Are trout really that picky?

[Jaydub 0]

Trout can indeed be very selective. Trout in places with a lot of fishing pressure may learn or become conditioned to avoid unnatural things like drag. Especially when the water clarity and current allow them to get a good look. They can also become very selective during a hatch regardless of fishing pressure. They may only take one stage of one species. Sometimes you have to match size, shape and color. Other times they will take anything that looks vaguely like food.

 

Early in my fly fishing career, I had a good lesson in selectivity. I was on a small stream and I could see a nice Rainbow that was occasionally rising. I didn’t know what it was eating so I just tried various flies. I was in a positon where I could observe the fish’s reaction. With most of the patterns I tried, it would come up, take a look and retreat back down to its lie. I tried most of the flies in my box with the same results. Then I tied on a size 14 Black Gnat. I cast it well upstream of the fish and got a good drift. This time the Trout’s reaction was very different. As soon as the fly came into its cone of vision, it came up and aggressively and with no hesitation grabbed the fly. I don’t know what the Trout took it as, maybe a large ant. I had tried several flies of the same size and basic shape, Light Cahill, Adams, Royal Coachman… without success.

 

 

BTW many of the places I fish have wild native populations. Wild trout, native or not, seem to be healthier, prettier and fight harder than their hatchery counterparts.

[xvigauge 0]

All of the trout in the GSMNP where I fish are wild. Trout have not been stocked in the National Park in years. I believe the brook trout here are native.

Joe

[Hogan 0]

This is good stuff!

On one occasion at the fishin' hole, I walked up to see the trout porpoising. Four or five of them,30 feet from the truck,And I was the only soul there! Indeed, the fishing gods were looking down in favor.I had never seen anything like it. Before or since. I thought, today's the day. This will be like shooting fish in a barrel. I feel that would have been infinitely easier, but in the name of fair chase I tied on fly after fly after fly. Ne'er a glance. In fact, they would mockingly rise NEXT to my offerings. Flicking me the fin as they got another gulp. (Where's my gun).I assumed in my inexperience, that the fish would simply take whatever fly I threw down the pipe. That outing ended with an empty net,and lots of questions. Considering all your thoughtful post though,it sounds like my fly box isn't deep enough, and I should be changing flies more frequently in an attempt to even the odds.

There's just no substitute for experience

[spiralspey 0]

Considering all your thoughtful post though,it sounds like my fly box isn't deep enough, and I should be changing flies more frequently in an attempt to even the odds.

Changing flies more frequently won't do you any good if you don't have the right one in your box to start with. All having the right flies takes is a little research and preparation, and then a little patience and observation on the river to pick the right one out of your box.

For instance when I head to the river today I know that since it's October I will probably see blue wing olives and midges hatching, I might see some caddis, but not too many until near dark. So I go to the river around 11, because that's a little before the mayflies and midges usually start hatching and the trout start getting active. I start by simply sitting down and watching the river for a few minutes to see if I can see any bug or trout activity. After that it's pretty easy, I have the right flies, I just wait for the bugs and trout to do what they do, the hard part is the research and preparation.

The flies change as the seasons change, but if you do your homework that's easy to prepare for. Sometimes you get thrown a curve, and there's a bug you didn't expect that the fish want, but that what makes it interesting, and hopefully next time you'll be prepared for it. Some people might call this trout being picky, but I don't. Picky trout are the ones that only eat cripples when there are hundreds of regular duns on the water.

[NohackleHS 0]

One thing that has not been mentioned is how the rise form can differ for a picky trout. For a typical rise the trout sees the fly as it approaches from upstream. It then opens its mouth and sucks it in. For a super selective trout the rise can be different. When the trout sees the fly coming from upstream he follows it closely as it approaches. When the fly floats above him, he continues to examine it. Then, if he decides to eat it, he goes after the fly after it has passed him. His mouth actually points downstream when he eats the fly. Of course the water has to be flowing very slowly for this type of rise to occur but this type of rise is not that unusual on a spring creek. Sometimes he eats the fly only a few inches after it has passed him. However, I've seen trout chase after a fly over a foot to eat it.

[redietz 0]

One thing that has not been mentioned is how the rise form can differ for a picky trout. For a typical rise the trout sees the fly as it approaches from upstream. It then opens its mouth and sucks it in. For a super selective trout the rise can be different. When the trout sees the fly coming from upstream he follows it closely as it approaches. When the fly floats above him, he continues to examine it. Then, if he decides to eat it, he goes after the fly after it has passed him. His mouth actually points downstream when he eats the fly. Of course the water has to be flowing very slowly for this type of rise to occur but this type of rise is not that unusual on a spring creek. Sometimes he eats the fly only a few inches after it has passed him. However, I've seen trout chase after a fly over a foot to eat it.

That happens, but I've seen the behavior in trout that will eat anything you throw at them. For all I know, it could be that the fish just has to finish swallowing its previous mouthful.

[UteYaker 0]

IMO, a fisherman can be his own worst enemy simply by not following a strategy. I started using a log a few years ago to track when I changed patterns/sizes/etc. while on the water. It helped IMMENSELY as I realized I was making moves that were illogical at best, downright stupid at worst. Most fisherman agree that fishing the same thing for hours without success is the definition of insanity, but the changes that you decide to make should be as intentional and objective as possible for how you're reading the water and other conditions.

