Do I just suck?

[fishinfudd]

I was wondering what you all consider a successfull catch rate or amount of fish caught. I've been fly fishing since I was a small boy. Not saying I'm good just saying I've been on the river A few times. I usually fish for about 2-3 hours per trip, and if I catch around a dozen fish I feel like I had a great day. I've never hit a hatch that lasted more than 20 minutes or so. The only place I've really caught more than 20 fish an hour is the Uinta's. I have talked to a lot of people, and read a lot of posts on this site that claim numbers much greater than I have experienced. Do I just suck, or is it true what they say about fisherman's tales.
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[fishinfudd]

To be specific I'm talking trout only, and on our local rivers, and streams.
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[HFT]

When I owned the fishing store we used to say " divide it by 1/3 ". Usually you get an accurate picture of what really happend!
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[sinergy]

+1 @ HFT

Quality or Quantity whats so great about catching 30 or 40 12 inch fish ? Id rather catch one 30 to 40 inch fish. []
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[LLOMichalchik]

I've hit the water some days and brought in a couple fish, and other days bring in 20+. Went striper fishing in the Chesapeake last year, reeled in 100+ in 5 hours between the 4 of us, and 10+ were 40"+. Went out the next day, same area and different areas, reeled in 20 between the 4 of us, and only 1 was 40"+.
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[Tarponjim]

A dozen fish in 2 or 3 hours? What's wrong with that? Sounds perfect to me.

If you've never hit a hatch that lasted longer than 20 minutes, your timing is off or something, or maybe you're fishing where there's no bugs? In the late spring through early fall, you should see hours-long hatches, multiple ones.

Anyone who's regularly catching 20+ fish an hour is either fishing stockers or dumb, overpopulated brookies. And even then, think about it, a fish every 3 minutes for an hour straight? What about changing flies? Changing leaders? Changing spots? Taking a pee?

Its not about numbers anyway. I don't count. I don't fish with anyone who does. If you're busy fishing and/or catching, that's good enough. Just enjoy. If you want to keep score, that's what baseball, tennis, and playing cards are for.
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[STEVEF39]

I know how you feel have never had a ten plus day on the river. I have plans to change that this year though [:/]
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[RockyRaab]

fishinfudd, if you "suck" at fishing, then I am a perfect vacuum.
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[fishinfudd]

Thanks for the reply. What I should have said is I have never been on a hatch where the fish fed like crazy for more than 20 minutes at a time.
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[TylerKunz]

Considering the amount of pressure out local rivers get a 12 fish day is a great day! Seriously.... On average I get around 10-12 out of the Provo and I walk away with a big . So if you suck we all suck!
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[riverdog]

I caught about a dozen trout last weekend in 3 and a half hours out. They ranged from all of 3 -12 inches. Did that suck? Nope, it was a great day out in warm weather in southern Utah. Just me and my dogs in solitude and a beautiful location.
Many people rather catch one big trout to constantly catching fish. I like to catch a lot of fish especially if there is at least a chance of a big one in the mix. On the Weber or Provo a dozen fish is never a bad afternoon out.
I mentioned catching 40-50 trout in an hour when I stumbled on the leading edge of a salmonfly hatch in another post. Besides catching mostly small or stunted fish I've encountered fishing that fast twice in my life. More typically I go out 5-6 times a year looking for the salmon fly hatch only not to find it at all more than half the years.
Now if your goal is to at least occasionally catch tons of fish the Uintas are a good choice. I also have a couple other places that catching a dozen plus fish an hour plus an occasional big trout is the norm during the warmer half of the year. My favorite has no brookies and fish size while in decline overall always averages over a foot. I also have to put in anywhere from a half hour to 3 hours hiking and sometimes bushwhacking to reach these productive waters. The key is to find trout that seldom see a fly. Not all dumb trout are planters or stunted brookies.
Now Tarpon Jim if you want to join me for an afternoon from May to early July or late August to early November I can probable put you on 20 descent size trout an hour all afternoon long. I'll warn you it doesn't take the skill of fishing a spring creek and may not be a suitable challenge for someone with your skills[]. I however enjoy it, especially when I hook into a 20+ incher in such a small fast moving stream.
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[gstott]

A lot depends on where you're fishing and how much pressure the stream gets. On the more popular rivers, a dozen fish is great. They see a ton of flies every day and can be much tougher to catch.

If you're willing to bushwhack, your numbers will increase exponentially. I have had several 100+ days on both Diamond Fork and Lower Fish Creek back in their glory days, though ly those fisheries have gone down hill. The key was that I fished them off times, and/or was willing to hike a ways. There is another stream up in Idaho that I now fish that gets me a lot of nice fish, but you have to be willing to hike a couple of miles over rugged terrain to get to the good stuff.

