I listened to the fly guy at a cabelas talking about trout and the hatch,he of course eluded to matching the hatch.I ask him the same question I will ask those on this forum,my question was and is,Do trout only eat the hatch?
Cabelas fly guy said absolutely except for an odd one every now and again.I ask what would a trout do if I cast a larger fly ( not one of the hatch) he said a trout would not recognize a larger fly as food unless it was part of an occurring hatch.
I have some doubt in his answer,I say the reason they eat the hatch is because that's all they have to eat at that time,and given an opportunity for a larger meal they would take it.