duns or emergers?
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I’ve always thought this is true, but I thought I would ask anyway.Do trout typically feed upon emergers as they feed upon duns of the same hatch? I’ve often caught fish in the column and not on the surface on RS2’s and Barr’s, but are there times when trout forgo emergers to feed exclusively on duns? If so why? It would seem that it would always take more energy to eat an insect on the surface than in the column.
Just wondered?
Seth. My experience with the hatches on the White River is it depends on the hatch and its intensity and stage. The sulphurs are a slow to hatch mayfly. Typically, the fish eat the nymphs just as they are coming into the surface film. All of the stomach samples I have taken during the prime part of the hatch each day show they nymphs are spliting cases and actually emerging in the fish’s stomach having been taken well before they actually emerge.
However, as the hatch comes to a close, there are more duns available riding the surface, and the fish begin to feed on them more. The hatch can actually cycle on and off several times a day especially on overcast, cool days, so the duns are more important then since the shorter cycles may mean the fish see more opportunities to eat the duns when that happens.
I suppose too, just as is the case with humans, individual fish tastes vary, and there are those who are more fond of duns and cripples.
On caddis however, the fish follow the caddis in well defined stages. Early in the morning the caddis pupa begin to drift and you will see the fish flashing on the bottom and feeding heavily. As the morning progresses, they follow the pupa into the water column higher. By noon, they are taking emergers and beginning to take a few adults. Once that happens start getting the dries ready, because they will be eating the adults within the hour or so.
This is characteristic of the truly large hatches, but it becomes more difficult to assess what will work best when with smaller, more sporadic hatches. Also, a hatch can cycle on and off quickly or show a more prolonged development depending on conditions that day.
That helps a great deal. Do you think that the fish get “patterned”? Or are they making a more conscience decision
Seth. That’s a beautiful rainbow and a quality fish. Is that the South Platte above Eleven Point? That’s one of my favorite pieces of water in CO. I’ve only ever fished it in September during the Tricos. I’ve hooked some large trout there, but never gotten one in cause they run like hell and I can’t ever keep up around the bends.
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