Specialty Fly Fishing Lessons / Instruction

Brian is truly one of the best all round guides in our region.

He has become renowned for his “Night-time Guiding ” for Big Grand River Browns where catches like this are the norm.

Call now to reserve your window as the time frame is short when consistent Grand River Browns like that in the above and following pictures will come out to feed !!

Here is his article on the art of Night-Time Fly Fishing for Brown Trout:

Night Fishing – Your New Horizon (by Brian Primeau)

“If the man who fishes hard-fished public waters and prefers to fish with flies wants to number his lifetime catch of trophy sized fish on a tally sheet instead of on one hand, he should consider night fishing.”  Quote from Jim Bashline’s book “The Final Frontier – Night Fishing for Trout” 1987.

When you look at the number of books written about the sport of fly-fishing there are relatively few which discuss night fishing.  It surprises me that more people have not taken to off-hours fly-fishing especially since the large fish on heavily fished waters often become nocturnal.  It is my hope to encourage some of you to add this new dimension to your fishing and at the same time open your eyes to a way of pursuing quality fishing while escaping the crowds.

Between guiding and fishing in 2003 – 2005 I spent an average of 5 days per week on the Grand River.  Those who know me would agree that I am probably the first person on the river in the morning and often the last person off the river.  This is not because I am there all day but rather that I choose to fish the less popular hours.  During the 2003 season I learned more than any other year I have fished and I still learn more every year!  Those who chose to fish beside me on occasion were well rewarded for their efforts as well.

Lets start off with the rewards for fishing in the dark:

The average size fish is bigger.
You can fish all the best spots without crowds.
You will learn new techniques.
You will become more familiar with your equipment.

The average size fish is bigger than during the daytime.
My average fish caught during the nighttime was 17 inches in 2003, 19 inches in 2004 and 21 inches in 2005 and all my biggest fish were caught at night.  It seems to me that the smaller fish have not developed the habit of night feeding.  Older fish are under much pressure and I guess, not unlike Pavlov’s dogs, older fish have learned that when they eat in the daytime they get hurt.  On the times that fish have fed at night they haven’t felt the sting of our metal.  It probably takes a few years for them to come to this conclusion, but they do nonetheless.

You can fish the most popular holes of any river or stream.
A few years ago during the second week of June, I went by myself to the Beaverkill River at Roscoe NY.  The Beaverkill is a famous river and June is a popular month.  What I found was that I really never saw other fisher folk on the river until sometime between 8 Am and 9:30.  I got up at 4:30 to 5Am and was on any hole by 6 at the latest and had the whole place to myself.  I would leave by 10 or 11Am and eat breakfast, mill around Roscoe or the countryside for a few hours and then sleep until 5 or 6 in the evening.  By the time I got back to the river after my nap all the folks who had gotten there at 8 or 9Am were leaving – again I had the place to myself and evenings in June are long.  The same rule held true on the Big Horn River in Montana.

You will learn new techniques.
It is seldom necessary to cast 30 or even twenty feet at night.  As a matter of fact most of the fish I catch at night are taken within the first 10 feet of the shore, and often the fish are tight to the banks.  The challenge is in placing yourself within range so that you can: a) use what little ambient light is available to find rising fish, and b) get close to the fish without stepping on them or scaring other fish in the area.  This requires an entirely different approach because you can seldom see fish that are more than one or two rod lengths away.

You will become more familiar with your equipment.  Things like casting and finding your forceps take on a new dimension during the witching hours.
One night as I was heading to a favorite spot I met a fellow who was parked where I usually park.  As I got my things ready I said hello and asked him if he was finishing or just starting to fish.  He stated that he was just getting there and wanted to get an hour in before he lost light.  I said, “you’re fishing should only be getting good in an hour.”  I asked which hole he was going to fish.  As it turned out he was going to fish the same spot I wanted to fish.  I told him to enjoy his hour of fishing but suggested that he stay another hour and sit on the bank and watch the current seam along the bank as the ambient light turned the ripples to silver.  I gave him a few fly suggestions and told him that I would go further downstream and fish.

I started well downstream of the fellow and fished my way upstream and when I got to the hole that he was supposed to be fishing he was still sitting on the bank.  I shouted “How’s it going?” and he shrugged.  I had been there a few nights before and it seemed unusual that the fish weren’t up and that time in the evening.  I waded through the frog water to a point behind where I though the fish would be and sure enough there they were.  I summoned him over and pointed to the edge of the current seam.  “Look there”

“I don’t see anything”

“There”

“Nope”

“OK, just relax, they are hard to see, all you will see is the tip of a tail…watch here”

“Hey, I saw one!”

“Ya”

“There he is again”

These fish were in three feet of water; there were no heads visible and no sound.  They were taking sunken spinners right at the surface but only the tips of their tails belied their stealth, just like the Bonefish on the flats.

“Let me see your leader.”  I turned my headlight on…. Try this.”  I gave him a fly.

“No you take him, this is great!” He stated.

“I will have more fun if you take him.” I replied.

Well to make a long story a little shorter, he was not used to fishing at this late hour and had his leader wound up after a few false casts.  I helped him untangle the leader.  It reminded me of myself learning to cast a center pin reel at night.

He tried again but this time his leader looked more like a gill net.  I offered my rod but he wouldn’t have it.

“I want to see you get that fish!” he whispered with spirit.

Since gill netting was not legal he put away his leader and observed as I complied.

“OK” and I cast and landed a 16-inch fish.  Then another, and one huge fish raced up stream sulked then broke me off.  “Did you see that, I couldn’t turn him?”  I shouted in excitement.  We both laughed like kids with a secret, nudging each other.

This is typical of the type of fishing that occurs after all have gone home and it is very similar in the early morning.  During the height of summer you can see at 4:30Am and on the full moon you can see all night, sometimes you even have to watch your shadow on the water for fear of spooking fish.

To me this is exciting fishing.  Even the act of casting is different in the twilight zone.  Please don’t conclude that my new friend was not a good fisher or caster.  Try false casting with your eyes closed; casting at night does take practice.

There is one last thing to bear in mind.  If more of us are fishing at night, some poachers will have to find a new place to kill fish!

Some facts about night fishing: (2003) Average size fish – 17” Average number – 3 – 5
(2004)Average size fish – 19” Average number – 2 – 3
(2004)Average size fish – 21” Average number – 1 –3

Type of fly used – dries – spent caddis (black), the usual (yellow, white), Cahill emergers, spinners (Hendrickson, Cahill, Hex, BWO’s, Ants and the Kitchen Sink)

Equipment – 4wt rod 5X tippet

Water type – Slow pools and tails-outs, flat water, frog water, near-shore ledges.

Necessary tools  – Head light, net, Bifocals, Wading staff, Midge/fly threader, and a net with a large hoop!

Cheers and have fun!

Brian

Occasionally Brian sneaks away for a few hours when he’s not guiding….Here are some of the results. He Knowns where they are …. This could be YOU !