I've fished DH you can practically be standing on the fish and catch them. But this is a Hatchery stream, unlike DH you can keep the fish no matter what season. It was just odd to me how they were more skid-dish than wild fish.Usually getting DH fish is like shooting fish in a barrel, especially if they've been in for a few hours.
Once they've been beat up a while and if they survive the ever-popular NC poachers, they can get lock jaw.
Friends who fish DH waters a lot simply swing woolly buggers.
If you need an excuse as to why you got skunked, the weather always works... pressure too high, pressure too low. Front moving in, front moving out...
Good one,Wow. I'm surprised by that. Maybe try camouflauge?
Out here all our fish are hatchery raised as we have no "native" trout...well except brookies up north in God's River. And at first the trout are very aggressive and hit anything. But as they get caught a couple times and acclimitize to their new home, they get harder to catch.
Super clear water definitely keeps them on edge too.
I did, I pulled out my wild water stealth you could say and they would still spook from a full hole away. And I believe I went in with the wrong mind set. I went into the day thinking it would be like fishing my local DH on Wilson's creek... but man was i mistaken.Good one,
I concur, if you can avoid letting them know that you are present (this includes lining them) I used to toss a trio of hare's ear nymphs in # 12 - 14 and occasionally would have multiple hook ups.
They often seek out slack water and back eddies, a sharp eye there helps.......
Ard
