Targetting a seatrout

Can any one give me some tips for catching a seatrout please?

I fluked one years ago spinning for pollack but as I can't remember what time of year or what the conditions were I need help.

I'm aware that they are quite rare and I have no intention of using a 6 hook rig to fill a bin liner, I just want to add one to this years species list. No need to remind me of the importance of C&R......

Thanks gents

I have caught 1000+ sea-trout.

Flies:- Small surface disturbing flies are deadly. Dry flies.Night fishing with big flies (3 inches) sunk deep.

Spinner:- Copper Toby(with red wings) 28g.

Earth worms are deadly for sea-trout, ledgered.

My experience is only in Freshwater, but i'm sure it doesn't differ too much.

Thanks Anto,

The little cove where I caught my only seatrout used to be alive with them at a certain time of year which I unfortunately can't remember?!

There would be one of the little buggers jumping clear of the water every few seconds. At the time though, anything other than a German sprat or a string of hokkais was alien to me.

Would I be right in assuming that the majority of sea caught seatrout are mainly accidental when targetting other species?

Thanks again

Here is one way of targetting sea-trout.

A clear bubble. light line (sea-trout are very line shy), about 4 feet up add a dropper with a black pennel. Fill bubble with water and cast.

Hold rod high so that fly is skating across water making a V, when you are retrieving.

dont worry their not rare, there a pest on the west coast and every year they irritate me to no end while plugging and spinning in dublin for bass, as they chase the lures, hit them and dont hook up as far as im aware you need a license to target them??

When I fly fish for salmon they won't take the fly.

But when I get the fly close to me, if nothing is happening I will take it up onto the surface and let it skate in the current.

It's not good for the heart as they really explode at the thing.

[herefishyfishy]

Yes Eric you are correct, even if you target them from the sea you still need a licence to fish for them. Even if you catch one by mistake e.g targeting bass and keep it and you are caught with one without a licence you will be fined and also the people have the power to take your fishing gear off you. So if you are targeting them you need a licence ,if you dont it is the same as poaching.

Last edited by herefishyfishy on Fri Feb 20, 2009 2:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.

exactly as above - to fish for sea trout - anywhere - you need a licence

Eric,

>>"dont worry their not rare, there a pest on the west coast and every year they irritate me to no end while plugging and >>spinning in dublin"[/color]

they are rare - and that is a widely accepted fact !

you seem to be encountering more of them than anyone else normally would, the reason i'm posting is to prevent anyone getting the ideat that these fish deserve anything other than catch and release (although catching them is far from easy in any case)

hope you don't take any offence as none is intended.

Ian

They are magnificent fish to catch. The acrobatics they perform is fantastic.

Not all that rare, but no where near the numbers that used to be about.

Nowadays I always release them.

Heres my observations:

you can target them on certain beaches at night with mackerel strips on flappers. Ask a few competition anglers about locations and they will know where they tend to be picked up and time of year. Mackerel strips/sandeel also works in esturies in the summer.

you can spin for them in saltwater in the summer. Small spinners work well e.g. toby spoons, rapalas, small flying c, parades, etc. I know a few guys who target them in Waterford and Wexford this way and have some successful days. They fish small ones with fairly light line - about 8lbs. Some days you get lots of follows and few hook ups (especially calm clear water, bright sunshine), other days you get a lot of hook ups. A tip if you are trolling for them - long lines and keep the rod high. You can also target them in estuaries - I find this is better in dry spells rather than wet weather. Perhaps they are running up the rivers for a while after rain.

You can also fish for them with flies in the saltwater. The flies are not quite the same as the bass flies. Jim Hendrick has some decent examples on his website.

To go into any more detail than this would be like writing a fishing article.

sk

Eric,

>>"dont worry their not rare, there a pest on the west coast and every year they irritate me to no end while plugging and >>spinning in dublin"[/color]

they are rare - and that is a widely accepted fact !

you seem to be encountering more of them than anyone else normally would, the reason i'm posting is to prevent anyone getting the ideat that these fish deserve anything other than catch and release (although catching them is far from easy in any case)

hope you don't take any offence as none is intended.

Ian

none taken, dublin is alive with them in summer and autumn, i remember myslef and lovetofish stalking a good fish of around 4lb in whiterock one evening, tried every lure in the box, but he woudln't touch it. their certainly not facing extinction

ìf the cove is near kinsale i know the one your on about i have caught sea trout there on a few occasions but never to any size when fishing down in inashannon for salmon to no joy use to hit down around kinsale small size flying c,s or tazmaing devil spinner worked great around there next month you should start to see them turn up there at dusk on a flooding tide is very good as i said i presume its the same cove.

thighlines I'd say we're of definately thinking of the same place.

Might see you down there soon, it's a small place.


In relation to the license, thanks for reminding me because I had forgotten.

I had eaten my one and only seatrout before I found out the last time
In fairness though I didn't have a clue I was doing any wrong at the time


Thanks for all the info, much appreciated

ya its a small place alright i have taking a few small bass from there also befor

my only sea trout was when i was legering a worm for bream in fermanagh

Can any one give me some tips for catching a seatrout please?

the main spicies i fish for is the seatrout, and i favour useing bait for them, i put one rod out with mackerel and another out with sprat. and at this time of year the sprats out fish the mackerel most of the time, last season at a couple of my marks i got well over 300+ trout and would say that 90% of them were got on sprats. mount them on a size 1 or 1'0 hook and use a 1oz rolling lead with 8lb line.
also the seatrout have declined in their numbers over the years due to the interduction of salmon farming, witch is a proven fact.

Can any one give me some tips for catching a seatrout please?

try enniscrone beach,june on,they can be caught on ledgered sandeel,mack strips,not as plentiful as they used to be,but you can still normally take one here.I agree with the lads,catch and release the way to go,but i would take home one or two a year for the pot,nicest fish ive ever eaten!!