I am fishing the River Garvie N.W of Ullapool for a day in August. The river apparently has a reasonable run of Grilse and Sea Trout although the Sea Trout numbers this season are apparently not that good - I'm hoping this may be because the majority of the fisherman are not fishing into the night.

Anyway, I am quite confused as to what tactics/flies I should use to tackle the river. The more I read the more I get confused! This will be my first time fishing at night for Sea Trout and Grilse and I would prefer to just keep things as simple as possible. The main questions I have are:

Is there a fly pattern that is good for both Sea Trout and Grilse?

At night are you less likely to catch Grilse so should you just target the Sea Trout?

Should you change your tactics/flies when fishing during the day?

What size fly is worth trying and should you increase the size at night?

When should you use a surface pattern like a Muddler and should this be used as a single fly or with a dropper?

I read somewhere that during low water Grilse and Sea Trout will respond well to large nymphs (Pheasant Tail, Hares Ear etc), is it worth trying a nymph or stick to more traditional patterns?

ANY help or advice would be much appreciated, I would love to catch my first Sea Trout or Grilse on this trip! Thanks,N

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I can tell you what I know, others on here know much more. From the top...
I don't see much diff in fly patterns for either.

Not seen a grilse caught after dark ever. Probably has happened but surely rare.

Smaller flies for day. Size 10 or even 12 for me in daytime. May go to 8 or 6 later. Rem they can't see in the dark so it's vibration they sense. Something long and whispy should show up on their radar.

Surface lure around 2am onwards for me. Seeing/hearing them moving on the surface would be a good time but not early imo. Or when you have exausted the sunk lure session.

Not to keen on the nymph idea.

Check out Sea Trout Fishing Hugh Falcus. He lays out a good plan for the whole night. Hth.

Chris

I have had Grilse at night but only a couple of times so i would fish for the sea trout right through to a couple of hours after sunrise.
I am amazed at how many fishers target seatrout and dont fish at night.
Make sure you do a recky in daylight and fish all the same runs you plan to fish at night.
The sea trout will move in to much shallower water at night so make sure you try the tail of each run and disturb the water as little as possible.

I agree with hook size getting biger at night, fish some flies with gold or silver bodies.

Speak to some locals and visit a local fishing shop or even give them a call before heading up.

Good luck i wish i was going with you.

Cheers

Munro

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Hi Nick
Good advice from the boys..and yes grilse at night doubtful but not impossible...Read article at ....ghillie/salmon/seatrout/flies/water/cast/tackle/skate/countryside/play/it will give you an insight into how and why what happens during a run of salmon or sea trout through the night.My article typifies a highland river step by step from sea pool to the actual pools within the river system.
Based on my experiences as thirty years a river keeper/bailiff.

Kindest regards
John

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They are caught at night (as are salmon), I've had a few over the years.

Seatrout and Salmon certainly can see at night, they just cannot see colours after dark (same as us) so the pattern/dressing is not really important.
A Silver Stoat is a very useful fly for both species, for use in the day and at night, although at night almost anything with a glittery body and black hair seems to work.
For daytime fishing use small hooks - 14's-12's (singles, doubles or trebles) and at night sparsely dressed tubes 1"-2" long.


Dave.

Seatrout and Salmon certainly can see at night,

Dave.[/QUOTE]

On a completely black moonless night what makes you think they can see

Extensive scientific research proves that they can.
They have very similar vision to ourselves - Cone cells for colour detection and acuity in high light levels (during the daytime) and very sensitive Rod cells for detecting monochrome differences in low light levels.
Because of the physical differences between our eyes and theirs - they do not have eyelids or a means of varying the amount of light allowed into the eye (iris) - they organise the way these two types of receptors are used in a different way to how we do.

For a slightly more extensive explanation, have a look here -

Salmonid Vision

- that is just a brief summary written in broad, simple terms.


Dave.

Mmmm very interesting that Dave. Hence Falcus's sunk lure was blue. Being a tandem allowed for a longer section of blue wing. And he fished it deep, blue being the last colour visable at depth. Yep makes sense to me. Thanks for enlightening me.

Chris.

PMSL Clueless truley clueless.

When they say a "reasonable run" do they actually give figures? I would suspect that the reason for low numbers of sea trout might have more to do with salmon farming

I have not fished the Garvie but I've driven over it a few times, I don't think you will find anywhere on it where you could fish a sunk line. It is a very small stream.

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I have read that most of the action takes place on the small loch at the bottom of the river just before the sea but then you can't believe everything you read!

Let us know how you get on.


Andy