Would You Rather...

[JasonC]

...catch 1 fish an hour and it be one of the biggest you ever landed or 15 an hour at about 6-7” per fish?

 

[jifigz]

Given that you said fish for one hour and land the biggest fish I've ever landed, then definitely that. Without a doubt. I've fished an hour plenty of times and caught 0 fish.

 

[BrookieChaser]

Quality over quantity.

 

[redietz]

Depends on my mood. I've certainly chosen at times to fish brookie streams when I could have gone somewhere with large fish.

 

[TJones]

quality over quantity for sure.... Redietz I hear u though, I think that’s just a different kind of quality ur referring too.

 

[bigslackwater]

I'd be happy if I averaged one an hour any day an size.

 

[rrt]

I guess I'd prefer something in between: maybe 7 or 8 fish an hour with some nice trout and even a big one mixed in. And, if I'd really have a preference, this would be accomplished when dry-fly fishing.

I guess this is a wishy-washy kind of answer.

 

[poopdeck]

Always after the biggest even if it's just a chance to catch it. 6" fish take my fly out of the strike zone and I would prefer not catching any 6" fish.

 

[Swattie87]

Funny you mention this. I was thinking about this while fishing yesterday.

What I found was in common with my favorite streams to fish in PA (most of which are small, forested freestoners) was that they all had some unique coloration and pattern variation to their fish. Both Brookies and Browns. Combination of local genetics, habitat, and local diet drives this I believe. The fish I remember most are the ones that were especially colorful, or had a unique or different pattern to them. So those are the ones I'd rather catch I guess, regardless of their size. If I want to feel something pull hard, I'll find some Smallmouth, or Fallfish.

Funny PAFF story...I once successfully identified a fish from one of these streams from a post that had a picture of a single small Brown Trout. The poster was quite surprised when they got a PM that said "XXXXXXXX Run right?"

 

[JeffK]

Tough choice,and depends on my mood. One hour is very, very short for a trophy trout in my experience and I would likely jump on that chance. I have spent hours scouting and setting up for a shot at a true trophy trout and the results are not guaranteed. One hour for a trophy is nothing.

I am kind of in the middle. Good fishing to me is about 4 fish an hour; plenty of action but need find fish and present well. 6-7 fish or more an hour is fun for a while, but can get boring if it is too easy.

Of course I like to see a few "good" fish come to hand. What a "good" fish is depends on when and where I am fishing. A "good" fish can be a 10" brookie in a small stream or a 25" cutthroat in Pyramid Lake where fish up to 22" are called shakers. On the E. Branch Delaware on a normal night a 15" brown is fine, but if the coffin flies are dropping I would like to see a 20"+ fish.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

Since I have caught a 8.5 lb trout before and know that they only come once in a life time. I would select the 15 in an hour - which does not come very often either, however the odds or chances are better.

 

[3oh4]

I'll take 1 20" fish any trip over a 20 fish day where the biggest is 15".

 

[Canoetripper]

Our family had a memorial for my father on Father's Day weekend in Colorado. I spent a half day on a guided trip on the Frying Pan River and was more than content to land 11 trout in that time frame. I also lost 5. None of them were over 14".

I know that there are 10 lb. plus trout there but I have never caught one.

We had the benefit of a really good guide helping us, and I was fishing with nymphs, which I know that I am very much a beginner.

I have caught some above average sized trout on previous trips to the Frying Pan River and also in Alaska, where I saw the backing on my fly reel. I think that I would rather catch quantity than quality as I improve as a fly fisherman.

 

[Fly-Swatter]

Generally, I prefer quality over quantity. The pre extreme end of this in fishing would be something like Musky. I have not gone to that end yet (I don't get out enough to make that practical), but I am "musky curious". ;-)

Having said that, I like catching a bunch of brookies or bluegill every once in a while.

 

[pete41]

I remember well the days when I caught wall fish[+4pds] when living in Montana ,days when I didn't- long forgotten except when I fell in,broke rods,tipped kayak ec't.....oh and when I stepped on rattler,four flat tires when drove onto cactus bed,backward leaped from skunks saw a spirit coming to take me home--so those memories more fun and vivid than any fish I ever caught.

 

[troutbert]

pete41 wrote:

...saw a spirit coming to take me home...

Tell us more about that.

 

[pete41]

3am on Missouri river-turned out to be snowy owl flying a few feet above water-take extra underwear--you won't believe how big they look---

 

[troutbert]

pete41 wrote:
3am on Missouri river-turned out to be snowy owl flying a few feet above water-take extra underwear--you won't believe how big they look---

Good story.

While night fishing on the Little Juniata, I saw a ghostly figure appear in the moonglow...

:-o

Turned out to be a great blue heron.

 

[PennypackFlyer]

A few days after my stepfather passed away, his spirit came home. I was in the garage and saw something hazy gray float behind the car in the driveway it did not appear on the opposite side.

 

[FarmerDave]

Depends on the species. You only said, fish.

If given a choice between a huge carp, and 15 gemmies in an hour, I'd take the gemmies.

I'd take the gemmies over a steelhead, too.

But if we are talking all the same species, I'd probably take quality over quantity every time.