Catching multiple trout during a hatch

[JMP]

We all know that you can ruin a stretch of a stream if you are not stealthy in your approach. When fishing a decent hatch, you may hook multiple fish in the same stretch. You would think the disturbance of landing fish would put the remainder on alert. This disturbance does not have the same affect. Is this because the continued rise of the multiple fish “cancel” the disturbance? Is it due to the abundant food source and caution is reduced? After a fish is caught, how soon will it return to feeding? Has anyone believed they caught the same fish more than once during a hatch?

 

[klingy]

I think one thing that might make it seem like they might spook less is that many hatches are occurring during low-light periods or cloudy days when it is generally easier to sneak up on fish. There probably is some merit to fish being “keyed-in” on feeding and being less aware of their surroundings, but I’ve spooked enough feeding trout to know that they are still looking for predators while they’re feeding.

 

[dc410]

I did catch the same fish, on the same fly, in the same lie on back to back days, however I can’t ever remember catching the same fish during a given hatch. Good topic.

 

[turkey]

I've fished some hatches where they're just reckless and seem to be competing for bugs. I'm sure more than a few of us have caught a trout as our dry fly swings toward the bank leaving a wake. These times seem to be the exception and definitely not the rule as we've all put a rising pod down, even with a few delicately placed casts. At a certain tailwater that I've been privileged to fish, I've experienced large trout that seem to know you're near but don't mind because they can instantly recognize fat comparadun bodies, ergo they never stop rising. They just work around my drifts. At another stream, I have waited a fish out (or two) and let him return to steady feeding but I don't recall success in those scenarios.

I really think the abundance of food trying to get to the surface is what triggers that recklessness, but I have no proof.

I've never caught the same fish twice, during a hatch or otherwise. I'm still trying to catch all the fish once.

 

[jifigz]

I've caught the same fish more than once on separate outings, but never in the same fishing session. On small streams like Tea Creek I have caught the same rainbows out of the same lies spaced out by a couple of days. Years ago in March I caught the same two beautiful rainbows maybe a week apart. Each time the fish ate the same catskill style BWO dry fly. It's easy to identify the same fish when you're in a predominantly brown trout stream. Last year I caught the same rainbow again twice a couple days apart. Each time that fish ate a parachute ant.

I'd say that a fish resumes normal feeding after an hour or so, but a lot depends on the environmental stressors.

Catching the same fish over and over is a testament that a properly handled trout caught under the right circumstances has a good chance of survival.

 

[Tigereye]

Depends on the water. Larger streams ie Lehigh the fish are pretty tolerant. Slow meandering muddy bottomed stream, not so much.

A fisherman can stand in one place and catch multiple fish in a large stream. Depth. Physical cover, rapids, riffles and a host of other factors keep fish feeling safe. On smaller quiet streams, the slightest disturbance will not necessarily spook a fish but will make them wary.

I caught one stocked brookie twice in a 20 minute span on a royal wulff. There was no hatch and I was prospecting likely looking water. After releasing the fish the first time, I recaught it about 40 yards down stream. I know it was the same fish because the right pectoral fin was missing as was its right eye and it had a scar across its right flank ( fillet LOL). The fish either had a close encounter with a heron or an over sized Rapala

 

[trout624]

I caught the same 16” wild brown within 20 minutes while nymphing on Slate Run. Conditions were perfect for not spooking fish: overcast and drizzling in late spring. I caught him out of a deep pool and was very surprised to catch him again shortly after the first catch. My theory is that he was so keyed in on eating during the low visibility conditions that he had no idea I was there. I could tell it was the same fish due to a mark on its lip.

One of the best days of fishing for me. Up until then I didn’t have much luck on Slate.

 

[Moosehead_Belle]

All though I did not catch the same trout twice, I did catch a trout that a friend had hooked and lost about an hour earlier. Both times raising to dries. When I caught it, it still had my friends fly in it's mouth.

 

[laszlo]

I miss interpreted the title but I'll tell my story anyway. I came across a sulfur hatch (my first ever) and began casting like a like a crazy person I was so excited. Of course I created a huge loop in my tippet. I clipped the loop and the tag seemed strong so I tied on another fly to it. Next cast I hook up with two browns with the dual fly set up.

