I am going to my local river tomoro which is currently in spate. I would normally fly fish but I think it's gona be too dark and high for that tomoro. I do know however that it is having a great time with salmon/sea trout at the moment but I have never really targetted these species. I am going to head down with a spinning rod and some lures. what I want to know is what parts of the river would be best fished for sea trout. rapids/deep pools etc? any help would be much appreciated


gerry

Would have been easier if you mentioned which river and someone would have been likely to give you exact advice, but if it's doing as well as you say then there will be plenty locals on the water to give you that perfect advice.

Other than that, it's in spate, try the slack water at the tails of pools, above the Vs leading into fast water, where running fish will be likely to stop for a rest.

In Spain, usually fish in Nord Spain, there are good places to fish them!

Spate water encourages salmon and sea trout to run through the daylight hours and others such as trout to feed on a multitude of natural bugs/insects and worms washed in from the banks.
Agreed the best time overall is on a falling water which is clearing.However good sport can be had during the initial rise..Salmon in particular when intent on running rarely take a bait preferring to make as much headway as they can.
There is always the exception to the rule-many fish will stop for a rest to regain energy levels [salmon run upstream through the hardest stretches of water] To a salmon a river consists of Holding and Resting Pools ..Which as their name suggests act as such.
Fish lye up in holding pools for a few hours maybe even a few weeks before moving upstream..
Resting pools are those in which fish which are running stop to catch their breath and regain energy levels.
Once identified concentrate on the resting pools bearing in mind that salmon and sea trout change their lyes accordingly !
The extreme tail of the pool is always a good bet - bear in mind that at the apex of any bend the current will be strongest and at first glance can be deceiving.
So fish the water opposite even if it is under your feet !
the main pool - fish lye alongside and just off the main current in those places where the fish has to make little effort to lye static,conserving energy.
During heavy spate time spent here catching their breath varies from a few minutes to an hour or more.
A fresh run fish settling into a new pool is a taking fish.
'Fish that are seen to 'head and tail' [porpoisng-their backs and dorsal fins just creasing the surface] are taking fish [ not jumping - jumpers are normally 'travellers' passing through ].But you must get a bait or fly or bait directly in front of them as they porpoise.They will normally surface several times in this fashion before 'going down'.
Any sub surface rocks/boulders will hold fish in the 'flat V' of water behind the rock there is always a slight depression scooped out by previous spates behind these rocks where the fish can settle into comfortably.
Likewise sunk rocks hidden below the main torrent act as the same type of refuge.
Slack water in the extreme head of the pool holds fish too often in water so shallow that it barely covers their backs.
Should there be any small streams spilling into the main river - here you will find a multitude of fish congregating at the confluence of the two streams.
Likewise at any point where two streams meet there is a slight drop off and depression scooped out of the river bed that will shelter fish.
Sea trout will feed at any point ..so too will the browns.
Sport slows down to a virtual standstill at the height of the spate..As the water recedes and begins to clear the fish start to show interest again and good sport is to be had..
Fishing fly is hard work - heavy quick sinking line and heavy flies ie:brass tubes to get down there and fished deep and slow.Free-line natural baits with only enough weight to touch bottom.
It probably seems reading this that fish are to be found anywhere in the pool !
Not so - a degree of accuracy will account for success..
Target the areas described there are many dead spots within the pool where you will not find fish.

Using lures -again deep and slow big spoons or bar spoons..tobies flying c's etc but in the bigger sizes.

JOHN
A GHILLIE'S TALE

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PS...Flies and lures should be of a selection of duller colours although it said that orange/red and purple silhouette well against dirty waters.
Whereas bright flashy lures and flies tend to get ' lost ' amongst the dirt as these rely on available light to reflect off them thus imitating a small baitfish turning against natural lihght.

john

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On my local river I prefer to fish when the water is starting to clear after a spate. I don't get fish in heavy water and fish just off the stream when the water is up,fishing the inside of bends is good for me in high water. Milky tea coloured water is something I don't like but a bit of colour is fine. As for flies, high coloured water means flies with presence. Plenty of bulk colour and movement: pink, peach and orange with a few strands of sparkling material in the wing and tail as well.