I know there is this stereotype that all fishermen are liars, but I know that I for one try to be as accurate as possible. I fish with a clicker to keep track of my catch, and I never give a size on a fish unless I actually measure it. Some may say this takes the fun out of it, but I was a fisheries biology major initially, and now I am a nurse, so data collection is just something I do. I enjoy it, though it may not be for everyone.
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[Tarponjim]

[quote riverdog]I caught about a dozen trout last weekend in 3 and a half hours out. They ranged from all of 3 -12 inches. Did that suck? Nope, it was a great day out in warm weather in southern Utah. Just me and my dogs in solitude and a beautiful location.[/quote]

Now that is what its all about, especially this time of year! As I was on the big Green yesterday in 40-degree weather with quite a few other fishermen for February, I actually thought of you several times, wondering how some of your little secluded southern haunts were doing with a little rise in water and slightly warmer temperatures. But my two dogs had the better swimming/stick-chasing hole, which is mostly what we did! (Not where others were fishing)

[quote riverdog]Now Tarpon Jim if you want to join me for an afternoon from May to early July or late August to early November I can probable put you on 20 descent size trout an hour all afternoon long. I'll warn you it doesn't take the skill of fishing a spring creek and may not be a suitable challenge for someone with your skills[]. I however enjoy it, especially when I hook into a 20+ incher in such a small fast moving stream.[/quote]

I'd take you up on that. I don't mind a bunch of "if it floats, eat it" trout from time to time, especially earlier in the season. Just wouldn't want to make a habit out of it[]. I do like difficult, or at least "challenging" trout first and foremost, but one has to just rip on some lips once in a while to maintain some resemblance of partial sanity. Some. Some of the fishing I do around Jackson/Yellowstone is just like that.

To the original poster, again, don't worry about how many you catch. Like Riverdog says, if you do a little home work and leg work, you can find those situations once in a while where the fish just jump on the hook. That's not the normal for anyone though.

If its long hatches of rising fish you're looking for, you need to look to tail waters and spring creeks, where insect life is the most dense for the most part. Slower water, where fish can hold and wait for the bugs. Summer caddis on freestone rivers often hatch all afternoon and become swarms in the evening. Green drakes in June can make trout silly, though that one is harder to hit.

I often laugh at myself because, for the style of fishing I like, I find myself chasing bugs (hatches) rather than trout most of the time. I think to myself that I go to River XYZ to fish the ABC hatch, not go to the river to catch "big browns" or "wild cutts." Chase the hatch. If a river has good hatches, it usually has "good" trout, either in numbers, size, or a little of both. If its long hatches you seek, research and follow the bugs. Be patient. The fish will be there. Most hatches don't last all day. A few hours is more like it. You have to plan, wait, be there, keep a watchful eye, and not have a bobber on your line when it happens![] Save that for non-hatch periods if you must.


Spring: Just around the corner
Spring: Only 8 more snowstorms away
Spring: Should be tomorrow
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Spring: What a 45 degree Feb. day teases you with.
Just get here Spring, would ya??

Campeche Tarpon: Just 35 days away--again.[cool] And it will be full-on SUMMER there by then!
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[OldTroller]

It sounds like you're right where you need to be. You're catching a lot of fish where the fishing is easy i.e. uintas and working for the fish you catch where the fishing is a little harder.

You only SUCK when you're not catching and everyone around you is. Then there's something wrong with your approach. Until that happens don't worry, be happy.
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[flygoddess]

Here is my feeling (for me at any rate)[laugh][laugh][laugh]


I guess I really need to step up my skills, as I have not had that 50 an "hour" ever, even in the Uintas, let alone 100 fish day(by myself).
But I do enjoy what I do.
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[remo_5_0]

Sounds like you are doing fine, now there are some days when all things come together and it really is catching and not fishing, a few years back I was fishing the turnoff area on the LP, the day started out great, like 10 fish in the first few minutes. I thought maybe I will try and count how many fish I land today and made a conscious effort to do just that, I ended up with 98 fish in the net and maybe moved 10 yards all day, I have fished that same spot over the last couple of years and maybe catch 5 fish a day in it[mad].

Have had a few days like that on the MP also, in 3 trips in March of 08' I caught over 300 fish in a 100 yard stretch of water, and now that is one of my toughest places. So who knows the why's of fishing but as long as your catching something it's all good.
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[TroutBumDave]

You need to hit Sand Hollow with me then. Back to back 100+ fish days last fall. Not to mention several 100+ days on Utah Lake (that shouldn't count, but...)

As for the OP, I could fish for 20 hours straight without a bite and still be damn happy that I was there, would go to sleep for two hours, and do the same thing again the next day. I imagine it would take several months straight of that scenario before I'd be down on myself or say "I suck".

Then again, probably not.
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[tkidder]

I don't like going out and not catching fish. So if I get a few, it's successful. I don't count fish anymore, as it just cuts down on my enjoyment. A dozen fish in two or three hours seems like a good day, as long as it makes you happy. I'd say worry about the numbers less and just go fishing. I took my son fishing today and managed to catch a couple fish, one of the best trips in recent memory!
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