 

[pcray1231]

Yes, my history is most major hatches are on large water where fish are less spooky to begin with. You can wade pretty dang close and still catch em on dries, nymphs, whatever. Add to that the reckless abandon of a heavy hatch and find a pod and take the easy ones.

They do get pickier. I don't think its spooked, per se, but you've missed a few, got drag at the wrong time, or just got down to the ones in the really hard lies. The ones you havent caught are still working but more selective, they're onto you. You could tough it out and maybe land another 1 or 2. But at those times, sometimes its best to find a new pod and get into the dullards again.

 

[larkmark]

Caught same fish twice during same hatch within minutes of releasing it on Spring Creek back when it was still good.

 

[dryflyguy]

The amount of fishing a pressure a stream receives seems to be a factor too, IMO.

The fish in Spring Creek seem to be very used to their mess mates around them getting caught and released. And just keep rising away.

As for how soon a fish will return to feeding, I once had a very interesting experience on the lower part of Spring Creek.
I hit it on one of those rare days when the sulphers hatched from morning, until dark.

I caught a fish that morning that had a very distinguishable mark on it's head - at a certain well marked spot right along the bank.
Later on, I stopped for a lunch break at my truck, which just happened to be parked right there.
As I went back out for the afternoon, I noticed another riser in the exact same spot.
Went over, caught it. Sure enough, it was the same size, and had the same odd mark as the one I caught earlier

Eventually, I walked on upstream away for the rest of the afternoon.
And came back to my truck around dusk. And yep, a fish rising again in that exact spot.
I went over and caught what surely looked like the same fish again - for apparently, a third time!

I do remember that this fish was quite skinny. And I guess quite hungry to boot
So much so that getting caught a few times didn't bother it for very long

 

[JeffP]

I remember maybe 15 years ago fishing Penns in the big pool where Poe Creek runs in. It was bright sunshine and the creek was low. Every fish in the pool must have been rising. At the time I thought it was a sulfur hatch but later came to the conclusion it must have been a cranefly hatch. Must have been 10 anglers there and all were catching fish. They weren't spooked at all.

 

[JF_]

When multiple food sources are available the fish will feed.

They are not smart enough to know that us crafty anglers are there to catch them.

Get close to the food source and you are golden...

 

[hooker-of-men]

During a McMichaels DHALO sulfur frenzy a few years back a fish broke me off, then I caught it and got the fly back two casts later.

 

[Mike]

My wife broke off a trout on a BWO, then fifteen minutes later switched to a Copper John, hooked the same trout, and got her BWO back.

 

[Maurice]

While fishing a favorite pool on my home water (stocked with some wild fish) I nymphed for over 1/2 hour to a head scratching goose egg. I continued downstream for an hour with much the same result. Then circled back and headed to the car. On my way past the "fav pool" I saw a rise over in the corner. Then I saw a caddis, then another. So I cut my nymphs off, removed the split shot and put on an EHC. I immediately caught that rising trout on the first cast. Caddis were sporadic for the next hour, I saw no more rises but caught 17 trout, wild and stocked, mostly by moving the fly. (its bumpy water). Fish number 5 and 16 were the same fish, I know because it had a torn up mouth. And was in the same lower part of the pool.

Five of the fish were wild browns, the rest stocked browns. (first one was wild). No idea if any of the others were duplicates.

Next time I will check their IDs.

So perhaps the increased activity sparked a "feeding frenzy"?

Who cares, those are the times that keep me going back. Never do I walk away from an unsuccessful stretch and say, "There are no fish there."

 

[blitzinstripes]

Not really during a hatch, but I caught the same large (24") golden rainbow twice in under three hours. First time on the bamboo rod and a small caddis larva. The second time on my Euro rod and a lively legz PT. I was quite stunned because I played the fish fairly well the first time due to being cautious of my recently repaired rod tip. I would have thought that trout wouldn't have bit again for a few days, and I wasn't targeting her the second time, just drifting the holding run again on my way back down the creek. I guess it just goes to show how truly dumb the stockers can be, when they wanna be.

 

[jkeating]

One time I caught a brown on FC in back to back casts. Released him, casted again, caught him again. I was so surprised and thought I must have misjudged the fish, but there was the hole in his jaw from the first time. Honestly, it really messed with my head. Felt like groundhog day.