Deciphering a hatch

[afishinado]

Sometimes it's more satisfying figuring out how to catch one rising fish than catching a whole bunch nymphing.

Some good ideas on how to break down what's happening on the stream and coming up with a plan of attack. >

 

[WildTigerTrout]

I agree. Years ago on a local well known limestoner I had a single trout rising consistently about 40 feet upstream of me. I tried a number of flies with no luck. There was a hatch on at the time(Light Cahill). I tried that to no avail. This trout was frustrating me. I continued to watch but could not figure out what it was taking. Finally as a last resort I tried an old Harry Steeves pattern, his "Crystal Butt Cricket". Worked on the first cast and I reeled in my second ever wild tiger trout.
That trout is the one pictured in my Avatar. Quite a surprise when I got it to the net. Just because a hatch is on does not mean every trout is feeding exclusively on them. I tucked that little bit of information into my brain that evening. The hard trout teach the best lessons!

 

[Acristickid]

I forget if 1 on a dry is equal to 3 or 4 on nymphs.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

acristickid: Are we talking about raw numbers, inches or pounds of fish? ;-)

 

[Dave_W]

When confronted by these always challenging classic FF situations where the obvious pattern is ignored, I tend first to remember three things I've learned:

-The fish are on emergers; start with a pattern in the film and then move down to a nymph just under the surface.

-Among the various bugs visible, bet that the fish are on the smallest BWOs.

- Always be willing to try a terrestrial, especially a small ant or beetle.

 

[Bamboozle]

To that I'll add:

-Try a Little Black Caddis, about size 18 or 20.

 

[salvelinusfontinalis]

To that ill add:

If none of those work, go to a cripple, or under/over sized pattern.
Picky fish can be enticed.

Eventually put on a streamer or nymph and catch the fish :lol:

 

[Bamboozle]

To that I'll add:

-Or try a spinning rod because "spinfishing is more effective."

Oops... ;-)

 

[Dave_W]

Bamboozle wrote:
To that I'll add:

-Or try a spinning rod because "spinfishing is more effective."

Oops... ;-)

Well played sir.
:lol: int:

 

[Swattie87]

This is a good thread, and there’s some stuff here I’ll incorporate in and try next time. If I’m being honest, my usual approach for “deciphering a hatch” in regard to a fish I can’t catch is to just pick a different fish. I’ll do that more frequently than I’ll change a fly. But I probably shouldn’t sometimes.

One thing that I seem to learn every year in mid/late May on Penns, and seemingly forget by the next year...When there’s tons of MB’s and even some GD’s hatching and in the air, the fish are still usually eating Sulphur emergers more often than not, and whether you actually see any Sulphurs or not. Point being, they’re not always eating the bug you actually see, and this seems especially common with Sulphurs, on streams with more diverse macro populations. On Spring, Sulphurs are pretty much the only bug in town in late May, but on Penns there’s numerous species hatching at once. This year, I’m rigging up a Sulphur parachute first!