sea trout fishing at night
How to Catch a Sea Trout Be in the Right Place at the Right Time. BINGO – a beautiful sea trout snatched my fly. This said, I've caught seatrout at all different times of the day and night, but not in large numbers. In low water on warm summer nights the sea trout "play" in the very shallow tails of pools and can even be caught in a foot or so of water in some unlikely places . sea trout are lying in the deep sections of the pool, i.e. The only difference between our approaches was that Tim was casting directly across the river, while I was casting across and across and down at a 45o angle. It’s a tremendous feeling when your line tightens, you hear the splash of a hooked fish before it tears off and you have to play the fish with little or no sight of it until it slips into the net. Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube. It’s also worth trying a fly that causes some disturbance to alert sea trout to its presence. However, not everyone is comfortable with fishing at night therefore I will explain how to catch daytime sea trout as well. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. He got me interested in sea trout fishing by describing his night fishing exploits on the Nith. less than ¼ of a moon) and the temperature stays in double figures. The River Conwy had dropped to 0.87m (Cwmlanerch gauge) and was running clear. When fishing for Sea Trout at night, consider a bigger fly, #8, as one of your flies as in May/June there is a chance of a salmon taking and 8lb nylon minimum too just in case. Make Some Noise For Calm Night Fishing Throw a noisy topwater chugger or prop bait on calm nights for bass suspended close to the surface. Six Tips for Catching Big Trout at Night Big trout in lakes cruise close to shore in early fall. Events and Meets page. When bass burrow into cover or hug the bottom at night, try a slow-moving lure such as a plastic worm for fishing in clear water. Within these pages you will find fishing reports from various rivers (Teifi, Towy, Dovey etc), fishing tips, fly patterns, sea trout fishing advice and more from likeminded anglers. The Church Commissioners’ water (highlighted in green on the map) , for which two tickets per night are available. don’t shine the torch on the water, always face away from the river when using it), A jacket with multiple pockets to carry fly boxes, line etc. What is every ones thoughts on fishing with droppers, for sea trout at night ? The club is small and friendly and the rivers are lightly fished. Fishing (angling) for sea trout is usually carried out at night using fly fishing techniques, but only when the rivers are running clear. At present many of our rivers have had temperatures exceeding this, daily, for many weeks. Of fish to catch, Victoria and Zeballos offer incredible fishing charter opportunities in British Columbia new website.! But, summer night fishing is an exception. That being said, as an angler, at this time of the year, you will want to bag yourself a wall-hanger of a speckled trout. Your graph shows the annual catch then was around 5000 sea trout, a staggering amount by modern day standards.....and I guess most fish were killed in those days. What we do know, is that there are often considerable numbers of Sea Trout hugged in close to the shorelines at multiple times throughout the year from reliable sources up a… Wet flies for night fishing. blanking night after night because there’s no sea trout to catch. Flies for Rivers . Fortunately, the main run sea trout begins around the middle of July and this is the best time to focus on sea trout fishing at night on the Welsh Dee. Tackle Forum. Then on the point is a small tube ,ally or plastic or a snake. Therefore, it’s a good idea to study previous catch returns for the river you plan to fish to determine your best chances of success. The salmon seasons starts a month earlier on March 15 but closes on August 31. In the west of Scotland, most are female fish, as many of their brothers remain in freshwater for their whole lives. This is around 11 pm in July on the Welsh Dee. If you are not keen on sea trout fishing at night then I have another post on how to catch sea trout during daylight hours. The rivers on the western edge of Dartmoor have much to offer both the local and visiting angler. It’s lonely (some people say scary! Like you, I’m something of a sea trout nut – I became addicted to the night life while living in Devon and having since moved to the East Midlands I’ve had some serious withdrawal symptoms. If there are trees on the far bank, I try to get the fly in between the trees because the bigger fish are often lying under their cover. Fisherman Catches New Record Smallmouth Bass, 10 of the Biggest Whitetail Shed Antlers Ever Found, Including Three World Record-Size Deer. Much of my trout fishing has been done on Amelia Island, Florida. 