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One piece of advice I always give anglers heading to waters that they haven't fished before is to obtain local advice. No matter how much research you have done prior to your trip nothing beats local fishing knowledge. If there is a tackle shop in the area stop in and seek advice. I always start at the fly bins and will always pick out a few flies. Often when the guy in the shop sees that you are buying something he will open up, when asked if I need help I always say yes and ask him to recommend some patterns for the area, this often leads to questions on where will you be fishing. If I have place in mind once again I will defer to him saying something like "It's my first time in the area and I was thinking of trying the Blue River, unless you can suggest somewhere that would be a better choice". You will be surprised at how much info you can gain in this manner. I always purchase a few flies, maybe a leader or two and perhaps a fly box or hat with the shops’ logo on it. This always pays big dividends, especially if you're spending a few days in the area.
Fly fishing department at The Fishin' Hole West Side fishing store in Edmonton Alberta
Other sources of info can be campground managers, Fish & Wildlife officers, Park Wardens etc. Often they are overlooked and seen as the "bad guys" but their jobs depend on tourists using the area and I have always found them very helpful when asked. Nothing beats local knowledge so the next time you're in a new area ask a local.
