Stocked/wild techniques

[Colweb78]

Hey all,

Was just wondering if those of you with more experience fish differently in stocked waters vs wild. Thought it might be a relevant topic with season just weeks away.

Im still learning and just fishing areas of Spring Creek. Amazed how many wild trout were jumping about last Thurs afternoon over at Benner Pike!

Also - fishing etiquette. When two other fly fishers parked up near me i switched to my spinning rod and bank fished as got worried about crowding them/ stealing their stretch - especially where i dont have mastery of my casting accuracy and distance. Any advice appreciated

 

[BrookieChaser]

Yes, different methods are employed when fishing for stocked fish or wild fish.

As for etiquette. Stand your ground if you were there first.

 

[pcray1231]

Yep. Although the longer stocked trout are in the water, they begin to act more and more "wild". You still have a difference of species, though, as browns act differently than rainbows act differently than brookies and all can, at times, require different tactics.

Generally wild fish are more likely to be spread out, located in feeding lies (current breaks, near fast water but generally in slower water), and tend to be more schedule feeders (only feed during hatches, or at morning/evening, etc.), but when they are feeding they often feed more energetically and steadily. They also tend to spook more easily, and when they spook, they really spook, scoot for cover, and it's like they disappear.

Stocked fish tend to be congregated (often near where stocked), located in holding lies (deep water), and feed opportunistically but more consistently. They are harder to spook, many times they'll just get "sorta" spooked, sulk, and ignore everything, but not totally run for cover.

These are tendencies, not hard and fast rules.

Regarding etiquette, the "space" granted to a fishermen is highly situational. The more crowded, the less space each angler has. But, aside from specialized situations like Erie steelhead or a crowded stocked stream on opening day, getting within casting distance of an angler not in your party is DEFINITELY too close. Most of the time the expected space you have is far longer than you can cast.

Stand your ground, rather than assume someone's moving in on you.

For Spring Creek, it seems the general rule is usually 1 pool to one angler, or party of anglers. i.e. if you were fishing and someone else comes into the pool you are fishing, they are crowding you. Even if you are in the tail and they come to the head, or vice versa.

 

[SoYoCoTransplant]

When other anglers approach me and pool poach a small pool I have zero issue with opening my mouth. However, in larger pools I'm less likely to speak out and often will invite them in.

A lot of times that an individual is fishing a hole I want, I will either watch and wait until they leave or else move on myself. Often times, if I just sit and wait for them to leave a hole, they leave sooner as a lot of fishermen unless they are "chuck and ducks" don't want to fish around others, and that includes me.

 

[poopdeck]

The lack of casting ability may work to your favor in getting them to move along. I frequently look the fool with my fly rod but I don't really care if others witness it. I usually have a kind word for those that encroach as I refuse to get upset or stressed out over minut issues while doing something to relieve stress in my life.

Heres an idea. Next time your feeling crowded go up to the offender and start showing them all your fly boxes and the contents while explaining how you only buy flies from a special old tyer in Montana. Then go over every detail of your rod, line, leader and tippet. If you have a pair of Simms on go ahead and tell them how great they are and they were the best 600.00 you ever spent. What's a good stream side chat without the mid flex fast tip fly rod with silky smooth drag reel that you just checked out at ****s. This will always make me flee to the next zip code.

 

[duckfoot]

I have no problem sharing the water. C'mon in, I'll even point you to where the fish are. I'll take a break and drink some coffee and watch you work, hopefully learn something while I'm at it.

I'd rather make a friend than an enemy.

 

[foxfire]

I'm with you duck!! Missing out on a trout, or two, or twelve is not worth ruining what is a terrific experience of being out and on the water. Never been a numbers guy.

 

[J55tyger88]

Duck, you said it! I usially steer clear and give people space, but dont mind having a chat, or letting someone else try the fish ive been casting to for 30 minutes without a take

 

[PennKev]

Colweb78 wrote:

Also - fishing etiquette. When two other fly fishers parked up near me i switched to my spinning rod and bank fished as got worried about crowding them/ stealing their stretch - especially where i dont have mastery of my casting accuracy and distance. Any advice appreciated

Screw that. Keep fly fishing if you want.