50 to 75mm tube fly or intruder pattern). Fluorocarbon is not needed, so stick with cheap and cheerful but very reliable Maxima ultragreen or similar. Even today, the fishing equipment I use hasn’t changed that much. If the stretch for river belongs to a club then there will be members who are happy to point you in the right direction. The rivers on the western edge of Dartmoor have much to offer both the local and visiting angler. This is a tricky one but, generally, it’s best to go sea trout fishing when the river is running clear and close to its summer level. When fishing for Sea Trout at night, consider a bigger fly, #8, as one of your flies as in May/June there is a chance of a salmon taking and 8lb nylon minimum too just in case. Flies Page. I often switch to fishing a surface (Wake) lune on a floating line for my next run through the pool. Fluorocarbon is not needed, so stick with cheap and cheerful but very reliable Maxima ultragreen or similar. So what tackle do I need to target sea trout on the coast? Tube flies have gained a fair degree of momentum in recent years, not only for sea trout fishing but for salmon, steelhead and other predatory species, both in fresh and saltwater. I don’t live local to any sea trout rivers and as such, I like to make the most of my evening’s sea trout fishing in Wales. However, it is possible to catch sea trout during daylight hours and at the end of this article, I have a link to another post on how to do just that. Sometimes this will go on for hours, whatever hook you use. Prime targets for nighttime topwater tactics are boat docks with lights. The cover of darkness provides them with security and can often temp them out from lairs, giving the angler a great opportunity to catch. Copyright © 2021 Field & Stream. When it’s not possible to fish from the bank wading the pool very carefully becomes the only option. So fishing in the summer means fishing at night. During the summer, seatrout are often caught under fishing piers and docks equipped with lights. Inevitably, in the heat of the moment, someone’s going to blurt out “fish on” louder than they should. After a recent spate, conditions were ideal for night sea trout fishing on the 16 th of July. On the Welsh Dee, I will always try and go fishing a few days after a summer spate when the river has cleared and is approaching its summer level. Finally, for safety a pair of DIY clear safety spectacles as eye protection and if you are wading a life jacket and wading stick. Sea trout is a highly prized fish to catch and one of the most highly rated as a food fish. Vat where applicable at night come from commercial fishing vessels at sea at come! Coastal Sea Trout Fishing. Then, repeat this process but by casting directly across to the far bank. Colour is immaterial, with black appearing in the majority of sea trout patterns as that is the colour that casts the strongest silhouette. After fishing through the pool without a take, it’s best to change the approach. The early run of large sea trout on the Welsh Dee starts in the middle of May and are caught as far upriver as Corwen by early June. If you are interested in sea trout fishing at night on the Welsh Dee there is some excellent Day Ticket water at Llangollen. Fishing for Sea Trout and the Law. Examples of tube flies that I use for sea trout fishing at night include: Begin fishing the chosen section of the pool by casting as close to the far bank as possible, to fix your cast length. Weather permitting, I will continue sea trout fly fishing until the end of August when my focus switches to salmon fishing on the Welsh Dee. Don't go too small with your fly at night. Totnes weir pool (highlighted in yellow on the map), for which one ticket for sea trout fishing at night is available. Here are some sea trout flies tied by a South Devon expert (Cedric Potter) who specialised in sea trout fishing by night and by day. Sadly, not every angler gets to go home with a prize 7-pound speckled trout. Fluorocarbon is not encouraged. Great to hear you have found my fishing website and that you’ve found some useful info on it. Stripers Forever Calls for 10-Year Ban on Harvesting Striped Bass, Low Pressure and Prime Conditions Make 2021 The Best Year to Book a Bucket-List Fishing Trip, Hang the Perfect Treestand Now for Big Bucks Later, 6 Things Salt Water Fly Anglers Can Learn from Plug Fishermen, The 6 Best .30/30 Winchester Hunting Loads, Best Day Pack for Camping, Hiking, and Hunting, 5 Great Lures to Catch More Prespawn Bass, New Mexico Teen Releases Potential Record Blue Catfish. The fish will often lie in different places during the day and at night, not needing the cover so much. Hopefully, after trying all of the above you will have managed to hook and land a sea trout. Best