The Mystery of Night Fly Fishing.

Night fly-fishing is not a dark art " pardon the pun", but one aspect I firmly believe in is SAFTEY.
Often you go fly fishing alone and at night a riverbank will be black as pitch.
There is more chance of drowning @ night and unfortunately there will be no one around to help.

SO YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Please take these safety measures.

1. Always carry a torch and spare batteries.
2. Try not to wade, if you are not in the water you are at less risk.
3. Don't fish in a spate.
4. Check out the beat before you fish and become familiar with the trail.
5. ALWAYS TELL SOME ONE WHERE YOU ARE AND WHEN YOUR EXPECTED BACK!
6. Carry a Mobile Phone, this really hurts me to say this but for once I think these are indispensable. If you slip and some thing gets broken. It will be morning before some one could find you.

And now a lot about Tackle & Technique.

On the river it is generally considered that we are fishing for Sea Trout, the stray Salmon (if our heart can take it) or the humble Brown Trout.
I use the exact fishing rod that I use during the day, with a floating line and 9ft leader.

When to fish: The warm summer nights are a blessing after a afternoon fishing session (the evening rise) I often do a couple of hours night fishing before I am totally exhausted.
When the river is Low to Medium is usually a good time and if its a bit green with algae all the better.
Often the fish that you couldn't catch during the day because it was too bright and the water was to clear are often caught.

Beat (Swim) Selection:This is where the reconnaissance mission during the day comes in handy.
I love the really slow moving swims that are always the hardest during the day.
There are a couple of beats on the Blyth that are an absolute waste of time during the day but at night are crazy.
Check for casting restrictions and I often make a marker with a stone and a boulder where I can stand, get the best angle of attack and avoid the trees.

Where are the Fish: I often find that the fish are often within the first two feet of water, especially the Sea Trout.
When you hook Sea Trout YOU KNOW ABOUT IT! I find quite a pacey retrieve gets a fish, sometimes even with the fly skating across the surface. I think there is wide variety of aquatic life that comes out @ night especially mice and frogs that are taken as they scurry across the water.

Fly selection.

Here are a couple of my favourites that have caught brown and sea trout; there are a few Salmon in the Blyth.
I have hooked into two, which was just like a hooking onto an aeroplane. I think that Wild Salmon is becoming such a rare fish they should be left alone.

Nymphs: The old favourites such as peacock and pheasant tail gold heads work well but I put a nice tail on to attract the Sea Trout.

Wets: Any thing that causes a disturbance in the water will attract fish. I now and again get a mixed bag of wet flies from a mail order company called a Pandora's box. In it you get a wide selection of traditional wet flies and some wild a weird ones. I usually use these for the night fishing.

If you want to keep to the traditional patterns use:

1. Bloody Butcher.
2. Any Teal pattern (a doddle to tie).
3. Any pattern that uses golden tippet feathers.
4. Wiggler patterns with those annoying rubber tails.
5. Small lake lure patterns, small patterns such as Dawson's Olive, Ace of Spades Ect....

Well that's it...............See there is no mystery,
Again take care when @ fishing night,
and remember you could always take a friend!