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Posted in fly fishing.

The Dark Is Good For Lovers

Written by André Abt on .

They say, the big, predatory trout are lurking in the dark, waiting in their hiding spots, until the time is right to strike. So, grab your head light and hit the waters? Well, not quite..

You fish the usual pools in your home water's stretch and catch a couple of small to mid sized trouts, thinking about the larger specimens, which should be there, as there are the statistics showing clearly, that there are bigger trout around. Where are they?

The dark times really are an opportunity for the big trouts to go hunting

Big trout don't feed the whole day. They need big meals with lot of calories. Depending on the waters, they reduce their feeding frequency and go hunting for smaller species and even start to get cannibalistic.

Fishing in the dark

While fishing during nighttime can be productive, this post is about finding opportunities, where light conditions and water levels are right for big trout to start feeding.

Prime troutcaught in the evening during a shortrain storm and very dark light conditions.

Dark places

Apart from the obvious evening hours, there are spots in the shade, even during day time. There are bridges, usually with a dark pool under them/beneath, which are classic places for larger trout. Cloudy weather or even better short thunder- and rainstorms offer great opportunities as well to target the big predators.

Alpha male from a classic bridge pool.

Higher water levels are your friend

Higher water levels (not flood of course) after a short rain period can trigger the bigger trout, to stay further into the main current. There, they usually are a bit less carful, staying near or under their hiding spots. I guess that it's also harder for the smaller trout to l hold in the stronger current.

Nice trout during a rainy day from a spot with logs.

These situations are a good opportunity to catch trout with a nymph, which you normally wouldn't reach. Also don't underestimate that smaller trout.Usually, they take your fly faster, while the bigger ones watch, are alarmed, stop feeding and leisurely swim  back to their lair/hide.

Final words

At my home waters, I usually wrap up the fishing day with trying to get a big nymph under or close to my well known hiding spots for big trout. This has paid off a couple of times already. Especially, if there is no evening hatch going on.

Nice Swiss Jura trout from the evening hour.

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