Something has been bugging me for a while now.

I've been wondering..... Has anyone ever successfully targetted Ferrox trout on the fly? How come i've never heard of someone hooking one on Corrib while targeting pike on the fly? My mate and I all hunt the pike with big flies/lures, and you would have thought that we would have pulled flies past many a Ferrox?

The flies aren't too big, but maybe the colours are a bit out of whack? Maybe its to do with the wire trace, but i honestly don't feel that i'd hook one if i was fishing without a trace.

I've spoken to a couple of guys who have tried specifically going after Ferrox, but not had any joy, and these guys know where they are hiding out!! They are renowned guides on Corrib.

So can it be done? oh, and can someone enlighten me as to what the latest method of fishing for ferrox is? I've heard it mentioned a couple of times, but noone will actually tell me what they do.. I have no interest of trolling deadbait around, or anything else for that matter. I'd rather sit at home than go out trolling, but i am intrigued as to what it is. Maybe i can incorporate whatever it is into flyfishing for them?

I was looking at some beautiful trout mounted on the walls of pubs in Oughterard and it really got me thinking, surely they would chase a pike fly!, but for some reason, they don't......I'd be interested in hearing what you guys think on the subject.....

Cheers
JJ

so called ferox have been caught on flies here in the highlands some on size 10 Zulus, so its worth a go, easker1

I'm sure Stan Headley did a feature about this in a magazine last year , Trout & Salmon i think . He might be able to help you regarding this ( Troutheaven ) .

HM

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Imagination is more important than knowledge.

John Neville and I used to get them on deep trailed 4 inch long flies in Loch Awe in the early 70's. Lead cored trolling line but not on a down rigger, instead like shooting heads and fish a good thirty yards behind the boat at very slow speed, Yamaha outboard on tickover only or else on the blades if that was too fast.

Biggest was 19.5lbs and it was only in its sixth year according to Stirling University where we sent a few scales. It was an incredible example of gaining ascendancy!

richard

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Who resides on the right bank of the Derbyshire Wye and is lulled to sleep each night by the mutterings of a weir, dreaming that "When the rivers and their inhabitants come first, we ALL win..."

Aha, 60s/70s midlands ressie style! well sort of, except you were specifically fishing it behind the boat

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I have used huge kates on a Hi di up in Sutherland

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BROWN TROUT:THE RED SPOTS HAND PAINTED BY GOD

JJ I have been thinking about are these doable on flies for a long time now and the main issue I see is depth ! Getting the fly down to them without doing it by way of dragging loads of lead line a long way our of the back of the boat and spending endless hours going round and round , up and down the lake !!

I am the same as you and have no interest in catching them this way and would only like to do so if it can be done on a cast and retrieve method !

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Your fish ----> ><((((º> My fish ----> ><(((((((((º>
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Cheers Danny

Co-Founder of S.S.F.D 2010

in my opinion that is the issue....depth
when we get them is on a dead slow troll on a rod specifically set up with the relevant line for the purpose.
We only do it whilst heading up to or down from a specific spot with a bit of distance between the two. Normally whilst having lunch.
I have never caught one using traditional flees or anything other than a fast sinker. I will add I often fish lochs where they are known to reside.
i have caught some big wild troot on trad. flees and sink tips/floaters but i would not class them as true ferrox

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BROWN TROUT:THE RED SPOTS HAND PAINTED BY GOD

I would imagine its the depth, enabled by the dead slow part of the equation, than the dead slow speed as such which does it. Deep and fast would probably be even more effective, but then into "proper" trolling/downriggers. Or heave it to side/front of boat and pay out full line allowing it more time to sink before it swings round to the back, also creating the change of direction as it swings around (probably what you do anyway I'd guess)

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Hi JJ,
Contrary to the common belief that Ferox only live in the depths, research done on Loch Garry in Perthshire provides evidence that a greater percentage of their time is actually spend in the top two metres and they frequently come very close to shore especially during the hours of darkness.
The link show some of the details of the research.
www.coispa.it/poster/thorne.doc
Hopefully this will persuade you to try for these beast without the need for leadcore lines and going on the troll, its encouraging to know that they are certainly within reach of the shore and also even a slow sinker!! More often than not its just being in the right place at the right time.

HM, I recall the article last year but cant remember where from, but i do remember how he spoke of fishing relatively close to the shoreline.