The Predator/Prey Relationship

This may be one of the most important factors in locating fish. Find the preferred food source for the species you're after and chances are you'll find your fish. It's important to keep in mind that the prey is subject to the same environmental conditions as the fish you're seeking; i.e., oxygen levels, pH factor, water temperature, and so on.

"Matching the hatch" is a fly-fishing term. It usually means tying flies in a manner that closely resembles an insect which is actively hatching on a stream at the time you are fishing. If trout are feeding on mayfly larvae, use a fly and fish it in a manner which imitates the natural relationship between predator and prey. This concept can be applied to all types of fishing. Most of the presentations we use to catch fish imitate some natural prey in some way. Anglers familiar with this con-cept can make better decisions regarding lure color, size, shape, and action, even when attempting to trigger reflex strikes.

The availability of prey will likely determine the size of your catch. In order to reach trophy proportions, any fish must have an easy-to-catch, abundant food source. Fish which have the opportunity to catch large, high-protein meals have more energy to devote to growth than fish which must expend large amounts of energy chasing down small, low-protein meals. A lake trout in a lake with a forage base of smelt and herring has a potential to read 30 pounds plus. A lake trout forced to exist on a diet of microscopic plankton for much of the year may never exceed five or six pounds.

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