A fish at any cost

Went to my local fly shop today to get a line put on my 5 weight reel.
Asked the fellow behind the desk while the other guy was putting on my
line what the local trout have been hitting. He cryptically said "egg
patterns." Egg patterns? Huh. What fish spawn this time of the year
in these streams? Suckers? To early. What? Nothing spawns in these
waters this time of the year.

Hmmm. No spawn and yet the fish are hitting egg patterns? Sounds fishy to me.

This afternoon Joanne and I were out shopping and stopped by this one
place. I noticed fish pellet machines - plop in a quarter and you get
a handfull of fish food to throw at the fish. They love it (both the
tourists and the fish). Hmmmmm. The pellets look like.......... wait
for it................ egg patterns.

Well, duh! Match the hatch, eh? Chances are they are hatchery fish to
boot. I guess the tourist fly fishermen must be appeased.

Dave