Hatchery General Contractor

[fishinwrench]

21 minutes ago, tjm said:

Some people would say oh no, no, wild trout are different; or oh no this river is special because it's a "spring creek" and you have to use 18' leaders with triple aerial mends. But I'll bet you are right trout are pretty much fish brained and try tasting everything to see if it is food. 

I guess I didn't find those short stretches. 

 

Truly WILD TROUT can be really spooky when people are wading.....or even when birds fly over.... but aside from that they are usually very easy to catch.    

Hatchery fish don't freak out over wading anglers.....but they DO more often require more precise casting and better drifts.    

In my experience the only thing challenging about "wild trout" is staying hid from them. 

[Johnsfolly]

8 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

 

Truly WILD TROUT can be really spooky when people are wading.....or even when birds fly over.... but aside from that they are usually very easy to catch.    

Hatchery fish don't freak out over wading anglers.....but they DO more often require more precise casting and better drifts.    

In my experience the only thing challenging about "wild trout" is staying hid from them. 

I found that if you slowly get in the water and wait five to ten minutes they tend to forget you are there. Just don't be too visible with your casting. I also like to wear light camo when chasing spooky trout.

[Quillback]

Yeah I used to bushwhack into some small streams when I lived in WA.  In some cases I doubt those fish ever saw a fisherman.  As noted above you had to be stealthy, but if they didn't know you there they would just launch themselves after a fly.  No casting was needed, you could use a cane pole if you wanted.  

In those tiny streams that in some places you could step across, a 10" trout was a giant.

[fishinwrench]

I'll probably never understand the desire to hook and hold little wild fish.   They are pretty little things but I don't need to strip them in and grab ahold of them in order to appreciate them. 

IMO those tiny streams with nothing over 10" in them should just be looked at and left alone.  Unless you are on the verge of starvation 😅  We ate some little 8"-9" brookie's from the upper Chattahoochee once.....and they truly were delicious 😋