[SilverCreek 0]

One thing that has not been mentioned is how the rise form can differ for a picky trout. For a typical rise the trout sees the fly as it approaches from upstream. It then opens its mouth and sucks it in. For a super selective trout the rise can be different. When the trout sees the fly coming from upstream he follows it closely as it approaches. When the fly floats above him, he continues to examine it. Then, if he decides to eat it, he goes after the fly after it has passed him. His mouth actually points downstream when he eats the fly. Of course the water has to be flowing very slowly for this type of rise to occur but this type of rise is not that unusual on a spring creek. Sometimes he eats the fly only a few inches after it has passed him. However, I've seen trout chase after a fly over a foot to eat it.

 

I totally agree.

 

When trout are selective, they have a search image. When they are feeding opportunistically, they are sampling the drift. Between the two is a continuum of feeding behaviors.

I believe the trout’s search image can be positive or negative. Most of the time, trout are looking to match what they see with what they identify as food.

However, sometimes in waters that are very heavily fished, they are also looking for something that tells them that the item is not food. Drag is one obvious example.

When a fish does a complex rise, it has had plenty of time to match what it sees with a positive search image. I strongly believe a complex rise indicates that the fish is looking for a reason NOT to take the fly.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the terminology of rise types, there are 4 major types.

Partial rise: You see the trout come part way up to look at the fly but

then he goes back down. The trout never gets close enough to strike at the

fly. Essentially he comes to get a better look then quickly refuses.

Simple rise: The normal rise where you see the trout come up take the fly,

or if he misses, it was probably a late refusal. The trout is facing

upstream when he takes the fly.

Compound rise: The trout comes up to the fly but does not take it. He

floats with the fly downstream before either taking the fly or refusing it.

When he takes the fly or refuses it he is about vertical in the water.

After taking the fly he can still simply swim forward back to his lie.

Complex rise: The trout comes up to the fly and floats downstream with it

as in a compound rise and his body is turned vertical underneath the fly as

he inspects it. But he continues to inspect the fly so that he is turned

downstream before he decides whether to take the fly or not. If he takes

the fly, he takes it facing downstream and after the take or refusal, the

trout must turn back around before he can swim back to his lie.

So with a complex rise, the fish has had plenty of time to examine and match the positive search image. The fish is now looking for micro drag or some other indication that the item is NOT food.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Sc5b5Cw-HncC&pg=PA37&dq=ed+engle+Rise+Forms&hl=en&sa=X&ei=rUtAVY-7BZH3yQSK3YGgBQ&ved=0CB4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=ed%20engle%20Rise%20Forms&f=false

The longer a fly holds the trout’s attention before it refuses, the closer the fly and presentation are to what the fish wants! Use the rise to gauge how close your fly and presentation was to the natural and use the rise type and refusal to help you decide how you are going to match what the fish wants. For example a partial rise and refusal means that the fly and/or presentation were not close so you definitely need to change flies. A compound or complex refusal means the fly and presentation is very close and the refusal is most often due to micro drag so change your cast or casting position to get a better drift. If that does not work, go to a smaller pattern.

Poindexter Slough near Dillon, MT, is a public spring creek that flows into the Beaverhead River. It is heavily fished and it is one of those places where the fish have PhDs in detecting flies. I've seen Poindexter brown trout rise to and refuse naturals more than once. When fish are refusing naturals, I think they are looking for a reason to refuse.

 

[chugbug27 0]

I found a fun quote that makes for good commentary on how to match the hatch to catch those picky, selective trout. It's from the Herters (1961), found while finishing The Lovely Reed....

 

"Take two or three dead snakes and wire their tails together. Hang them up from a branch or stick over a pool in a trout stream. If you cannot find snakes to kill shoot some black birds and wire their feet together and hang them up over a pool, they work just as well. Blow flies will soon lay their eggs in the snakes or birds and the eggs will turn into maggots. The maggots will start dropping into the water and trout will collect to feed on them. Go up toward the pool after about three days and quietly drop an imitation maggot into the pool on a light leader and a small hook. You will catch any trout in the area. Do not get close enough to the pool so the trout can see you."

[Lesg 0]

Chugbug, now there is a technique that I've never heard of !!! LOL

[mikechell 0]

That technique's been used in the South forever. Poke a large tin can or paint can with lots of 1/4" holes. Put the remains of your last catch in a tin can. Hang the can over the water where you want to catch a mess of Sunfish. Return in 5 days or so and fish meal worms or maggots under the can.

 

Repeat until the sunfish are too small to keep, then move the can to a new spot.

[Lesg 0]

Mike, I'm just trying to imagine the look on my face if I walked up to a pool and saw 3 dead snakes hanging from a branch. I would probably imagine banjo music in the bushes.

[mikechell 0]

Ha ha !!!
Well, the South's sense of hospitality IS legendary !!!

[tjm 0]

And maggots are danged good bait. So are paper wasp larvae.

[Lesg 0]

And maggots are danged good bait. So are paper wasp larvae.

Ya, but the snakes...