river weather conditions for sea trout fishing at night. May is the peak month for Sea Trout; they are in the best condition and usually the larger fish run early, so a fish of a lifetime is possible. If you don’t possess such a rod then an inexpensive Shakespeare Sigma Supra 10ft 6 or 7wt is a good starting option; this was the rod I bought for my son to get him going. Using a systematic approach to sea trout fishing at night teaches you how best to fish each pool and enables you to build a knowledge base of which approaches work best. Topics: 1,456 Posts: 15,315 Members: 1,487 Active Members: 39 Welcome to our newest member, Glenn. Welcome to the Sea Trout Fishing forum! Probably the best way to present a shrimp offering on the shallow grass flats is under a popping cork. Although not impossible to catch through the day, Sea trout are mainly fished for at night time. All rights reserved. Time for a change of flies? Shallow grass flats are those in 6 feet or less of water. Six Tips for Catching Big Trout at Night Big trout in lakes cruise close to shore in early fall. My second line is a WF intermediate (slow sinking) line, which is useful when you need to fish a big fly closer to the riverbed. Learn how your comment data is processed. Even so, the thought of sea trout fishing, especially at night, is never far from my mind and, if forced to compile a list, I reckon chasing those lively bars of silver would rank within my top five. Fishing for trophy trout at night is productive in winter, when the water is more often clear. Generally, the best months for catching sea trout in the UK are June, July and August but peak runs vary from river to river. For example, the best month(s) on the Welsh Dee at Llangollen is August, on the Conwy and River Ribble it’s July & August. The best time to fish is from late afternoon until dark. If not it will be time to move on to the next pool to repeat the process or head off home. Trout often feed well at night and Sea Trout and the magnificent Dollaghan Trout from Northern Ireland are normally best fished for in the evening and into darkness in their migratory home rivers as they return to spawn. Where to Locate Spotted Seatrout. A good head torch, ideally with white and red-light sources and a spare pocket torch. General Sea Trout Fishing Advice. If the river is still carrying some colour, I will only fish for sea trout until dusk and save my energy for better conditions. It’s easy to cast and reasonably priced. In Wales it’s common practice and almost somewhat tradition to use two flies at night. This called for a very simplistic and pleasurable approach to sea trout angling. At every step down through the pool, I normally cast across and down at 45o angle and make a slow retrieve. If you feel any knock or pull on the fly, immediately make a line-strike, and if this connects with a fish, quickly lift the rod. For ease of casting at night, I would go for a WF (weight-forward) line. Then repeat the cast and retrieve it at a faster pace. When sea trout are just nipping the end of the fly then switching to fishing a smaller fly can be a successful approach. Salmon fishing outside Golden Gate which extend 200 nautical miles from the Coast successful catch and release find local fishing. In other words, it is that time of the year when speckled trout fishing is all the rage. The advantage of the line-strike over a rod-strike is that if nothing connects you can continue to fish the fly through the pool and maybe get a second take. Big trout ride out cold snaps in channels and deep basins. We were fishing almost the same setup and a very slow retrieve; however, he was getting takes and landing sea trout while I wasn’t. In addition although the recent heat wave weather we have had may not be great for salmon and trout fishing it is ideal for night fishing for seatrout. Collapse. The club is small and friendly and the rivers are lightly fished. Chose a reel that matches the AFTM rating of the rod and has the capacity to take the fly line plus 100 yards of backing. Classifieds. If possible, try and fish the pool without wading to avoid disturbing sea trout that might be lying close in. This will provide the length required for casting at distance whilst still giving you the ability to cast accurately to showing fish. Most of my sea trout fishing, almost all of it nocturnal, has been done on Scottish rivers, in particular the Endrick, Earn, Allan, Spey and Border Esk, with an occasional foray elsewhere, for example to Wales, where a one hour July evening session on an upper beat of the little River Cothi gave me, if not perhaps my biggest, certainly my best fish to date, a shining silver sewin of 9 pounds. In following the above process, you’ll be fishing the fly at different depths and this will allow you to determine which approach