Fly Fishing for Sea Trout

Sea Trout

Salmo Trutta Trutta

Freshwater
Saltwater
Fly Fishing for Sea Trout

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Flies

Alexandra

Butcher

Carnage Attractor

Clouser Minnow

Crab Pattern


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Rods

AFTMA 6 to AFTMA 8

Where you can find Sea Trout

On this map you see where there were observations of Sea Trout around the world, to give you an idea in which continents, countries and waters you can find this fish species.

Years 2000 until now, source: GBIF

The fact that it's called 'the fish of 1000 casts' is not very encouraging to many fly fishers. There is no setting your watch by sea trout: knowing where they’ll be and when is one of fly fishing’s skills that separates the serious fly fishers from the casual devotee. With the right research, knowledge and gear however, catching a sea trout on the fly can turn from dream into reality.

The sea trout is the prodigal son of the trout family. While brown trout stay home and work the same patch from one season to the next, sea trout head for the ocean, to feed on crab, shrimp and small fish, before returning to fresh water to spawn.

Such a vast playground and its bountiful larder give rise both to big fish and an erratic itinerary. Try and work out where an incoming tide will deposit sea trout and you’re doing well if you’re right every third tide.

And if fishing after dark is neither pleasurable nor convenient for you, don’t worry. Sea trout are occasionally caught in daylight hours but it will call for peak stealth on your part, both in staying undetected and presenting your flies precisely and tidily. 

How to fly fish for sea trout

As sea trout are harder to catch the longer they are in fresh water, try and intercept fresh-run fish that follow a flood, once the water has cleared.

During the day, sea trout rest in slow, deep pools blessed with an overhanging tree canopy. Come dusk and splashing tells you they’re on the move. They will head upstream, through shallower sections, often taking a breather in deep pools before setting off once more at dawn. But don’t give up on pools after dark. Some fish can be found there all night.

When fish are moving through the shallows, fish your fly fast and close to the surface. When targeting pools, switch to a lure on a sinking line, retrieved very slowly near the bottom.

Fly fishing for sea trout in Norway
Fly fishing for sea trout in Norway

What are the best flies for sea trout?

As with salmon, choosing flies for sea trout is a strange exercise because neither species eats anything once it reaches fresh water.

For reasons yet to be fathomed out, though, sea trout keep taking certain flies, notably traditional wet flies in sizes 6 to 12, like the Butcher, Dunkeld, Invicta and Mallard and Claret. Fish two of them together, with the larger fly on the dropper, and let the river’s flow bring them round to you. Move one step down the bank after each cast, to explore as much water as you can.

When fished in the salt, it's primarily about shrimp patterns and small baitfish.

A sea trout caught on a small baitfish pattern
A sea trout caught on a small baitfish pattern

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Flies that you can use to fly fish for Sea Trout

Alexandra

Butcher

Carnage Attractor

Clouser Minnow

Crab Pattern

Humungus

Magnus

Mickey Finn

Shrimp Pattern

Stoat's Tail

Woolly Bugger

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Locations where you can fly fish for Sea Trout

France 🇫🇷

La Saâne

Serenity and trout between the cows

Stream

Brown Trout

Sea Trout

Sweden 🇸🇪

Stockholm Archipelago

Over 30,000 islands and endless fishing possibilities

Sea

Lake

Pond

Canal

River

Stream

Atlantic Salmon

Bream

Brook trout

Garfish

Ide

Perch

Pike

Pike-perch

Rainbow Trout

Roach

Rudd

Sea Trout

Denmark 🇩🇰

Funen

Sea trout heaven

Sea

Atlantic Cod

Atlantic Mackerel

Garfish

Sea Trout

Norway 🇳🇴

Otra river

Southern Norway’s El Dorado

River

Atlantic Salmon

Brown Trout

Sea Trout

Sweden 🇸🇪

Gotland Island

Coastal fishing paradise in the Baltic Sea

Sea

River

Stream

Perch

Sea Trout

Denmark 🇩🇰

Bornholm Island

Rocky shores sea trout dream

Sea

Atlantic Cod

Atlantic Halibut

Atlantic Mackerel

Garfish

Pollack

Sea bass

Sea Trout

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View all locations for Sea Trout

Countries where you can fly fish for Sea Trout

🇧🇪 Belgium

🇩🇰 Denmark

🇫🇮 Finland

🇫🇷 France

🇮🇸 Iceland

🇮🇹 Italy

🇳🇴 Norway

🇸🇪 Sweden

🇳🇱 The Netherlands

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

🇺🇸 United States

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Guides specialized in fly fishing for Sea Trout

James Curley Fly Fishing

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Guiding

Workshops

Kalix Fly Fishing

Sweden 🇸🇪

Guiding

Fliegenfischen mit Herz

Austria 🇦🇹

Guiding

Seatrout Guiding South of Funen

Denmark 🇩🇰

Guiding

Peter Berggren

Sweden 🇸🇪

Guiding

Tyne Fly Fishing

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Guiding

Workshops

View all guides for Sea Trout

Articles about sea trout from the library

Identifying trout species: brook, brown, rainbow, sea, marble and cutthroat

Fish

Identifying trout species: brook, brown, rainbow, sea, marble and cutthroat

Learn how to identify popular trout species - brook, brown, rainbow, sea, marble and cutthroat. We explore their taxonomy, their unique traits and how to visually tell them apart.

Fly Fishing Southern Norway - Coastal Sea Trout

Travel

Fly Fishing Southern Norway - Coastal Sea Trout

Hooked on Fly Fishing (NL) and AnglerPilot together will take you on a sea trout fly fishing experience in a stunning Norwegian scenery!

Fly fishing with woolly buggers

Flies

Fly fishing with woolly buggers

In the category of flies known as streamers, the Woolly Bugger reigns supreme. Its popularity comes from its versatility — it can be used to catch a wide range of species.

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Ide

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Tench

Twaid shad

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