How to Fish Near a Hanging Rock

The most important thing about the presence of a hanging rock near a fishing spot is what clues it gives to the habitat the fish occupy. Habitat is the single most important factor in determining where fish congregate and when they are likely to feed. In most cases, the hanging rock will have little to no effect on the habitat in the water, except to provide shade in open areas where there is a lot of direct sunlight on the water.

Things You'll Need

  • Fishing pole
  • Various baits
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Instructions

    • 1

      Determine whether the water is running or still. In running water, a hanging rock is usually a clue that there are large rock formations in the water itself. These rock formations can serve as shelter for fish during the hotter part of the day and a place for feeding when it is cooler. Your best results come by fishing at the time of day when fish are most aggressively feeding. Along the coast of a lake or ocean, a hanging rock can signify a hard or sandy bottom. If there is a good cover of seaweed, this is an excellent spot to catch larger fish as they feed on smaller ones.

    • 2

      Examine what the hanging rock tells you about the change of depth at the spot you will fish. Fish like to congregate in the in-between areas where water goes from shallow to deep while feeding. A hanging rock is suggestive of a hard basin that is often steeper in its drop-off than muddy shorelines. If there are a lot of rocks or vegetation attached to such a drop-off, it is an excellent feeding habitat for larger fish. In some streams the bottom, though hard and rocky, is very shallow. Such streams are often good spots for migratory fish, but the time of year can be critical to how good the fishing will be.

    • 3

      Check out what the relationship of the hanging rock is to the current if you are at a river or stream. Rocky formations along rivers and streams are often related to changes and bends in the course of the flowing water. In a deep, straight river the current is strongest near the top of the deepest part of the river. Fish like to stay outside of the main current -- and many of the larger fish feed on smaller insects and fish the current carries by. A large rocky formation often occurs at places where a river bends. In these spots, the current is strongest on the outside edge of the bend, so the best fishing occurs toward the inside of the bend.