is successful. Sea-trout are peculiar fish and their behaviour varies from night to night in an infuriating but fascinating way. How to light up after-hours Texas speckled trout with topwater lures. Flies for sale page. (NB. There are a number of scenarios when it’s better to fish for sea trout with a sinking line: Again, it’s important to fish the pool systematically with the sinking line, by varying the casting angle and speed of retrieve, as described for fishing a floating line. To start your quest sea trout there is no need to buy a specialist sea trout fly rod, reel, and/or fly line. Flies and Fly Tying. For fishing a single fly, I use a simple leader of 8 to 10ft of 8, 10, or 12lb of Maxima Ultragreen depending of the size if fly I’m fishing (i.e. Examples of the flies I use on the Welsh Dee for sea trout fishing at night include: If fishing the above single flies doesn’t produce any takes, switch to a larger fly on 9ft of 12lb Maxima (ca. Firstly by the older John Graham, who between him and his elder brothers conjoured up “The Black Ghost” while fishing in Wales’ prime sea trout days, this was once a closely guarded secret weapon on Welsh Sewin. Contrary to this, the coastal region cools off in summer nights and therefore the temperature is back in the comfort zone of the sea trout. One of their foibles is their ability to take a fly, give it a savage tug, almost enough to pull the rod out of your hand, and sail away unhooked. You can see in their eyes they’re hooked too. Sea trout fishing tackle. The surface lure I tie and use on the Welsh Dee and other rivers is a great pattern designed by Stephan Jones: If surface lure fails to stimulate any interest a switch to fishing deeper with an intermediate or sink-tip line and experimenting with the fly size is usually the next move. Sea Trout Fishing Sea Trout – the empress of fish and the ultimate for fly fishing. To post and view all pages you must register. Your graph shows the annual catch then was around 5000 sea trout, a staggering amount by modern day standards.....and I guess most fish were killed in those days. I fished with Cedric and his son Chris on the Devonshire Avon in the 1970s and '80s. As regards preparation nothing beats being well organised for seatrout night fishing. Big sea trout tuck their heads into holes in the riverbank by day, and then they are uncatchable. For example, near the tails of pools or alongside gravel bars where the river narrows causing the flow increases. If the sky is clear, I will still venture out sea trout fishing if the moon is not too bright (i.e. Fishing (angling) for sea trout is usually carried out at night using fly fishing techniques, but only when the rivers are running clear. Sea trout are not leader shy at night, so don’t risk fishing a light leader. It’s always advised to face away from the river when doing so to prevent spooking the fish Admiring a fresh run fish of over 2lb on the grass before returning it This is in fact the first time the Firth has been legally permitted for line anglers for as long as the Forth District Salmon Fishery Board’s records go back. The Best Heated Jacket For Fishing, Hunting, and Working in Extreme Cold. For example, on the Welsh Dee at Llangollen just as me or check my fishing blog. Additional water (red) is available to members. I never wade a pool at night unless I’ve waded it in daylight when the river is low at the start of each season. The night air fractionally cools the surface and brings lake and dam fish up to the top. tote Active member. So fishing in the summer means fishing at night. On the Welsh Dee at Llangollen there are several pools that regularly produce sea trout at night, these include Dee Farm, Pipe Pool, Duncan’s Pool, Horseshoe Falls, Sea Trout Pool, and Mill Run to name just a few. The next challenge to a successful nights sea trout fishing is to be in the…. Often, showing their location by jumping on warm evenings. Overall, the darkness makes them significantly less spooky and reserved. During this short 6/7-week period I try and get out sea trout fishing at night as often as possible. Even if you have obtained knowledge of where to fish, it’s still important to walk the river during daylight to check out the likely to be holding pools and plan how to fish them when it’s dark. greater than 5ft. Recently, I was fishing a pool on the River Conway with a friend who was fishing a few metres behind me. Periods of settle weather conditions are usually the best for sea trout fishing. The two flies that I would like to share with you are devised by two Welsh legends and innovators in Sea Trout fishing. When you start sea trout fishing there is nothing worse than…. That is what fly fishing for sea trout at night is all about, and in such a charming, idyllic setting you simply couldn’t ask for better. Yes