Sea run trout. How to fish for them?

[JoeBass]

On another thread here a poster mentioned he was swinging flies recently for sea run browns and brookies. I don't know anything about this. Do they run into tidal rivers? Will you find them on bigger rivers, like say the Piscataqua? What kind of flies are you throwing? What lb. leader do you recommend? Are they in there spawning? Is it only in the fall? Any info would be appreciated. I've probably missed it this year as it's getting cold fast (I'm in Vermont), but maybe next year!

[JackK]

I got lucky the second time I went out and got a couple. A local tackle shop has been reintroducing them over the past few years to the Parker and Mill rivers. They just ask that you fish barbless and do C&R only, and report back to them if you get a few. From my limited experience the rising tide is best. I was just throwing buggers and muddlers on 4x flouro tippet. I hear big scuds can work as well, and I might tie up a few grass shrimp patterns too. I'm not an expert by any means, but I would imagine that it's mostly a fall thing. The fish must be rather skittish in the spring/summer with the stripers in the vicinity.

I went Saturday and got the skunk. It's not easy fishing at all, but fun. There's a chance of going large if you can find them.

[JoeBass]

I appreciate the feedback. It really sounds like a great time. I don't mind working for fish. Once I was on a beach in Maine fishing an outgoing tidal river for stripers. Down the beach a way a coulple of guys were throwing in the surf and had a lot of action. I checked their white bucket and they had 3 20" plus brown trout ! (and an undersized striper, which I pointed out and they suddenly couldn't understand me). I was so surprised they were getting brown trout in the surf.

[bucko]

For the last 20 years I've fished a creek on the upper cape that had a history of stocking. I target stripers, started with light tackle and switched to fly fishing a few years ago. During that time I caught one (1) sea run brown trout.