big browns (please help)

[gilbert williamson]

I was just wondering if anybody has any ideas on how to catch big wild browns?I live on a small island in the Shetlands we have at least 9 lochs on our island,that are full of brown trout.
the bigger fish will not come up to take a wet fly,or a dry.What i was wondering was would it be worth trying a sinking line or a hi d line and use lures,which i think is nearly like spinning.i normally use an intermediate in the early months of the season and then move on to a floater.the biggest wild brown taken in reasent years weighed 9Lbs14ozand was taken on a black zulu.So i know that they are there.If anybody has any ideas please shout out.

 

[denis goulding]

gilbert,
i live in ireland and have been flyfishing for over 20 years as i started when i was 5..big browns are hard caught.the closest i fished to shetland were the orkney island's boardhouse,swanney etc..if i were u i would fish the major hatches,be it buzzers sedges..but wait until well after the rise ends..in my experience the bigger fish start coming up later in the evening early morning and mop up what ever is left.but they are very wary..although some of the big fish caught are caught on the blind,during the day in stormy conditions as they feel less threatened in a big wave.over here in ireland large browns are fished for traditionally in the mayfly and the peters,although late in the season there are the odd ones taken on fry..
if i were u i would try to pinpoint the area's where the fish run to spawn..all the brood stock will be waiting to run the rivers at the end of the season,they will be full of spawn and will weigh heavier,the browns at this time of the year will be very aggressive but as a note i do not fish these areas because i do not wish to impede the fishes journey or harm stres them out late in the season,in my experience on releasing these big fish a vast majority will keel over..but give it a go if u like u will be supprised at what will head and tail on your flies...

i hope this will help....
if u need more info on flies lines etc send me a mail......

 

[paul williams]

I am a what most people would call a course angler,I don't have a lot of spare time to divert from my chosen side of our sport, I would however make time to fish for wild big brownies!! Please get this discussion going you Ferox followers, but please don't stay soley with the fly.

 

[denis goulding]

PAUL,
WE WERE CHATTING ABOUT BIG BROWNS,FEROX ARE A DIFFERENT KETTLE OF FISH,FORGIVE THE PUN..EVRY NOW AND AGAIN A FEW ARE CAUGHT ON THE FLY..BUT TROLLING SEEMS THE ONLY WAY AT THE MOMENT IN LOUGH CORRIB ANYHOW,,,,,,,,,,,,TROLLING DEAD ROACH 15FT DOWN IN WATER ANYWHERE UP TO 5OFT..THE BIG TROUT SEEM TO COME UP OUT OF THE DEPTHS FOR THEM,,LAST WEEK A TACKLE DEALER NO NAMES MENTIONED HAD 4 IN 2 DAYS 3 DOUBLES 11 13 AND 14..WITH A 7 POUND BROWNIE..

IF U WANT MORE INFO PLEASE MAIL ME..

 

[gilbert williamson]

Dennis,im still puting the hours in with the fly,no luck yet on the big brown front but im still confident ill catch one over 5 lbs before the end of the season.The biggest brown i got last year was a very slim 4lbs 10oz brown.theres still a month left yet so theres plenty of time i hope.
paul,im normally strictly a fly fisherman but ive been reading up on the trolling of dead baits but im a bit cautious of trying i dont know what the other bank anglers would think if i were trolling the lochs all the time.i would be very interested to here from you on any pointers on dead bait trolling.hope to here from you again to continue this discussion.

 

[ROBERT SWAN]

Gilbert ,
I have been fishing in the Lochs around Aberdeenshire for pike for a number of years now , and believe it or not in the last two seasons , we have only just noticed a head of very large wild brownies which only seem to show themselves in the Lochs toward the back end of the season.
We had heard whispers that these had been taken from time to time by boys spinning or on deadbaits. I set out to catch one toward the end of last season and managed to produce one of 4.3/4 pounds on a 4g ABU Droppen spinner with an orange bucktail tied into the treble.I was delighted with this and was happy with " mission accomplished " and was all set to go home. I decided to have another cast and it produced a cock fish just short of 8lbs. needless to say I went home a happy man.
It would seem that the fish are well interspersed thru the loch as after a season without hardly seeing one , they are now congregating at the feeder burn in anticipation of spawning.
I now set myself the target of getting them on the fly , but owing the high volume of natural feeding in the loch they are reluctant to come near a natural imitation of any sort. I have recently started fly fishing for the pike and have had great success. I recently had an article published in Trout Fisherman , detailing a 7lb 3 oz trout caught last month on a pike fly. I also had one of 5.1/2" last week on an orange fritz. The crux of this is that the fish are feeding on shrimp most of the year , but at the back end , they are becoming very agressive and not too fussy ( I was using 18lb leader )and are hitting any lures stripped past their noses.
It is not my ideal way to catch sutch creatures , but seems to be the only way to do it in the meantime.

Have a try with lures - orange fritz with a goldhead has served me well this year.


good luck

Robert