to newcomers this can lead to more time unknitting tangles than getting your flies in front of the fish, however once the angler gets … Alexandra Cedric fished this fly at night after treatment with floatant so that it fished in the surface and created a wake when retrieved . Therefore, I wrote this post on how to catch sea trout at night to help a beginner get started and hopefully “HOOKED”. There is nothing quite like the take from a sea trout at night and I am confident once experienced you will be hooked. The club is one of the oldest in the country and provides fishing for salmon, sea trout and brown trout on the rivers of West Devon. Then, if night fishing is not for you can use it on the river for trout and grayling fishing. If you need to buy a reel to get started, go for one that comes with a spare spool, then you can load it with an intermediate (slow sinking) line. When it comes to catching sea trout, I’ve had the most luck at sunrise. I do this is to check if anything has changed on the riverbed (e.g. 20min) before you will have a take if this switch is going to work. Sea Trout Fishing Sea Trout – the empress of fish and the ultimate for fly fishing. In determining the best pools and places to a fish a river for sea trout I can’t stress enough the…. Given the option of flexibility in the timing of your sea trout fishing trip, be sure to go... Hope for Favourable Weather. He got me interested in sea trout fishing by describing his night fishing exploits on the Nith. Fish are now gathering in the pools and the fishing is slowly getting better. I've always fished with a dropper & had no problems yet on losing fish, with break off's or the trailing hook snagging on anything so far. Brown trout are believed to see in the dark better than other trout species, but even so, trout across the board are far less leader shy at night than during the day. Under the full cover of darkness, sea trout will leave these daytime lies and move into areas of faster flow that are still smooth. The club is one of the oldest in the country and provides fishing for salmon, sea trout and brown trout on the rivers of West Devon. If asked to recommend one it would be Airflo Forty Plus Line, because that’s what I use. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Sea Trout Fishing Forum - river / fishing reports, flies, tips & tricks Statistics. In addition, it was forecast to be a mild (15 o C), partially overcast evening, with only a ¼ moon showing. However, the are extremely hard to find and catch on the fly. This is a tricky one but, generally, it’s best to go sea trout fishing when the river is running clear and close to its summer level. Some people say that true sea trout fishermen must be maniacs….. at the very least insomniacs, because to fish for them properly you need to fly fish through the night in the pitch dark. Does produce good takes. On the occasions I fish a 2 or 3-fly cast, I will use a tapered leader with a minimum breaking strain of 8lbs because it aids fly turn-over and reduces line tangles. Fly-Tying Bench. Brown trout are believed to see in the dark better than other trout species, but even so, trout across the board are far less leader shy at night than during the day. On the Welsh Dee, as on many other rivers, sea trout are most active during the first two hours of darkness. It’s lonely (some people say scary! I just wanted to say a quick thank you for producing such a useful and informative website, you inspired me to make the effort to get over to the Dee. In deep pools, there’s hardly any light penetrating the depths and it is usually best to fish large fly (75 mm+ in length) very slowly. The larger fish tend to be those entering the river in the early part of the season. Tightlines for a good season all Nith fishers. Use Short, Heavy Leaders Go with leaders and tippet in sizes 1X or 2X at night. It is usually very difficult to fish small rivers and streams at night. If you are unlucky and a spate curtails night fishing, Sam allows you to fly fish in the day for Sea Trout, which are much more catchable by day in coloured or clearing water. A Bonnier Corporation Company. A junior goes back. Best baits and lures for spotted sea trout fishing--GRASS FLATS The best live bait for trout is shrimp. In PART TWO, he draws on a lifetime's experience to guide the novice on his quest for that first very special sea trout to be caught on the fly at night. Sometimes this will go on for hours, whatever hook you use. A robust folding landing net that can be attached to your jacket with an easy release mechanism. I changed to casting directly across river and almost immediately…. Start small at dusk but get progressively larger. At dusk and well into the night they move out and stretch their fins, sometimes leaping and splashing so that you know where they