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As I sat on the bank and stared downstream, mesmerized by the flow of current and the constant motion of feeding swallows, I heard the sound. It awoke me from my trance. It was a sound that can be confused with little else: a large trout lazily taking an insect on the surface; that authoritative sound of upper jaw meeting water. I turned to look at the riseform. The large trout had finally returned after I'd sent him deep with a poor cast some 45 minutes earlier. My patience had been rewarded with the possibility of a second chance. I wait-ed for it to establish a rhythm, and this time made no mistake. The big 'ole brown took my fly in the same lip-smacking manner, and after a determined fight I brought the plump 20-incher to hand. Fly fishing has expanded into the pursuit of almost every species that swims. I've had the good fortune to experience most iterations of the sport; however, dry-fly fishing for trout remains the most challenging and exhilarating form of fly fishing for me. This is especially true when the scope is narrowed to large, wild, river-wise fish. The challenge of stalking large trout with dry flies is so great that it has consumed most of my fishing the past few years, and I've learned a variety of techniques which can greatly improve the odds.
The first-and perhaps the most obvious-step in the process is selecting a river that is home to big trout. Many good fisheries have emerged in the last 20 years as a result of improved regulations and water quality. Some of the best are tailwaters; others are free running with exceptional water quality. In either, however, the key is habitat-habitat which supports abundant insect life, and which affords a long growing season. I prefer larger rivers where the fish are mostly (or exclusively) wild. North America's best include Montana's Gallatin, Beaverhead and Missouri; the Henry's Fork in Idaho; the Delaware system in New York and Pennsylvania; Ontario's Grand and Alberta's Bow. Some rivers are able to sustain large trout due to their substantial baitfish populations, but baitfish may keep the trout feeding deep, thereby limiting dry fly opportunities. A good river, then, is one where healthy and diverse insect populations produce consistent and prolific hatches, and where the fish learn to feed on the surface even as they grow older. It normally takes a serious hatch to justify a large trout expending the energy necessary to feed on dries, so a basic understanding of a river's most significant hatches is important. Some of this knowledge can be gained through books and conversations at fly shops, but the most valuable information will be that obtained through observation. A thorough understanding of aquatic insects will definitely pay off in situations where fish are feeding selectively on a less-thanobvious insect or stage of the hatch.
The Right Stuff As with most types of fly fishing, presentation is the key. Delicate casts and drag free drifts are a given, and your choice of equipment and rigging will impact the presentation. Rods of 4- and 5-weight will normally be most functional to consistently make the casts required of this type of fishing. My preference is for a smooth, medium-action rod, as it will facilitate softer casts and protect the light tippets often required to fool large trout. Leaders will need to be long-sometimes as much as 18 feet-with tippets of four or five feet. This type of rig, combined with a stop or a dump cast, will create the piles and curves in the leader necessary for a truly-natural drift.
High-Percentage Lies Finding large trout begins with an understanding of what constitutes "high-percentage water." Water temperature is always an important consideration here, and the larger the trout, the more important water temperature becomes. Trout will travel incredible distances to find comfortable water temperatures-water in the 42- to 65-degree F. range. This is easy to find in the spring and fall, but summer can be a different story. Use your thermometer to find the spring seeps that will attract and hold concentrations of trout. In general, large trout will feed in softer currents-those that require the expenditure of less energy. They will also be more likely found in areas where insect activity is funneled to create a large concentration, allowing for maximum feeding with minimum effort. Look at the slack water off the main flow, or the long flat tails of pools, and pay particular attention to eddies which afford both softness of current and a collection point for insects. Also check out the slow currents of side channels off the main river. Patience Is A Virtue Dry-fly fishing for large trout requires patience. The ability to search, stalk . . . and then wait are traits central to success. This level of commitment may not be for everyone, but being motivated to catch the largest fish in the most challenging manner is part of our progression as we mature as fly fishers. I try to time my big-trout outings to coincide with a hatch that holds the potential for bringing large fish to the surface-a feat of timing that is easier said than done. Understanding a river's main hatches, and the anticipated time of year and day to encounter them, is at the very heart of this approach. All the searching, stalking and waiting you can muster will be for naught if there's not a significant reason for trout to be feeding on the surface. I begin on familiar water, that which I know to hold big fish. I arrive early to watch and observe. If a good fish isn't working the surface, I won't cast. It may be difficult to resist the temptation to blind cast or work a nymph