Geez.

 

[Chaz]

I do, but I'll qualify that by saying there are only a few stocked streams that I fish, so take that with a grain of salt. On the streams I fish, I use a similar technique. I look at what should be hatching and quite often catch fish by using the fly I think will be hatching over attractors. But sometimes the conditions trump everything, conditions heavily weight my approach, I will often start with a streamer if the water is a bit cloudy rather than what is hatching or may be hatching.
My definition of hatching, includes anything that may be hatching at any time of the day during the day I'm fishing. For instance a couple of years ago I went up to the camp and figured I'd fish a green drake during the day even though the flies wouldn't hatch until evening. I did this because my drive down the road to the camp had swarms of millions of drakes flying around over the road. When I got to camp the front of my truck was covered with live and dead drakes. they were also over the creek next to the cabin.
I had very good fishing all day on the drakes and during the evening too. It's a big deal to know what is hatching at any point during the year to be able to catch fish. The same strategy worked on wild and stocked streams that trip, but it doesn't always work.
Quite often the situation is different on limestone streams. Therefore they are fished using a different strategies. I'll often start with nymphs on limestone streams even though I'm not a very good nymph fisherman. There I'll start with a scud or sow bug and go from there. Unless something is hatching, then I'll go right to what is hatching with the nymph of what's hatching as the point fly.

 

[Colweb78]

Appreciate the responses, some great info. i followed the sage advice about fishing around others on my brief trip today and no one threw rocks at me or told me to go home, so i'm indebted to you all haha

 

[Six-Gun]

Boy, Colweb, this thread made me realize I also still have a LOT to learn as far as etiquette when I head back into PA. I didn't realized how spoiled rotten I was out West as far as rarely - almost never, really - seeing another fisherman anytime I hit the streams. I have no clue how much space is enough or too little in more populated waters.

 

[moon1284]

poopdeck wrote:

Heres an idea. Next time your feeling crowded go up to the offender and start showing them all your fly boxes and the contents while explaining how you only buy flies from a special old tyer in Montana. Then go over every detail of your rod, line, leader and tippet. If you have a pair of Simms on go ahead and tell them how great they are and they were the best 600.00 you ever spent. What's a good stream side chat without the mid flex fast tip fly rod with silky smooth drag reel that you just checked out at ****s. This will always make me flee to the next zip code.

LOL There is nothing more annoying than that...

 

[laurelrun]

Grabbed a few hours on the stream after work yeaterday over some freshly stocked trout. Since it was cool and wet with not a bug to be seen, I went with a nymph- egg tandem under a foam orange stick on indicator. Second cast a splashy take... Of my indicator. After re-tying from my hook set into a tree, I managed a nice rainbow on the bright orange egg.

Next hole, first cast, another splashy gulp of my indicator. This time I thought I foul hooked him until he spit out my indicator, minus the Orange sticker.

I am no genius, but I figured it was time to try something on top. Replaced the lead nymph with an orange stimulator. First cast drew an explosive take on top. I managed three more before darkness made it too hard to spot my fly.

My lesson for the day... The trout know what they want more than I do. If they tell you, listen.

 

[pcray1231]

Boy, Colweb, this thread made me realize I also still have a LOT to learn as far as etiquette when I head back into PA. I didn't realized how spoiled rotten I was out West as far as rarely - almost never, really - seeing another fisherman anytime I hit the streams.

That's true on many of our less famous waters as well. There's many streams where if I see another car, I don't even stop the car.

In other situations you'll see 1 guy. The proper question is "what way you headed?" Then you go the other way. Sometimes you follow it up by asking where he started, so you know to go at least that far as to not fish water he's already fished.

But yeah, on our more famous waters, especially at peak times, you're gonna see guys, and aside from morning there's no "fresh" water. It's a little bit of a "politely find your place" situation.

In terms of etiquette, you judge an appropriate buffer, and you don't move in on someone. If you are already fishing, it's up to the other guy not to move in on you. You can always hold your ground. That's true even in a shoulder to shoulder circus like opening day or near the mouths of the steelhead tribs.