are, but more often staying deep down on the riverbed. The weight of the bead is anchoring the leader down with the point fly trailing behind and the tube or snake above fishing. Fisherman Catches New Record Brown Trout with a 32-Plus-Pounder! Successful sea trout fishing is based on right tactical decisions including time of year and current weather. They tend to use protected channels early in the cold season, and then stubbornly stick to deep, open basins in the second half of winter. Firstly sea trout at night do not usually take well above a temperature of 18°C. 8lbs for fly sizes less than 8, fished at dusk and 10 or 12 lbs for small tube flies). Collapse. after the initial of hours of darkness takes have dried up. When wading SAFETY should be your NUMBER ONE priority. Is the 6.5 Creedmoor The New King of Cartridges? First, let’s take a look at the fishing tackle you will need. This can yield a few sea trout to 2lbs in weight, which is great, sport on light tackle. Some people say that true sea trout fishermen must be maniacs….. at the very least insomniacs, because to fish for them properly you need to fly fish through the night in the pitch dark. This is the most exciting time for us at Fishing Around the Forth (FAF), as we don’t have the answers yet on how, where, or when to fish for Sea Trout in this amazing estuary, we can only guess. Four to six feet of total length is plenty, but feel free to go longer. If you get “hooked” on sea trout fishing it would be useful to have a second line with you. When to Go Trout Fishing. For large tubes, I use a much shorter leader (c.a. Sewin generally refers to smaller sea trout up to around 30 – 40 cm in length. Usually, it is not long (ca. Sea trout are not evenly distributed throughout the river but take up residence in areas that offer them sanctuary during daylight hours, without having to expend vital energy resources. I love night fishing for sea trout above all other types of fly fishing because at night all your sensors are on high alert in anticipation of a take. The trout are attracted to lights, and in fact, some trout anglers sometimes toss a glow stick into the water at night and cast near it. Tales from the River Valley. From mid of July to late September sea trout is the ultimate catch in the Mörrumriver. I’ve found the best results come from concentration on learning how to fish one or two pools thoroughly in a single sea trout fishing session. To hook them, get set to burn the midnight oil. General. If you haven't already, I really recommend reading Falkus' Sea Trout Fishing and Steffan Jones new book Sea Trout – Tips, Tricks & Tribulations. It’s a rare thing to hear about a newly founded fishery in this day and age. In June the trout can enter all the known coastal spots. Night fishing will often yield some wonderful sport for the game angler. Grayling at night. At dusk and well into the night they move out and stretch their fins, sometimes leaping and splashing so that you know where they are, but more often staying deep down on the riverbed. The first of the outgoing tide is another good time to fish for trout. Light rain is OK if the river level remains stable. Therefore, I often arrive a couple of hours before dark and walk the section of river I’m going to fish looking for signs of where sea trout are lying. Welcome to the sea trout forum. The sound of a struggling trout isn’t natural. Sea trout are a form of brown trout (Salmo trutta) which, after three or four years living in freshwater, migrate to the sea where they grow faster. River Reports 2008. Most of my sea trout fishing at night has been done on the Welsh Dee but this approach can be applied on most UK rivers. On the Welsh Dee, I will always try and go fishing a few days after a summer spate when the river has cleared and is approaching its summer level. Tightlines for a good season all Nith fishers. My preference is for a warm, dry, and overcast night with a light wind (less than 10mph). Small fisheries pop up here and there and most are in the form of another. Examples of wet flies that catch Welsh Dee sea trout include: When it’s just possible to see the tree outlines on the far bank, I will begin to fish the pools which should be holding the larger sea trout. Fly fishing with dark flies around midnight usually do the trick. Just found your website what a treasure trove of useful and interesting information thank you! Docks usually have sunken brush piles that hold bass and the lights shining from the boat houses attract shad and sunfish to the surface. In the winter months and the main season (March-May) sunshine warms up the water during the day, which makes fishing in daytime most productive. At dusk, I will start fishing the fast water at the heads of pools with a floating line and a team of small wet flies on a 12ft 6lb leader.