Comments on Caddis Chronicles: Opportunistic vs. Selective Feeding

http://turningoversmallstones.blogspot.com/2010/04...

2010-04-19T10:24:10.194-04:00

http://turningoversmallstones.blogspot.com/2010/04/fishing-writing-that-incorporates.html

There are some occurrences that, we as humans, jus...

2010-02-12T14:55:24.742-05:00

There are some occurrences that, we as humans, just can't fathom or relate too! Maybe it’s a matter of which size insect first attracted their attention and locked in the feeding rhythm. Then again some mysteries can't be solved and had there been trout at my Super Bowl party they might well be finning around discussing why that old dude in the Simms hat ate all the Lays Potato Chips, but didn't touch the Ruffles... I will say this; in fishing a lot of tailwaters out here it's very common to see me fishing a size 18 BWO trailing a size 22 BWO a foot behind. I may now and for ever, refer to this approach as the Lays/Ruffles technique for hatch matching.....

Well said, Midgeman! Although the more bang for t...

2010-02-11T20:22:40.729-05:00

Well said, Midgeman! Although the more bang for the buck (caloric intake) is another big question - why do trout sometimes feed on tiny BWO's, when there are larger, more substantial bugs on the water in good numbers? Do they taste better? Amazing how an animal with such a small brain can make us so humble.......

From the standpoint of the trout, selectivity is a...

2010-02-11T18:17:12.262-05:00

From the standpoint of the trout, selectivity is a matter of instinct. A trout's most basic instinct is survival and in regards to feeding, to feed in the manner that requires the least energy output for the maximum calorie intake. If there is no hatch, but they're seeing a broad range of tidbits drift by, they will generally feed opportunistically. If the food supply becomes more specific, i.e. a hatch comes off; they will feed on the most available phase of that hatch as it progresses. This will generally mean initially pupae or nymph, then emergers, then adult. They will, in nearly all instances, find that cripples make a nice addition to the emerger / adult phase of the hatch. The whole issue of selectivity or educated trout stems from an angler's inability to match the numerous keys that best define the “more bang for the buck theory” when it comes to caloric intake. We as anglers have to have an excuse for failure when we are unable to match wits with a purely instinctive animal, in this case a trout with a brain the size of a pea. We will never fully understand their world and they could not grasp ours, but it's sure fun when the two worlds cross!

Dear Anonymous, If I wanted a shallow comment, I ...

2010-02-08T18:26:42.100-05:00

Dear Anonymous,

If I wanted a shallow comment, I would have gone to my friend Chris "Mr. Chef" and said something random to him.....he's always good for a wise crack!

WOW man, You guys are deep....

2010-02-07T23:40:02.789-05:00

WOW man, You guys are deep....

No, I completely agree with you...I was just argui...

2010-02-05T14:33:43.824-05:00

No, I completely agree with you...I was just arguing semantics. Don't you hate it when people do that? Slow Friday at work I guess.

You can parallel the way a trout identifies likely food items with how most people read; we could focus on each individual letter (physical trait) but generally we use context and a few cues to fill in the gaps. The latter is much more efficient, but sometimes leads to mistakes. Thankfully nobody has gutted me for misreading a sentence...yet.

Good points. Trout do choose to eat or not. But ...

2010-02-05T14:23:08.716-05:00

Good points. Trout do choose to eat or not. But are they selective, as in disriminating? Or is it an opportunity, as in a chance, especially one that offers some kind of advantage?

2010-02-05T14:15:11.443-05:00

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Does selection require cognitive reasoning? I und...

2010-02-05T12:35:13.017-05:00

Does selection require cognitive reasoning? I understand what you are trying to say, but just because a trout (to our knowledge) has no capacity for abstract thought does not mean they cannot be selective. Or does it? Or am I missing the point? Let's say a trout takes your fly (i've heard it happens); in order to do so, he has to make 2 "choices" as I see it 1-he has to "choose" to eat rather than not eat and 2-he has to choose to eat your fly in preference to anything else around. Yes, it's stimulus-reaction but it's still selection.

Ed