Fly Fishing for Sea Trout

Sea Trout

Salmo Trutta Trutta

Freshwater
Saltwater
Fly Fishing for Sea Trout

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Rods

AFTMA 6 to AFTMA 8

Lines

Floating with sinktip, but mostly slow intermediate or intermediate lines

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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Articles about sea trout from the library

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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Locations where you can fly fish for Sea Trout

Bornholm Island

Rocky shores sea trout dream

Atlantic Cod

Atlantic Halibut

Atlantic Mackerel

Garfish

Pollack

Sea bass

Sea Trout

The River Wye

One of Wales' most iconic rivers.

Atlantic Salmon

Barbel

Brown Trout

Chub

Grayling

Perch

Pike

Sea Trout

Lake district

Sixteen lakes from large to small, but rivers as well.

Arctic Char

Atlantic Salmon

Brown Trout

Grayling

Perch

Pike

Roach

Sea Trout

The salmon rivers of Southern Norway

Large or small rivers, all full of salmon and sea trout.

Atlantic Salmon

Brown Trout

Sea Trout

Southern Norwegian Archipelago

World class saltwater fly fishing in breath taking surroundings.

Atlantic Cod

Atlantic Halibut

Atlantic Mackerel

Garfish

Haddock

Pollack

Sea bass

Sea Trout

Maasvlakte

Fly fish in the largest harbour of Europe.

Sea bass

Sea Trout

Twaid shad

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Countries where you can fly fish for Sea Trout

🇩🇰 Denmark

🇫🇮 Finland

🇮🇸 Iceland

🇮🇹 Italy

🇳🇴 Norway

🇸🇪 Sweden

🇳🇱 The Netherlands

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

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Flies that you can use to fly fish for Sea Trout

Clouser Minnow

Crab Pattern

Mickey Finn

Shrimp Pattern

Woolly Bugger

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Guides, workshops and more specialized in fly fishing for Sea Trout

Hemmingways Fishing

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Guiding

Workshops

North Norfolk Inshore

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Guiding

Fly Fish Scotland

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Guiding

Workshops

Hooked on Fly Fishing

The Netherlands 🇳🇱

Guiding

Workshops

Fly tying

Country trips

Fishing Guide Denmark

Denmark 🇩🇰

Guiding

Workshops

AnglerPilot

Norway 🇳🇴

Guiding

Workshops

Fly tying

Hookafly

United Kingdom 🇬🇧

Guiding

Workshops

Country trips

Other fish

Arctic Char

Asp

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna

Atlantic Cod

Atlantic Halibut

Atlantic Mackerel

Atlantic Salmon

Barbel

Bream

Brown Trout

Chub

Common Carp

European Flounder

Garfish

Grayling

Haddock

Ide

Perch

Pike

Pike-perch

Pollack

Rainbow Trout

Roach

Rudd

Sea bass

Tench

Twaid shad

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