Fishing Big Hatches

The big hatches are approaching fast! I've sometimes, though, been disappointed on fishing trips when I've shown up at a destination and heard that I had just missed the hatch or I've had less than great fishing even when tons of big flies were present. The fishing can be really slow in the latter stages and just after big hatches like salmon flies, golden stones, green drakes, caddis, or other stuff that has recently been really abundant because the fish are just simply full.

One thing that can help is to try to plan your trips for just before or in the first days of the big hatches. Many times the fish will have seen a few of the early hatching flies and will take them even if there aren't many around yet.

Also, if you have multiple days, the last few days of the trip can be great as the hatches really start going. Another thing to try is to move up river with or just ahead of the hatch. Most hatches start low in river systems and move up according to the pattern of how the water warms. Hopefully this strategy will help your next quest for hitting the big hatches be as productive as possible.