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Flexibility: The key to fishing a
major hatch
Casting a fly while a hatch takes
place can frustrate any angler, a few simple strategies
can make a world of difference
By Steve Nelson
Fishing and Hunting News
It's a perfect spring day on your favorite trout stream.
The sky is slightly overcast and a warm breeze gently
ruffles your hair.
You watch rising trout, your excitement building.
This particular stream is famous for brown trout and
even more famous for its spectacular caddis hatches —
definitely a sight to see.
But fishing when a major hatch is underway can be
difficult because there are so many naturals on the
surface. Getting a gorged trout to take your No. 14 Elk
Hair Caddis can be an exercise in frustration.
There are strategies you can use to ensure that you
catch fish. It doesn't matter if you fish during a
caddis hatch, a baetis hatch or any other hatch, these
strategies will work for you.
Define your objective
What is it you want to accomplish? Do you make catching
a trout on a dry fly during a hatch a personal
challenge, or do you simply want to catch fish?
Answering that question before you get on the water
allows you to plan your strategy.
Will you be locked into one style of fishing or have the
flexibility to adapt to changing conditions?
Don't match the hatch
Most flyfishermen enjoy fooling a trout with a perfectly
tied artificial, but getting one to take your fly in a
sea of naturals is not always an easy task.
Matching the size and color of the natural is always an
important part of fly fishing, but in the case of a
major hatch it's not always the best strategy.
"If there are caddis coming off, and I'm throwing a
caddis but the fish aren't taking it, I'll go to a
larger bug," said fly fishing guide Kevin Hurley at
Roaring Fork Anglers (970-945-0180) in Glenwood Springs,
Colo. "If the natural is a 14, I'll go to a 12.
Sometimes that's enough to make the difference." If that
doesn't work and you still want to fish a dry fly, the
next step is to give the fish something different to
look at.
Consider throwing an attractor pattern like a Royal
Wulff, or fish an Elk Hair Caddis with a Royal Wulff or
a Parachute Adams on a dropper.
A different looking bug is sure to stand out and be
noticed. Another option is to fish a different stage of
the natural.
"If I've been catching fish on a caddis dry, but only
now and then, I'll try a different form of the natural
like an emerger or a nymph," said Hurley.
"I fish a lot of tandem dries, and I'll grease the line
to make the trailing fly suspend better. When I go
underneath I'll fish tandem nymphs too."
Some flies lie in the water differently than others.
Patterns that lie low in the water, like a parachute
style, often get a better response. They give the fish
more to look at because they hang a little lower in the
film than the usual dry. Emergers hang deeper in the
film and can be an excellent choice.
And don't worry so much about big, long drifts. You are
much better off putting your fly in the right place.
Once it drifts out, pick it up and cast again. Use a
shorter drift; keep it in the active strike zone as much
as possible.
"I'll start them out with the nymph and emerger stages
before the hatch, then on to the adult," continued
Hurley.
If the hatch is going strong and the fish are still
turning up their noses at whatever you are offering,
consider fishing below or above the hatch.
The fish downstream of the hatch are still tuned to the
surface, so the adult bug is still a good choice,
especially an emerger; upstream from the hatch, the fish
are looking for food before the main course starts and
will respond to nymphs.
Fishing above or below the hatch is also good strategy
on rivers that are extremely popular, when you want to
get away from other fishermen.
Rivers like Colorado's Arkansas with its huge spring
caddis hatch get serious fishing pressure — almost a
bring-your-own-rock scenario.
Timing
There are certainly times during a major hatch when the
trout, their bellies full, will not take an artificial
no matter how perfectly it is presented.
Some anglers enjoy the challenge during this time,
futile as it may sometimes be.
Nothing is more frustrating than watching fish actively
feeding on the surface and refusing to take your fly.
But now's the time to put all of these strategies to the
test.
Hatches begin when the water temperature reaches a
certain range. For caddis it's about 50 degrees. Once
the hatch gets underway, it continues until the water
temperature falls below 50. As the days and the water
temperatures grow warmer, the hatch begins earlier and
lasts longer.
It's easy enough to find out when the action starts on a
major river during a major hatch.
A phone call to a local fly shop can give you a good
idea of when the hatch will start, and you can plan your
trip accordingly.
If you really want to fish the hatch, get there right
when it starts. If you wait too long, the fish will be
stuffed, and catching them is far more difficult. If you
don't want to fight the crowds, fish well before or wait
until after the hatch.
Experiment
Do something different. Go to the nymph or an attractor
pattern. Size up, change color, go to a lighter tippet,
fish tandem flies, take a breather and come back later.
That's the best part of fishing — all the options you
have to choose from. "I really enjoy taking a client out
during a major hatch," said Hurley. "It's a time when
the client can go through all the different stages of
the insect.
I'll start them out with the nymph and emerger stages
before the hatch, then on to the adult. It's a great
experience, especially for an angler who's just getting
started in the sport."
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