[Ross]

I've been down at Cruden Bay a few times and noticed the place was packed with people launching bits of metal at the leaping Sea Trout (Some quite large may I add!)

One thing, not once have I seen any fish take a lure!

Even seen a couple of boys fly fishing for them, never a sniff!

Is it harder to catch in the sea? Perhaps doing something wrong?

Would love to cast the 3wt at them!! (Obviously with permission/permit etc etc)

[Ben Dixon]

They will take in the sea quite readily, I suspect that either the depth or fly pattern may not be spot on.  We get quite a few when up north at this time of year and fish baitfish patterns for them on sinking lines.  Something white / blue / grey with a bit of flash between 2 & 3" in length pulled at speed usually produces for me.

Cheers

Ben

[Jim Eddie]

Ross

Not sure where you would get permits/ permission for Cruden Bay (I must confess i've done it without either in the past) You can however get permits to fish the Ythan estuary for sea trout for £30 per day.

 

Jim

[Andy Macbog]

I think that most people fail to spin/retrieve fast enough?  I am amazed how fast you need to go sometimes to induce a take.  

A Greenlander told me that sea-going char are athletes and that they only eat the best of foods to maintain their fitness so anything fished slowly or jerkily will put them off.  As unrealistically discerning as it makes the fish sound, it certainly seemed to work as an approach and I suspect, in my limited experience, that sea trout are often the same in their desire to chase rather than 'walk up to' their quarry?  Loch broons often seem to prefer it faster than slower too? 

Looking forward to trying in the sea for them myself, in the next week or two with a fly . . . .

A

[jimmy r]

hi guys
anybody got a pattern for the grey monkey fly ???  heard it was a great fly for seatrout of all the books i have dont know much about it,
jimmy

[Jim Eddie]

There you go

https://secure.theflyfactory.co.uk/web/component/hikashop/product/show/cid-2626/name-salmon-a-sea-trout-flies-double-hook-grey-monkey/category_pathway-0.html

 

Jim

[acercon3]

There seems to be a Salmon version also.
Anyhow trawling thru my flybox I have found a few from a few decades back ! They are most definately ST versions tied on small doubles , 14 s.
Pattern is :

Tail : A few teal fibres
Body: Rear third ,yellow or lemon seals fur or floss, remainder of body grey seals fur or floss.
Rib: Silver
Hackle: Soft , Grey Hen hackle
Wing: Could be starling as it is grey ,anything grey would suffice. I have seen it mentioned elsewhere that mallard can be used also.


It certainly was a good pattern going back in time and probably is seldom used nowadays but I've no doubt that it will take a trick or two.

Alan