They say that 90% of the fish are in only 10% of the water. The secret to a successful day isn't a more expensive lure or a faster boat—it’s the ability to truly "read" the water before you ever make a cast. Join Mark Gostkiewicz of Tri Gable Lea Farm for a masterclass in the art of water observation. Drawing on a lifetime of experience—from fly fishing for native brook trout in tiny Connecticut streams to working the rocky surf of the Long Island Sound—Mark will teach you how to decode any body of water like a professional.

Whether you are a fly fisher, a spin caster, or a bait-and-wait angler, this class is about developing your "Angler’s Eye." We will trace the journey of moving water, starting with small freshwater brooks and working our way up to the complex tidal currents of our local coastline. You’ll learn how to "see" the underwater structures, current seams, and feeding lanes where fish reside.

What will I learn in the Workshop?

• Mark's 5 C’s of Reading the Water: Mark shares the five principles he lives by when choosing a spot and a presentation: Cover, Current, Conditions, Cuisine, and Confidence.

• Couch Scouting Mastery: We start with the big picture. Learn how to use satellite maps and bathymetric charts on your phone to identify honey holes and potential secret spots before you even leave the house.

• Decoding the Flow: We’ll zoom in on the water's movement to identify seams/edges, eddies, riffles, humps, holes, and soft water—the high-percentage spots where fish sit to conserve energy while waiting for a meal.

• The Universal Language of Moving Water: Discover how the fundamental lessons learned on a 5-foot-wide trout stream apply to the massive flow of the Connecticut River and the complex shores of the Long Island Sound.

• Reading the Surf: Understand the mechanics of the coastline. Learn how the tide interacts with rocky points, sandbars, and outflows to create the perfect ambush spots for Striped Bass and Bluefish.

• Developing Your Eyes: All through the presentation, we'll see real pictures of moving water to see what to look for at various scales. Get tips for on-site observation, including how to use light, shadow, and surface ripples to infer what’s happening beneath the surface. 

The Digital Tackle Box: You won't leave empty-handed. Every student receives a comprehensive digital package including the Master Slideshow, annotated infographics of river structures, links to helpful resources/suppliers/videos, and bonus videos. The bonus videos go further in to depth, going beyond the overall class. There's only so much time to teach a class live. Rather than rush through everything, the core class is all of the big pictures and the bonuses are created to fill the gaps and look at specific cases.

Catch more fish and fewer skunks! Stop casting into empty water. Sign up today and learn the master art of reading the water!