I've defected to the fluff-chuckers....

Message

x · #1 Post by x » Tue Apr 11, 2006 8:57 pm

Right, armed with the latest Grey's 9' 8/9wt fly rod and matching reels, plus licences and all the other paraphenalia (myself and LSD invested in a pair from John McLaughlin's Swilly Flies Angling Centre) the two of us decided to have a quick chuck this evening from Marble Hill beach. I doubt any sea trout in the vicinity felt threatened but it was good to get out and try a cast. Not as hard as I figured, but needs a lot of work on the technique. John gave us a pretty good grounding in casting when we bought the rods. Advantage of buying stuff from a good local tackle dealer, I suppose.

We'll have to get Tanglerat to give us a few pointers down Ards way one of these days. Might bag a sea trout yet, although I'd say even a mackerel would be a great scrap on those rods.

So, anybody recommend a few saltwater patterns for sea trout?

John's now off on holiday on the proceeds. (Gave us a really good deal on the kit in fairness.)

#2 Post by **Tanglerat** » Tue Apr 11, 2006 10:51 pm

Pity I didn't get the message that you'd called an hour earlier, I was throwing the rod in the car when you phoned to say you were wrapping it up!

Next time........... :D

#3 Post by **MAC** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 10:25 am

Super Stuff Sandman....... I came at it the other way. I was fly fishing for years before I got back to beach fishing. One thing I always liked about fly fishing is that if you are only catching tiddlers you can scale down your tackle and enjoy really good sport. I'm out for a few hours on the river tomorrow. I don't expect anything bigger than 25cm... but on a 8 foot 4 weight rod it will be good fun.

I'll tie you and LSD up a few of those artic buggers that were in Irish angler last year.... PM me your address.

Tight Lines and enjoy the fluff chucking.

Kev

#4 Post by **lumpy** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 11:21 am

found poplivichs surf candy's a brilliant fly for estuary sea trout in a size 2 pattern. try replacing the flashbou tail with white or olive minkey strips, absolute killer down here

#5 Post by **MAC** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 3:10 pm

Nice one Lumpy. Would you need to epoxy a surf candy with minky strips? or would a plain minky with some mylar or holographic tinsel underneath do the job as well?

Kev

#6 Post by **lumpy** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 3:43 pm

i tye mine with a 4 inch minkey tail, whipping it about 1/4 of an inch past the eye. over this i place some pearl mylar long enougy so it passes anout an inch past the bend of the hook. the part that passes past the bend is frayed as to add some movement. the other end of the mylar is whipped just behind the eye of the hook forming a small neat head. i attach holographic eyes to the sides of the mylar just behind the head. i then epoxy it using devcon 5 munute epoxy rotating reguraly. hope you can follow that. i'l try post a pic of one if possible. with regards the epoxy i feel this is esential as it adds the weight which gives it its darting action in the water. in this size ive had bass, sea trout, small pollock and even a small flounder when bounced along the bottom. in bigger sizes up to 8 inches and using different colour zonkers its a great fly for pike, bass and in orange with a chartreause wing/topping its my number 1 pollock fly.

any questions welcome, as you can tell i'm a flyfisherman at heart!!

x · #7 Post by x » Wed Apr 12, 2006 6:46 pm

I have my local tackle dealer hard at work tying up a few patterns that I saw in Irish Angler a while back - from an article on SWFF for sea trout on Strangford lough. There were some very life-like sandeel and mullet fry patterns, plus a few of the old reliables that seem to work most places.

It'll be interesting to see what works in this neck of the woods. I'll post up a few pics of the flies on this thread when I get my hands on them - probably next week sometime.

All info/advice, as always, is appreciated, thanks lads.

I can see myself needing a fly vice and all that jazz next. Never ends, this tackle lark, does it? :lol:

#8 Post by **Marty Harrison** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:15 pm

A bit of life in this forum at last, great to see. Great idea posting some pics of people patterns, i`ll be glad to post some of mine to. I`ve had about 1/2 doz SWFF trips round this end of the country so far this year but nothing showing as yet :cry:

Marty

x · #9 Post by x » Wed Apr 12, 2006 7:48 pm

No reason why it shouldn't pick up around now. Sitting looking at the forecast, as I have been over the last few days, I'd say there'll be a change this weekend which might kick-start things. Finally, a bit of warmth and weather from the SW instead of the NE.

Have to head west for the weekend, but might be able to sneak the rod along. Don't hold out much hope of actually catching (my casting style could just as easily be used to warn porpoises away from fishing gear), but the spot I have in mind, well, if there are sea trout around, that's where they'll be. (Unless of course, someone has stuck a net in it.) Anyway, my casting needs all the practice I can throw at it. And some.

I'd say as soon as the water temp hits about 50F as per this graph, the fish will come on the feed.

http://www.ndbc.noaa.gov/show_plot.php? ... wtmp&uom=E

Well, that's my theory anyway.... :lol:

#10 Post by **lumpy** » Wed Apr 12, 2006 8:10 pm

good idea marthy. ive dozens of patterns. it would be interesting to see what catches where

#11 Post by **MAC** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 10:52 am

I don't have too many patterns but will be starting to tie some up very soon. If you have any pics lumpy I would love to see them. It would be great to see the fly tied in steps as well. I'm not sure if you'll be able to get that sorted. I'll be tying a bit over the summer so if I get anything that works I will post the patterns here. I have a nice very basic Pollock fly that's done the business for me in Kerry last year (Fish a chuck). I'll post that one early next week.

Kev

#12 Post by **lumpy** » Thu Apr 13, 2006 12:07 pm

il try if i can. wont be doing much over the next few weeks, got thesus presentation and stuff in collage but hopefully after that il give it a go