Need Salmon help

[Clay]

Went twice last year and was skunked both times, went a couple of times this spring and caught ONE steelhead. Went again yesterday for the first time this fall and couldn't buy a bite. I actally saw four carp tailing in slack water and tossed my fly to one them and landed one. So of close to half a doz trips for salmon or steelhead, I have caught one steelhead, one carp and a chub.

I could use a push in the right direction. I am fishing Lake Mich tribs on the Wis side and the fish are there. I am putting a wide selection of flies infront of them with no takers. It makes a guy think about selling the 8 wt.

So how about a thread about presentation to Salmon who are thinking of one thing and it's not eating. I have the fish located so that isn't the issue, but I can't buy a bite. UG!

Rick

[Pete Hiatt]

Not an unusual scenario. Often the salmon start jumping and not biting so we know they are there but they won't touch anything. Hateful things. On the other hand, I have landed over 50 salmon in one day. Salmon don't eat to live during the run, so that is not an issue. I have also found that East winds (on the West Coast) cause a rise in pressure and that KILLS the bite as the Adiabatic heating forms. This week on the West coast is beautiful weather but I shant go after salmon due to the East winds. On the other hand, with no chinook fishing off shore this Summer, there are lots more fish in the rivers. That is a big plus. Steelhead, on the other hand, do eat to live in the river, especially the Summer runs which may arrive in June and not spawn until May the next year. They can be treated more like trout. Now in Michigan or the East Coast, this may not hold true as you may not have enough water for a Summer run. Believe me, that is a shame. I fish mainly for steelhead, and the catch is available every month of the year.

The bite for salmon turns on and off. If you have good numbers, it is helpful to be there at the right time. On the West Coast, there is a Spring run, a Fall run, and now, in some rivers, a Winter run. The Fall run starts about September with fish venturing in on the high tide (and then back to the ocean again) and effective fishing around the mouth. They are waiting for higher and cooler water which means the rains. The first good rain will bring in the adventurists and the fishing may be momentarily hot. However, it is usually October before more rains and very serious fishing begins. It was one of these rains in October two years ago that brought 50 salmon to my hand. I quickly switched to much heavier line so I could bring them in faster and catch more fish. Quite tiring (I know, "Poor baby!"). Those are the days we live for in salmon fishing. December first last year, I hit the beginning of the Winter run on an unnamed estuary creek and banked 4 more salmon.

In salmon and steelhead, it is not what you are fishing so much as bumping their nose with it. Sometimes salmon won't take it even then. With salmon, it is timing. If the bite isn't on, go crabbing. With steelhead, like trout it may be the pattern, the time of day, the amount of oxygen in the water, the presentation, the smell, but like trout, you can usually get some good action. Salmon, on the other hand, sometimes just suck. Once my only fish was one of those jumpers which just jumped over the low side of my small boat.

There are a few things you can try with salmon (except on an East wind day). First, salmon HATE human scent. You should use a mild detergent soap to wash off your flies and terminal tackle/line. Also, if allowed in your state, you can ADD scent. This can be herring, shrimp, anise, or even WD-40. They have a jaw that can destroy hooks so don't use some sissy hook for a lost memory. Their mouths (most salmon) are damned hard so SHARPEN those hooks! Patterns with loose yarn can stick in their teeth and produce a fish instead of a miss. Salmon could care less about terminal line. In the 1940's my uncles used heavy stainless steel and caught lots. Don't get sissy here unless you are also fishing for steelhead. Although the main thing is getting your hook in front of them, there are a few colors they like better than others like chartruese, red, orange, and silver. They often feel like a rock hangup on the bottom. Don't tighten your drag too soon to break it off. Early mornings and late evenings is often best.

But mainly, it is timing. Dang, you sure missed it last week.

[Pete Hiatt]

PS, salmon are LARGE fish, don't be afraid of using a 3-4" long fly.

[Bobinmich]

I don't usually fish salmon much. I am usually bird hunting that time of year. If salmon are fresh run, they can be a hoot. But once they get up on the redds, they are like snags that move. Many hook-ups are foul. Sometimes even a lip hook up was with no real participation on the fishes part. This is especially true when using "chuck and duck" on spawning fish, the line catches in the fishes mouth and the weight drags the fly down to him. Now fishing for big browns below the redd, that's a blast.

Now steelhead, there's a fish. If they haven't been wailed on all day and the morning is a little overcast - or even rainy - or snowy - or both, steelhead will hit and hit hard. Try to avoid the girl up on the redd with her favorite beau and go for the males down below the redd in the pocket water.

There is a lot of controversy on "chuck and duck" but it is a very popular and very effective technique on spawning steelhead. Some people even object to fishing spawning steelhead but it doesn't seem to destroy the reproduction. The Pere Marquette River in Michigan is a natural run I believe. But be sure and release the girl if you catch her. She will rest up a bit and go back and spawn. I release the boys too just cause I like to see them swim away. I wrote an article on the casting technique used for this type of fishing for JC. Maybe he will publish it.

There is a bunch of stuff on steelheading the PM on www.HATofMichigan.org on the ebook page.

Godspeed,

Bob

[LadyFisher]

Stay tuned, Bob's article will publish in the next issue.

[Mato Kuwapi]

What time of day are you going for them. They like it dark, or those rainy gray days. Flies big and ugly or egg patterns seem to work the best. Your fishing to tick them off and get them to strike because your fly is intruding into there territory. They will hit eggs and I figure its because they instinctualy want to crush the competition. You need to get the fly down to there level. Flies that make noise, push water, or wiggle a lot work well. Egg sucking leeches are pretty effective. If you have a lot in your water, you can move around to find a player otherwise be patient.

...oh...and I wouldn't complain about the steelhead. They are more fun.

[Pete Hiatt]

If the salmon are dark, there is NO reason to fish for them (in any manner), because the only Godly reason to fish is to catch and eat them. Snagging and/or releasing is the devils work.

[Clay]

Thanks for all of the ideas on the salmon fishing. I am not interested in foul hooking fish. I want to get them to strike the fly. I did get one fish to chase my fly after repeated presentations that irritated the fish, but still no strike. Looks like I just have to keep at it.

Rick