Catching Big Trout Sometimes Takes Multiple Attempts

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This mature male rainbow took the beetle the second time around. Photo Louis Cahill

By Kent Klewein

Several times this past year guiding, my clients would miss a big fish opportunity during our fishing trip.

Sometimes it would be because of a poor hook set, other times, it was completely out of their control by last second refusals or turn offs from the big fish. We’d always make several more casts and try using different flies, but most of the time the big fish would have already caught on and would ignore our offerings despite perfect presentations. Without giving up on the cause I would tell my clients, “no worries, let’s come back later in the day and give that big fish another go”. Not always but quite often, we’d come back and catch that big fish the second time around. When we were fortunate enough for it happened it was the most thrilling guiding for me, and my clients couldn’t have been more pleased and proud of themselves.

If you find yourself wading a river or stream and spot a big fish but don’t catch it, don’t accept defeat, let the fish cool off and come back an hour or two later for a second shot. If you do everything right, most of the time you stand a very good chance at catching the trophy. This simple fly fishing tip, is overlooked by a lot of anglers and it’s paid off for me time and time again throughout my years guiding. Don’t be disappointed if you strike out the second time around, because you’ve got one thing going for you that you didn’t have before, and that’s the fact that you now know where the big fish likes to hang out. Sooner or later, if you keep coming back and trying, you’ll catch that big fish. And when it happens you’ll feel a sense of reward so surreal, that will you’ll remember that fly fishing catch the rest of your life.

Anyone landed a big fish this way? Let me know, I’d like to hear about it.

Keep it Reel,

Kent Klewein
Gink & Gasoline
www.ginkandgasoline.com
hookups@ginkandgasoline.com
 https://www.ginkandgasoline.com/hosted-trips/
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3 thoughts on “Catching Big Trout Sometimes Takes Multiple Attempts

  1. I am in the process of catching a big fish this way. I have not caught him yet, but yesterday went from out right refusal and spooking to a missed hook set. He hangs out along the shade line created by a mushroom shaped rock. Its a tricky cast to get my fly in the right spot without hanging on some rocks. He’s got a prime spot – I’d hang out there if I were a big trout.

  2. Same same. Did this on the Upper Owens (CA) last year. Got snagged bigly in the first hole I fished, only to feel that snag start to move after a second or two. Lost the fish after a brief fight and decided to try again at the end of the day on my way back to the car. Ended up with my PB Rainbow, a beautiful 22″ Lake Crowley “Steelhead.”

  3. Pingback: Tippets: Spring Flies on Loon Live, Catching Big Fish – Pesca y Bits

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