Ask Mike – Tips and Advice

Big Browns in the Twilight, Or At Night PHOTO GALLERY

August here in Alberta is prime time to be fishing Brown Trout when the sun it getting ready to set. I packed up my fishing gear and headed straight for the river. I think it’s funny how I tell people, usually experienced fisherman that fishing Brown’s in the dark is the best time to fish, and they look at me and laugh. I have taken many long time experienced fishermen out in the dark and wiped that smile clean off their faces. I even like to go out and prove my statements all by myself, just to prove to myself that the biggest Brown’s will be caught in total darkness.

After driving for five minutes tonight I arrived at the Bow River in a quiet spot along the south bank. Just as I am arriving everyone is packing up and walking out toward their vehicles, “Perfect”, I say to myself, and hike up to a prime location alongside the river. Before I walk up the river bank I have already tied up my Minnow Spinner by Blue Fox and de-barbed the Eagle Claw hooks attached to it. It is very frustrating trying to tie your hook up in the dark, I do this prior to leaving the house that way I am ready to fire away anytime, anywhere! I chose a spot where two channels converge which leaves a slower back eddy along the south bank. Now here is the trick to success for me when fast water meets slower water, make sure you cast well into the faster moving water and slowly come into the deeper slower water so not to spook the big fish sitting on the edge of the seam; or in the middle of the slower water. As I was reeling from the faster water into the slower water I was hooking fish, big fish practically every cast with a slow retrieve speed. Remember, Browns have the best eye sight of all the trout species and combined with a lure that makes sonic vibrations or rattles, can be highly effective when fishing at night!

I stayed on the bank of the south side for two hours, 9:00 PM until 11:00 PM and had an awesome evening fishing. I landed three 22 inch Rainbows and had at least 10 fish on, not including all the bites I was getting. All was well and I made a super long cast into the fast water and slowly worked my lure below the clear blue water. As I was twitching and reeling I latched into what I think was about a 25- 30 inch Brown. There was still a little light left in the sky and this monster Brown loved what I had offered. He smashed my hook and started to battle like a true gladiator, he came to the surface and suddenly I felt the line go limp? Puzzled I reeled in my hook which was still attached to the line to investigate. Low and behold this massive specimen bent my split ring almost bone straight and the hook attached to it was gone. Now that was the big one that managed to get away. The moral of the story here is even though people will not buy into what you say about fishing in the dark, you will be the one with the big smile across your face and not them. Until next time, happy fishing and stay safe when fishing in the dark.