A piece here at The Headhunters Fly Shop re the big Missouri River. The article presents the pieces to the bigger picture and suggests ways to read the water. This is so critical whether the river is big or small.
“Seams, the obvious spot for trout on any stream, are the first place to look. Seams are evident on the shore lines, and also spread throughout the width too. Any slow/fast water interface is a damn likely feeding lane. Think of them even as invisible rocks…the rock may not be there, but the current change is. So slow down and look for these situations. You will soon notice that there are seams everywhere. During hatches, there will almost always be fish holding in these spots, even if not actively feeding on the surface at that time. Seams can also be created by subsurface structure.”
SwittersB & Exploring 
Rocks often provide cover for fish. In the picture, there are the pronounced riffle closer than the rocks farther out. The riffles are caused by boulders, rocks beneath the surface. Spaces in front of, behind or sometimes to the side of rocks provide relief from the current, protection from overhead predators, a conveyor belt of drifting food and in certain instances, increased oxygen. The rocks farther out can offer the same positives to the fish, except they stick up out of the water but can provide the same dynamics beneath the surface. Another interesting thing is the current is most often fastest at the top near rocks and almost non-existent at the bottom. These factors can be important to steelhead, smallmouth, whitefish and grayling too(although, no grayling near you). Also, look at the pic and notice the seam out from shore and just before the riffles, then on the other side. So, you are thinking of lies for the fish. Also, notice and study where different insects hatch. This is why flyfishing so fascinating…a puzzle in so many ways.
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