through the head of the run, but there's just no sense in making the big boys nervous before they're ready to feed. The waiting period should be spent looking for signs. The sporadic emergence of insects may signal the beginning of a hatch; or the appearance of spinners over the riffles that a spinner fall is near. Now is the time to look intently for rise forms. It's not easy to pick out a large fish feeding on the surface from among all its smaller brethren, but there are a few important indicators. The first is water displacement: a large trout will normally push a lot of water when it breaks the surface to feed. In slow-moving water this may be all you need to ascertain its size. The second is its physical characteristics: sometimes a fish will have its head and tail out of the water when it feeds, and the distance between the two will give you a pretty good idea of its length. Also, the size of the head can give away a fish's size. The rule here is quite simple: big heads are attached to big fish! Understanding rise forms also can be important in the selection of the artificial. If the fish's head appears, or if you hear that lip-smacking sound, it's usually feeding on duns or adults. Rise-forms where water is pushed up or a slight splash occurs may indicate a fish feeding on emergers just at or below the surface. Dimple rises, on the other hand, are normally associated with spinners floating motionless on the surface. Position & Presentation When a good fish has been identified, it's time to go to work. The initial cast may be the most important, so it's critical to choose a position that will allow for accuracy and a drag-free drift. Survey the situation and make the best choice. Wading must be done with care: move slowly and don't scuff the bottom or push waves on the surface, as both can spook the fish. Once in position, establish the trout's feeding rhythm. This is extremely important for stalking large trout. The fish may feed on every natural, every fifth one, or possible every twenty seconds or so. I have witnessed fish that would rise to three insects right in a row, followed by a lengthy break. The key is to determine the rhythm and make your fly available when you feel the trout will feed. It is also important to determine if the fish is stationary or moving. Some fish will set up in one lie and stay put the entire time, while others slowly move up or across the pool. When you've gained casting position on a large, rising trout, the real fun begins. My preference is to cast from an almost directly downstream position to minimize the possibility of drag. The cast will actually be made on a slight angle so only the fly drifts over the trout's position and not the tippet. On some larger waters it will be impossible to take a downstream position. In this situation my cast will be made across current. The best position is slightly upstream where a stop cast combined with a reach can produce an effectively-natural drift. The cast should be made just upstream of the trout's vision window. A trout in a good feeding rhythm usually remains fairly close to the surface and its cone of vision will be quite small, so a cast just a few feet above its position will be sufficient. Too much of a lead may cause the fly to drag by the time it reaches the trout's position. Try to determine if the fish has a preference for taking the naturals to one side of its body or right down the middle. This will affect where the fly should be laid. If there is a pod of feeding fish, target only one-the big guy! Every cast is important. The first is often the most difficult, as the proper line length must be calculated. It seems to be of less consequence to err on the short side. Try to keep the false casts to a minimum and angled back so as not to cast directly over the fish's head. In the fly's final approach to the water, reach out to allow the line to run the proper distance. A 9-foot rod provides greater leverage with this manoeuver. A sloppy cast will spook more fish than the wrong fly. If it appears the trout has stopped rising because of a poor cast, take a break and see if it establishes its rhythm again. If a fish moves to your fly but refuses to take, it may be detecting a slight drag or outright questioning the legitimacy of your fly. First attempt to improve the presentation by making better slack line casts or slightly altering the casting angle. If that still results in no take, experiment with the fly. It's essential to have a selection of flies covering all stages of a hatch, with color and size choices. My advice, however, is to concentrate on presentation-too many fly fishers get caught up in fly selection, when the real problem is presentation. Be prepared to innovate when dealing with large trout. For example, a fish feeding irregularly may need a different approach. Be ready to present a fly to its feeding lane immediately after it rises, as it will often take another insect while still near the surface. This is common behavior during sporadic hatches. Chasing large trout with dry flies requires tremendous patience, but
offers fly fishing's ultimate challenge. It requires going one on one with
creatures which are extremely in tune with their surroundings. These fish
didn't get big by being stupid. They've beaten everything humankind and
Mother Nature have thrown at them to date, and they may just beat you too
. . . but what a way to go! Rick Kustich is a nationally-known outdoor writer and photographer living in Grand Island, NY. If you're a big trout, there's a good chance you've already met him! |
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Picking The Right
River
Finding The
