We’re out there to catch trout. That’s what brings us to the water. But how many do we catch? And really, how many should we catch? What are the expectations? And how can we know that we’re fishing well?

In some way, maybe none of this matters. It’s not really about numbers, right? it’s about the experience.

Sure it is. And we all agree with that. But as I’ve written on Troutbitten, there are two sides to every fisherman — one that just wants to go fishing and is happy to be out there, and another that desperately wants to understand the techniques — to solve the ever present mystery of how to catch more trout. And Troutbitten aims to address both of these sides.

In truth, it’s the tactical side that keeps us coming back. Most long-term anglers go fishing to learn something and to improve a skill. And as we learn and refine our craft, we enjoy everything that the woods and the water give to us. The endless discovery is the joy of trout fishing. We’re thankful that it’s different every day, and we know we’ll never learn or experience all of it.

So if the goal is to improve and study and refine, then the numbers in the net do matter. Because it’s the trout that ultimately decide if the drift is any good. The trout tell us if we’ve solved that daily mystery. A fish at the end of the line is confirmation that our decisions and efforts are good ones.

Counting is a way to gauge our success, not just against how well we did last time out, but how well we are doing compared to what is possible. What’s the bar? What’s the ceiling? How many trout could be caught if we had everything just right — the best fly and the perfect drift.

I think every fisherman asks those questions — How am I doing relative to what is possible?

And that . . . is what this podcast discussion is about.

We Discuss the Following

• Catch rate vs catch numbers
• Conditions and expectations
• Staying grounded
• What is a catch?
• Sometimes the goal is not to catch the most trout
• All fishermen are liars
• Types of trout and changing expectations
• How chosen tactics change expectations

Resources

READ: Troutbitten | Fly Anglers in Profile -- The Numbers Guy
READ: Troutbitten | Two Sides to Every Fisherman
READ: Troutbitten | How to Fish With Friends
READ: Troutbitten | Missing the Mornings

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