In any of the three tailwaters mentioned here, you have a choice of two styles of fishing to Mysis-feeding trout: blind fishing and sight fishing.

Blind fishing. Many fly fishers use strike indicators to dead-drift Mysis or nymph patterns to unseen fish in structure, pocketwater, deeper holes below riffles, and cuts along the banks. If you get to know the river well, you'll learn where deep-holding fish like to feed. Fishing without an indicator is almost impossible in deep water when you are blind fishing, though big fish are sometimes caught this way.

While nymphing normally offers the best chance of success on Mysis tailwaters, streamers, and even dry flies can be effective at times. This enormous Taylor River rainbow pounced on a Green Drake Quigley Cripple

A wispy, neutral-colored yarn indicator is probably the most sensitive for detecting a sipping trout hog. With rare exceptions (for example, when fish are in deep runs), trout wait for Mysis to come to them. The fish take with a gentle sip, so you need a sensitive indicator and you must be alert; otherwise, expect many long, frustrating, fishless days.

Short-line nymphing is another effective approach. Lift the portion of your line and leader that is above the indicator off the water as your fly drifts downstream naturally. This tactic reduces drag from your line or split-shot. Large Mysis-chomping trout don't like drag.

Sight fishing. You can almost always see the trout in these streams, and perhaps the most interesting, and productive way to hunt these fish is to locate your quarry, and watch its reaction to your presentation. This fishing is best done without an indicator and with light, limp tippets for the best presentations.

Spotting fish is your first step toward success on any Mysis-shrimp tailwater. Look for the white wink of a trout's mouth, shadows over a light-colored bottom (as in the above photo taken on the Taylor River), or a glint of a giant rainbow's red stripe.

It's important to find fish that are feeding actively. Look for telltale feeding signs like trout in fast water, a white mouth "winking" in the depths, trout suspended above the bottom, or trout that are constantly moving back and forth in the current (fish that are nearly motionless or lying at the bottom of deep pools are usually not feeding heavily). After you get to know these rivers, you will learn that trout move to certain locations when they are intent on feeding, and in some other spots (usually deeper, slow water) they are not nearly as aggressive.

Seldom will you see the entire fish. The goal in spotting fish is to catch a flash of pink or red, or a flash of a white mouth as it sucks in a Mysis. Most of the monster trout, with weights that reach double-digit pounds, are rainbows. While these fish are very cautious, if you are careful, you can move to within a rod length of them.

Spotting the fish and presenting a nymph to them without an indicator is much more difficult than other forms of nymphing, because it is difficult to detect the take. The best position for this sight fishing is directly across from a sighted fish and slightly more than a rod length away. With a lightly weighted nymph setup, drop the fly a few feet upstream of the fish. The key is to watch the fish, not the leader or line. If you can, watch the fly, too. The best nymphers, it is said, can move each eye independently of the other, much like a chameleon. One eye watches the fly, and one watches the fish.

If you feel the fly is near the fish and see the fish make the slightest movement, set the hook gently (this will take some practice). Watch for the trout to open its mouth or slide forward an inch or two. Sometimes the only indication of a take is a very slight fin movement as the fish adjusts its position or steadies itself to take the fly.

Any of these delicate movements require delicate hook sets. If the fish has not taken the fly, oversetting the hook will swing your fly across the fish's view, and the game is over. It's amazing how fast a large fish can disappear. An aggressive hook set also causes excessive movement of your arm and rod, which may spook the fish.

If a big fish takes your fly, it will respond to your hook set vigorously. Because this fishing requires light 6X tippets, you must respond delicately or the two of you will quickly part company. Set your hook lightly and follow the fish, rather than try to stop it.

Light tippets and small flies require delicate hook sets--especially on extremely large fish. Pressure the fish constantly during the fight, changing the angle of your rod so the fish doesn't get a rest. Unless the water is filled with obstructions that could cut your line (as above) keeping your rod low, and pulling the fish sideways is the quickest method to tire a large fish

Bringing these big fish in is also a challenge. A Frying Pan angler with a big fish on looks like he's walking a dog with a collar of 6X tippet and a fly rod for a leash. After the fish's initial run, both angler and fish settle down, and the fish makes shorter surges and rolls. To bring the fish in, keep your rod tip up and your feet moving as you follow the fish and lead it toward you. Any unexpected surge or roll of a heavy fish can break a tippet or pull a small fly out of the fish's mouth before you can react. Stay sharp.