By far best method of covering big rivers is drifting them. If river is huge, and laws allow one could also use a pwerboat, but unless you are with an experienced guide or know river well yourself, you are likely to miss many a fine fishing opportunity speeding passed them. Drifting allows you to get a feel for river, allows you to observe them diligently, learning niuances of specific river and fish that inhabit it. If water is clear, you can observe them right beneath you, type of water they concentrate in, how easily spooked they are and their size. You can watch for risng fish, as well, and water they prefer when actively working surface. All of this is hard to see in a power boat, and it is hard to cover as much ground on foot. But one can be an even more carfeul observer on foot.

Breaking up river:

The big rivers need to be broken up, at least mentally in order to successfully fish them. It is better if they are broken up topographically as well. Islands are by far easiest feature for anglers to recognize. An island provdies a break in current, and a natural place for gravel bars, tailouts, riffles, and pools. Islands in short turn big river into two smallers ones, temporarily. Provding bug and fish habitat and if you are drifting, they provide a less prssured fishing spot, in theory. Although if your river is heavily dirfted, islands are apt to recieve a lot of fishing pressure.

Change in current and river depth, also provide natural fishing spots. A river that has been churning slowly will likely hold fish right above a slight drop, as current begins to speed just slightly, fish are likely to lay in great abundance above a rapid. Likewise if depth has been deeper than normal say 20-30 feet, and then turns to gravel, or smaller sized rock bed, fish also are liely to gravitate.

Also look for close in seams in river. A seam is an area where water is moving slower then water farther out. Fish love to layin seams, and feed on nymphs that heve been carried down by faster moving water. If you can find a seam on an inside cirve in rier all better.

The origins of this pattern are unclear, although it had existed as a wet fly, and nymph , was probably just a logical evolution of that. Likewise are dry fly patterns, and color variations, that now bear name Hare's Ear. The effectiveness of this pattern are unquestionned, it has caught virtually every game fish under sun, in all kinds of condtions.

The #1 selling nymph in world, has spawned adage 'when in doubt fish a Hare's Ear.' A good rule for any fly fisher to remember. The Hare's Ear stands out as a perfect imitation of nothing, yet an impression of many things. It is buggy and shaggy, and has benefit of becoming even more effective more it is fished. As fish strike this pattern its 'shagginess' and 'bugginess' improve. It's gold ribbing add flash for attraction, and segmentation for realsim. The classic nymph shape matches both mayfly and stonefly nymph silouhettes, and color and solid charactersitics make it a nice caddis imitation as well.