The Hatches I Love to Hate, and Why I Can't Get Enough

Tricos, Pseudos, Midges.  What comes to mind when you hear these words.  Do you feel a twinge of anxiety, dread, anticipation, excitement, hatred, frustration, fear, loathing, joy, or adrenaline?  Maybe a bit of all of these?

Big Boil on a Flat, Here We Go...

It happens every year, the little bugs show up, you are on the river and all of a sudden you see that bank feeder, the one you can't float past. The big head, rhythmically feeding.  You can't tell what he's eating but it's tiny.  He's in super skinny water, you get one chance, you need a 40-50ft. downstream reach cast.  You slap that fly down, or you have even a hint of drag it's game over, he ain't gonna eat.  You take your time, set up, make the cast, the drift, everything's online, he eats it, you set the hook...  What happens in the next few moments either makes you a hero or leaves you with your head in your hands with your friends yelling at you from the back of the boat.  Either you stick him or you don't, the tippet holds or it doesn't, the hook holds or with a shake of the head, or a leap it's all over.

One Of These Has To Work.

Welcome to early fall match the hatch dry fly fishing, it's not for everyone.  It can drive you crazy, leave you scratching your head.  Or, give you that fish you remember for a long time, the one you tell your buddies about.  There's nothing like the feeling of accomplishment you get from landing big fish on tiny dries.  If you landed that same fish on a streamer on 15lb. Maxima you would take a picture and be on your way, a nice fish.  Land that same fish on a Trico spinner and somehow it looks bigger, fights harder, and is a heck of a lot more memorable, and just because you know the whole time that the odds are so stacked against this moment from happening.  There are probably hundreds of things that can go wrong at any moment when you are trying to catch big trout on tiny flies.  

The Payoff

I know folks who love this stuff, can't wait for it, can't get enough of it.  I also have a friend who won't fish Tricos or Pseudos, hates them, and doesn't even own a spool of 6x.  Me, I guess I fall somewhere in between.

Bitterroot Bow

It's kind of like golf.  You can have a terrible round, hit bad shot after bad shot, and then finally have that one great moment.  You hit that drive, the perfect chip shot, or sink that 30ft. putt for birdie.  That's what keeps us coming back.  Same with micro dry fly fishing.  All the refusals, break offs, botched casts, missed hook ups, thrown hooks, and big lost fish.  We endure it all just for that one moment of perfection, that it all works right, and at least for a moment, we feel like a hero.

Hard Earned Mo' Bow.  Worth The Work.

I love it, and I hate it.  I guess that's what keeps me coming back for more.

Thanks to Alec from Fly Fishing Life and Chris from Vermont Trout Bum for a great Sunday this weekend.  We'll get 'em next time guys, ha ha!  Do yourself a favor and check out their blogs.

Straight up Gansta'.