# Overfishing?



## Dirtbag08 (Apr 30, 2013)

Hey guys, i have been trying to learn the art of nymphing and have two questions. I have found many good pools that I know fish are sitting in but haven't been able to entice them. If i were to try 3-5 different flies on the same hole does that bother the fish (overfishing the hole?) If not, how long to you spend on a specific run/pool trying various flies?


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## 30-06-hunter (Sep 22, 2013)

I guess it depends on where you are trying and if every other joe has tried the same thing, easy access areas tend to pressure the fish a lot. Fishing is like dating, if your presentation is the same as every other guy you aren't going to reel anything in.


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## martymcfly73 (Sep 17, 2007)

No it should be fine.


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## GaryFish (Sep 7, 2007)

Well, sometimes the fish just aren't feeding. If you've throw everything reasonable you've got, move on to another hole and then come back. But like 30-06 alluded to - if the girl has rejected all of your best pick up lines, then take whatever ounce of pride you have left and move on to another one.


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

It has less to do with pattern selection than you think. I know a few guys who use a Prince Nymph all the time on the same water in the same holes and catch a bunch of fish. They claim they catch more with just a few good patterns than switching flies all the time. If the fish know you are there, then they will most times not eat. If the place was spooked by another angler previous to you getting there, then you have to wait until the fish are comfortable again. I suppose if you stand in the same place long enough and keep casting you will pick up a fish or two.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

IMO, a lot of factors come into play with this question. In small or unpressured streams that don't get a lot of human interaction, if you see the fish spook, move on to the next hole. However, in these streams, if you don't spook the fish and can get the fly in front of the fish, they will readily hit it, even with less than perfect presentation.

Contrast that to a place like the lower or middle Provo. Here, the fish get pressured *nearly every single day *in some spots, not to mention get to experience the traffic of the "tube hatch" much of the year. Here, the fish get used to the presence of humans and will quickly "return to normal" after pressure or even if you clumsily wade through the middle of the hole. The downside here, and it is a big one, is the fish have seen it all as far as flies, and if the presentation is not perfect, or is an item they don't want to eat, then you can forget about getting a bite. Thats why places like the Lopro can be tough for beginners and even hands it to experienced anglers sometimes too, even though the fish concentration is high. Its also why one poor soul can fish a run to death with no success and then have another more skilled or in tune angler walk up, make one cast and hook up.


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## spencerD (Jan 14, 2014)

Gotta second what everyone else has said to this point. Let me just add my thoughts.

John Geirach once said, "If you fish the wrong fly long and hard enough, sooner or later it will become the right fly." 

I don't think, as Catherder said, that stubbornly sitting in one hole on a river like the Lower Provo until you've dialed it in is a bad idea. Last night, I fished a hole on the Provo like that. Second cast, I had a fish, then nothing for another hour until I landed another bow. Sometimes it's just being more stubborn than the fish.

As for switching flies, if the fish aren't eating, switching it up can be effective. But I've found more often than not that switching up the depth you're drifting at, trying to dead drift and high stick the rig through the hole more, and changing to a smaller indicator are more effective than switching flies. Drifting midge pupa and sow bugs down the Provo will sooner or later produce a fish, it's just a matter of getting the presentation just right. 

I'm stubborn and like to sit on a hole until I catch a fish from it, especially on the Lower Provo because I know the fish are there. But there's nothing wrong with moving on to other holes after a half hour or so of fishing one to find more willing mouths.


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## Catherder (Aug 2, 2008)

One other thing I'll say on this. It is just personal preference, but when fishing any river, even a place like the Lopro, I would much rather fish a variety of holes and situations in an hours time than park at the same hole the entire time. Maybe I'm not good enough to fool an educated fish after the 100th cast and presentation (true), but I like the idea of trying to catch different fish during an outing. I also like to hit smaller pockets that often get ignored by the masses, but can be completely fished in just a few casts and hookups.


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## spencerD (Jan 14, 2014)

Catherder said:


> One other thing I'll say on this. It is just personal preference, but when fishing any river, even a place like the Lopro, I would much rather fish a variety of holes and situations in an hours time than park at the same hole the entire time. Maybe I'm not good enough to fool an educated fish after the 100th cast and presentation (true), but I like the idea of trying to catch different fish during an outing. I also like to hit smaller pockets that often get ignored by the masses, but can be completely fished in just a few casts and hookups.


I fish as many holes as I can on streams that I know don't receive as much pressure as others. I love fishing 3 or 4 miles worth of stream every day and pulling fish from as many holes as I can.

The problem I run into on the Lower Provo with that is, there's almost always someone in the next hole upstream or downstream. With so many anglers it's just sometimes easier to park it in one hole and hope for the best, ha. It's time like those when I wish Utah had more great trout streams. Don't get me wrong, we have a lot of great trout water. But after spending time in Colorado and Oregon recently, I've realized just how dry Utah really is! Anyways, sorry for that random rant.


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## HighNDry (Dec 26, 2007)

Gary LaFontaine, who did a lot of research and underwater observation, said it takes about 7 minutes for a spooked fish to return to feeding.

In dry fly fishing, I've had a good fish rise to a fly and not get hooked. I've continued to cast and get refused for several casts. I've moved on for 1/2 to several hours come back to the spot and caught the fish. These are usually brown trout or cutthroat trout. I've had planted rainbows hit several times until they are either caught or felt the hook. 

I've also rested a fish for several minutes while I cast to the other side of the river or hit different pockets, then come back to the fish and nail it.

I have actually cast to a feeding fish, had some tubers float through, and watched the fish move back into its feeding lane and continue to feed right after the crowd passed through (similar to what was mentioned earlier).

On small rarely fished waters the trout can be so spooky that they race up and down the creek spooking everything for several yards.

Strange fish these trout!


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## Dirtbag08 (Apr 30, 2013)

Thanks for the replies guys! This is great as I am learning this sport a little better!


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## drsx (Sep 8, 2010)

Quick tip for you. Three key elements when picking your flies, you are always trying to match the size, shape, and color. With color being the least important. That being said you can fish the worst fly out there, but if you present it well the fish will eat. The presentation is the most important factor, IMO.


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