simulated hatch

[bigslackwater]

Here's a new scenario for me... Recently I've been fishing dries, which I don't fish very often. It happens when I approach a nice hole, and there are no rising trout and little or no insect activity. I start drifting a fly past fish. For a while they ignore it. Eventually they catch on and the rises start. The activity builds and a top water frenzy ensues. I catch a few fish until the activity eventually dies down again. I've done this with stocked trout and wild Brookies.

I'm thinking that my fly drifting past them 15-20 times or so gives them the illusion that something is going on, like multiple flies are coming down the line, even though its just me casting the same fly. I've started calling this a "simulated hatch". Is this possible and is there another term for this technique? I'm sure this is pretty common with dry fly fishing but it definitely seems like a different technique than "matching the hatch". In a sense I feel like I'm simulating a hatch when no hatch is happening.

 

[dc410]

Hank Patterson (worldwide renown fly-fishing expert and guide) is a firm believer in it. He had a little different technique but one of his videos shows him instructing his client (Reese) on how to "simulate the hatch". I don't care who you are his stuff is just flat out funny! :-D

 

[Stevie-B]

There could be a couple of things going on. If the fish is feeding opportunistically, it may take a couple of drifts over his head to catch his attention. It could also be that the fish is looking for something to come down a certain feeding lane. You cast towards it and even tho you are close to his lane, he won't take it. You make more casts until you hit it just right with no drag and the he takes it.

Just my $0.02.

 

[afishinado]

This subject has been written about many times by some of the old masters of fly-fishing. I really haven't had much luck with it. Sooner or later, you're gunna make a clunker of a cast or drag the fly and put the fish down.

 

[Fishidiot]

afishinado wrote:
I really haven't had much luck with it. Sooner or later, you're gunna make a clunker of a cast or drag the fly and put the fish down.

Agree.
Many times I've drifted a dry fly over a trout - a caddis, ant, or mayfly imitation - and thought to myself that the fish might eventually rise thinking that a hatch was starting. I don't think it ever turned out that way.
Now, if a fish rises in the water column to inspect your fly and doesn't take.....this is more promising (but a different situation). If you see a trout and he doesn't move after a couple good drifts over him......try a nymph or wet fly.

 

[FrequentTyer]

afishinado wrote:
This subject has been written about many times by some of the old masters of fly-fishing. I really haven't had much luck with it. Sooner or later, you're gunna make a clunker of a cast or drag the fly and put the fish down.

Isn't that when your supposed to shadow cast ;-)

 

[dryflyguy]

I've never had much luck doing this either.
A lot better alternative IMO, is to fish terrestrials in no hatch situations

 

[afishinado]

dryflyguy wrote:
I've never had much luck doing this either.
A lot better alternative IMO, is to fish terrestrials in no hatch situations

.....or nymphs :-o

 

[dryflyguy]

afishinado wrote:

dryflyguy wrote:
I've never had much luck doing this either.
A lot better alternative IMO, is to fish terrestrials in no hatch situations

.....or nymphs :-o

What are they?

 

[JackM]

How could we be sure we "simulated" a hatch just because we repeatedly cast over a lie or a run and eventually caught a trout?

Once again: trout are dumb. They have no idea what a "hatch" really is. The Royal Coachman/Wulff is all the proof you need that under proper circumstances, you can catch trout with anything.

 

[krayfish]

If you cast several hundred flies on each cast, yes. If you are casting a single fly, ain't happening.

My best guess.......Get to stream at 5:30 pm, nymphing until 6:45, change leader set up and start dry fly fishing at 7 pm. By 7:30...fish start rising and it builds to s fever pitch around 8. You have not simulated a hatch but actually fished during one (or a spinnerfall). Carefully observing what is in the air over the stream and what is in the surface film will help you solve any mystery. Then again, what do I know?

 

[bigslackwater]

How could we be sure we "simulated" a hatch just because we repeatedly cast over a lie or a run and eventually caught a trout?

Because it wasn't just one random trout it was around 8-10 trout. Perhaps calling it a simulated hatch is giving myself too much credit...Maybe presenting a fly several times simply caught their attention...but isn't that what happens naturally too, insects catch their attention?

You have not simulated a hatch but actually fished during one (or a spinnerfall). Carefully observing what is in the air over the stream and what is in the surface film will help you solve any mystery.

The two places I've described, I've fished during hatches. I've seen them come and go, and this really seemed like nothing was going on, (atleast on the surface) I could be wrong. There were very few, if any rises, except for when they took my fly. From my experience this seemed very unique...that's why I started the topic. Normally I show up and fish nymphs until I see some rises, observe the insects I see, try to match, and maybe catch a few. This situation arose from me being stubborn and wanting to fish a dry fly for no good reason, and things just worked out in my favor. The time I caught over 10 trout was my all-time best day fly fishing...I'm just trying to justify my luck!

 

[krayfish]

If there's nothing hatching and you just blind cast, yes you can catch fish that way. Was it a simulated hatch? I'd say no. You might have been in an area with tricky currents that caused your fly to drag even if you didn't see it. Theres also the chance that sesection didn't hold many fish and when you moved....success! Could have made the impression on you that you spurred them into believing a hatch was going on. Trout are opportunist. They will eat what ever appears to be food. I'll put my 30+ years against a theory any day.