. Line ,leader. and flies are also vitally important but by asking other successful anglers the easiest to copy.

Slow down even more. Spend 5 minutes quietly observing each pool before making your first cast.

Tom Sutcliffe did an extremely helpful and thought provoking 9 part tutorial on "how to spot trout". I found it helped me to look for the right signs.

Spotting Trout - Part 1
Spotting Trout - Part 2
Spotting Trout - Part 3
Spotting Trout - Part 4
Spotting Trout - Part 5
Spotting Trout - Part 6
Spotting Trout - Part 7
Spotting Trout - Part 8
Spotting Trout - Part 9

ToD

I used to be a river keeper on a chalk stream many years ago and spent many hours watching trout and looking for trout. I probably should have been doing other things, but I found the watching and looking very useful both as a keeper and as an angler.

The trick is not so much in seeing trout in the first instance, but in knowing where to look. When they're up on the fin, they are obvious, but when they are lying deeper it is not so clear. Look in the channels between weedbeds, or in the area immediately downstream of weeds. Look especially in the channels alongside the near and far banks. These are prime spots. Watch the current seams and how they channel food. Trout will not be far away. Look for any item on the riverbed that might break the flow and provide a calmer spot for a trout to lie, and look in front of it as well as behind. Look, too,for shadows on the river bed. Brother trout can be very well camouflaged, but he can't do anything about his shadow. Peter Pan he isn't!

Look in a relaxed manner. I find that staring hard at a given spot means that I won't see anything there, but if I let my eyes wander over an area then I will see fish much more quickly.

Remember where you see fish. If you catch it another will take its place, often in a few hours. I've caught a fish in one spot in the morning and another from the same spot in the afternoon.

Bear in mind that a chalkstream is a constantly changing environment. Weed grows, is cut, grows again and dies back. This creates constant change in where fish will lie over the course of a season.

Try locating fish without polaroids. If you can get that hang of it, seeing them with polaroids is child's play.

Hi. TofD, Have you read Reading Rivers, Tracing Trout in Trout and Grayling section? Save some time by checking out the last 9 or 10 articles. Some good advice on this present thread from the other posters. When looking for trout, don't always look for the form of the fish, look for movement. Also, while reflection may prevent you from seeing a fish in the water, you might well see the movement of is shadow on the river bed; and learn to read current patterns; the odd change may well turn out to be one caused by fish movement just sub-surface. Good luck with your observations. Jada

Sit or lay down so that the fish can not see you and wait for 20-30minutes. You might be surprised

When fishing new water I often turn over a few submerged stones, kick the heather or shake a branch and see what insect life is on and around them - most of it will be on the trout's menu.

If you are killing fish then carry a marrow spoon and check the stomach contents once you've chapped him, or slice open the stomach when you're gutting the fish later and inspect his diet then. Make notes if you think it will help next season.

A good angler I know always advocated 10-15 minutes of watching your water before your first cast and I think it's very sound advice.