What can we do to make trout
bite our fly or lure?

Matching the Hatch

Matching the hatch is a term derived from the fact that many trout will feed strongly, when nymphs move from the bottom of the river to the surface to hatch into an insect. Trout sometimes feed exclusively on the nymph or winged insect that is currently hatching.

Most nymphs will move to the surface in large numbers at the same time. This is to achieve two main aims:

• To change into winged insects to breed. The environmental conditions needed by each species are often quite finite. So when these conditions arise large numbers of nymphs of that species grasp the opportunity.
• The survival of these insect species relies on big numbers overcoming the obstacle of predation and attrition by the elements during the breeding cycle to survive. There is safety in numbers for the species as a whole, if not for individuals.

During hatches trout often feed voraciously. Sometimes, and infuriatingly, when trout are feeding on a certain type of prey, they appear to spurn all others. The matching the hatch principle can be applied to prey other than nymphs and insects. Trout may appear to feed on only one kind of prey in other forms, such as snails, baitfish, etc.

As a general rule the principle of matching the hatch is a very important part of inducing a trout to bite your offering.

Regularly, unless the fly or lure being used matches, or is a good approximation of what trout are feeding on at that time, the angler is less likely to catch fish, but this is not universally true.

Smelt With Wings?

An illustration of the importance of matching the hatch occurred one December while I was sight fishing for trout feeding on smelt in the shallows of Lake Taupo. At least that was what I thought I was doing.

I came upon a small area of intense activity – trout were boiling on the surface over an area about the size of a football field. Typical trout behaviour when they come upon shoals of smelt.

Moving into position I began to cast my favourite smelt imitation. Cast after cast without a touch and still the trout fed. New flies despatched into the feeding area produced nothing. I could not understand it.

Thoroughly stumped, I sat down to rest my tired arm. Something was wrong here, I thought. Then I noticed the boils the fish made in the water were not the slashing-thrash that trout usually made when attacking a shoal of smelt.

It was about then that I noticed the air was full of willow-bugs well above my head. There was a near gale blowing from behind me through a copse of willows on the high bank above me. Bingo!

I tied on a willow-bug, flung it out, let it lie, gave it a small twitch or two, and the fly disappeared. I managed to catch three lovely fish over the next hour, until the wind died - then the trout went back to chasing smelt.

There was a lesson in this.

What we see is often not all there is to be seen (in life as well as fishing).

The obvious may be anything but. Before I tied on the smelt fly and ripped into casting, a couple of minutes of closer observation would have saved me some frustration.
ASSUME – Makes an ASS out of U and ME

Three things can help in identifying what trout are eating
where you are fishing:

• Research is one key
  
  Ask the questions and read the books on that piece of water. Local knowledge is vital. The local tackle shop can be a good source of information, especially if the owner or staff also fish in the area. This information will reduce the number of alternatives you may have to consider.
• Ask Questions on the River
  
  A “I wonder if you could help, I am visiting the area and having trouble choosing the right fly”, question usually gains a positive and helpful response. I could not begin to count how many times that question has gained me a ‘guide’ for the day from locals only too willing to share the secrets of their river. Many times I have been able to return the favour when those fishermen visited my water. Some of these encounters have lead to long friendships.
• Observation is another
  
  A small net as described earlier can provide good assistance. So can straight-out observation. Taking a look at what successful fishers are using is a great place to start.
  Watching the behaviour of the fish when it is feeding can indicate what the fish may be feeding on. As a wild generalisation, if a fish moves very little to feed, it is likely to be feeding on current-borne food. Probably nymphs. If the fish is moving some distance from its lie to feed and it moves quickly, it is liable to be feeding on something that can move, i.e. baitfish.
  If the trout is feeding on the surface, try and pick up a fly drifting on the surface and match your fly to it.