Dargan Coggeshall from Charlottesville, Va., is a kayak-floating fly fisherman who prefers leisurely rides in moderate currents.
"I'm usually looking for the exact opposite of what the rafters want - manageable flows and stable situations," he said. "I'm routinely checking the gages in Virginia and West Virginia, looking for optimal fishing conditions."
Coggeshall is a meticulous note keeper, jotting down information about particular streams after a good day's fishing.
"I check the flow, the height and things like that for a given day. I've built up something of an understanding. I can look at stream flow data, height and flow and time of year and determine in advance if it will be an optimal fishing day."
"If it's too high or too low, you can't fish," he said. "The worst thing is to go and it's dangerous, or you'll be doing nothing but steering your boat all day long."
-
Whitewater rafting has a language all its own
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Whitewater rafters speak a different language than those who prefer keeping their feet dry. Here's how to wade through some of the jargon:
Run - A stream section that can be floated by raft, canoe, kayak or inner tube.
Hydraulic or hydraulic hole - When water flows over a rock or some other obstacle, then reverses with an eruptive force.
Flow - A measured amount of water passing a specific point.
Stage - Water depth above a particular spot in a stream channel.
Pool level - The water level measured above the upstream side of a dam.
Bar - A buildup, usually of sand or gravel, in or alongside the river channel.
Big or heavy water - Fast-running water characterized by high waves and turbulence.
Chute - An unobstructed route between rocks or other obstacles, usually flowing faster than water in the main river channel.
Eddy - A quiet area alongside bends or below obstructions where the river current slows or circles before resuming its downstream run.
Hung up - When the downstream side of a raft is wedged against rocks or similar barriers by fast-moving current.
Portage - Carrying canoes or rafts around obstacles or waterfalls to quieter locations where the trip can resume.
Riffle - A gentle type of whitewater where small waves build up in washboard-like fashion over a shallow river bottom.
Rock garden - A channel filled with partially submerged rocks requiring some deft paddling.
River rating - The degree of technical difficulty of a rapid or river expressed on a "Class" scale. Those run from Class I (mild) to Class VI (wild and too extreme even for rafting operators to attempt).
