Fishing Techniques
This section of the website gives anglers access to a database of techniques/methods, covering all game species found in Ireland as well as Pike and Saltwater species.
These techniques are principally fly-fishing based though with some standard techniques on spinning, shrimping methods etc.
We will be continually developing this section of the site, adding to it as new techniques arise. All these techniques are employed by SGS guides when fishing and when helping others to catch.
These techniques are principally fly-fishing based though with some standard techniques on spinning, shrimping methods etc.
We will be continually developing this section of the site, adding to it as new techniques arise. All these techniques are employed by SGS guides when fishing and when helping others to catch.
Techniques articles
Night Fly-Fishing for Big Browns - Dead Drift Style
type: basic | season: Summer | added: Aug,23 2006 | modified: Sep,19 2006 |
species: Brown Trout | water conditions: Freshwater | outfit: Trout Outfit for Baitfish Patterns (low water) |
species: Brown Trout | water conditions: Freshwater | outfit: Trout Outfit for Baitfish Patterns (low water) |
Large Brown Trout in any river tend to feed more confidently during the
hours of Darkness. More interesting still is what they will feed on.
Fishing with conventional flies be they wet or dry will account for the odd large Trout, though if you wish to consistently catch the larger fish you will need to use flies or more accurately lures that imitate small bait-fish and fry which these larger specimens are feeding on.
This is based on the fact that there is indeed a large number shoaling bait-fish/fry in the river you are fishing, normally Minnow, Roach & Perch fry.
Fishing with conventional flies be they wet or dry will account for the odd large Trout, though if you wish to consistently catch the larger fish you will need to use flies or more accurately lures that imitate small bait-fish and fry which these larger specimens are feeding on.
This is based on the fact that there is indeed a large number shoaling bait-fish/fry in the river you are fishing, normally Minnow, Roach & Perch fry.
Now there are many techniques which allow you to fish these patterns, this
one will cover floating patterns which imitate dead or stunned bait-fish.
These larger Trout will often work together pushing a shoal of bait-fish
into the shallows, were they will crash into the shoal at high speed
stunning several bait-fish and then coming back around at their leisure
mopping up the stunned bait-fish.
The point being that if you fish in a normal fashion, i.e casting across the current and retrieving the fly back or letting it swing across the current, you will get takes but you will miss 90%. This is due to the fact that the Trout was trying to stun your lure prior to taking into his mouth. Now if you can stay your instinct to strike on the first hit, the Trout will normally come at it again in which case you may get hook up.
I have found that if you can get your lure to fish in a fashion that it looks dead or stunned the first take will be very confident resulting in a good hook up 90% of the time.
Surface lures that will float or suspend in the surface film are best for this. Patterns such as Sculpins, Muddler minnows & floating fry patterns work best. In other words any pattern that incorporates a large amount of deer hair which will float naturally.
Casts should be made slightly upstream and given a good upstream mend. Then you should keep the tip of the rod just ahead of the flyline as it comes downstream giving it the odd very small twitch.This will send out a few ripples from the floating pattern giving the appearance of a stunned or dying fish, i.e an easy meal from the Trout's point of view. I tend to recast once the fly has passed downstream to the point where it is now swinging in the current - it no longer represents a stunned/dead fish and while the you will get takes if you let it swing all the way around, getting a good hook up will be difficult.
Takes will often be quite gentle and all you need do is lift into the fish resulting in a good hook up. Your regular Trout outfit will work fine using a floating line.
I use a 9'7" rod rated for a 5 weight line, floating line, tapered 9' copolymer leader and a 2 foot fluourocarbon tippet.
This technique works best at night during the summer months in low water conditions & once you get the hang of it is very effective, so remember to return as many of these larger Trout as possible.
by Kieran
The point being that if you fish in a normal fashion, i.e casting across the current and retrieving the fly back or letting it swing across the current, you will get takes but you will miss 90%. This is due to the fact that the Trout was trying to stun your lure prior to taking into his mouth. Now if you can stay your instinct to strike on the first hit, the Trout will normally come at it again in which case you may get hook up.
I have found that if you can get your lure to fish in a fashion that it looks dead or stunned the first take will be very confident resulting in a good hook up 90% of the time.
Surface lures that will float or suspend in the surface film are best for this. Patterns such as Sculpins, Muddler minnows & floating fry patterns work best. In other words any pattern that incorporates a large amount of deer hair which will float naturally.
Casts should be made slightly upstream and given a good upstream mend. Then you should keep the tip of the rod just ahead of the flyline as it comes downstream giving it the odd very small twitch.This will send out a few ripples from the floating pattern giving the appearance of a stunned or dying fish, i.e an easy meal from the Trout's point of view. I tend to recast once the fly has passed downstream to the point where it is now swinging in the current - it no longer represents a stunned/dead fish and while the you will get takes if you let it swing all the way around, getting a good hook up will be difficult.
Takes will often be quite gentle and all you need do is lift into the fish resulting in a good hook up. Your regular Trout outfit will work fine using a floating line.
I use a 9'7" rod rated for a 5 weight line, floating line, tapered 9' copolymer leader and a 2 foot fluourocarbon tippet.
This technique works best at night during the summer months in low water conditions & once you get the hang of it is very effective, so remember to return as many of these larger Trout as possible.
