Sea-Run Cuttys.

Howdy friends! I have been wanting to share some of my methods that I have discovered/learned/picked up along the way for fishing for those wonderful Sea-run Cutthroat trout.

Sea-run Cuttys are a very peculiar fish. They can be extremely elusive one day and the next they are jumping and striking the fly 5 feet in front of you. No matter the case, you need to know several things about these fish.

Firstly, they have a wide range of food options in the wild. Choosing the right source is always a challenge but I hope I can help a little. I have found in the colder months they desire a moving target. You should be able to set aside those dry flies that work wonders in the summer months. I tend to use Clouser minnows in the chartreuse or olive color variants. Another great fly, which I have discovered is like candy recently, is the brass beaded orange wooly bugger. This fly has been a killer lately. I am going to attempt to tie a few of these in the next couple of days. I will be trying a couple other variations using perhaps some pink and possibly olive.

Another tip is location. Location, location, location. These fish aren't lazy. They are constantly moving and you should be too. I typically look for new areas during times of super low tides. This is so I can scope out the underwater structures and search for those oyster beds. Areas with a few larger boulders and a strong current usually are prime. During the incoming and outgoing tides, these guys sit near the boulders and just chomp up any food that is drifting by. I try and allow my fly to swing into these pockets and strikes often occur shortly after the bottom of your swing so be ready. Oyster beds and other rocky and shell...y...? areas are also a good indicator of have fish. I must warn you, be careful when fishing over oyster beds as they will eat your flys, tippet, leader, fly line, waders and possibly you. Those things are razor sharp! Another thing I look for are down trees and leaning trees.

After fishing for a while you may notice less action on the surface. I prefer to take note and cast a couple more before moving. If you see surface action down the beach you may want to move. Tide plays a huge roll on feeding cycles of the fish. I prefer different tides for different areas.

A piece of advice: Find a spot that is close to you and fish it as often as possible in all condiitons and tide heights. Get to know a spot and you will learn very quickly what works and what to look for.

Overall, get out, find new spots, and throw those lines. But always remember, Tight Lines!