Quick run North for Salmon

[_X7]

That was a pretty good six hours with a lot of hook ups. Some guys would die for that action. Its always an experience there if not for the fish, the fishermen. A lot of testosterone flying around. Anyway, we used to make those suicide trips  on great reports only to fish in empty pools waiting on the fish or blown out by high water. Timing is everything. It does become an addiction when you are into the fish. The equipment today is awesome compared to what they used to use. Some of that stuff tires you out more than the salmon do. I'd like to get back up there at some point. Maybe I'll be able by time the steelhead are snappin

[nmc02]

I have been fishing up there for many years. I have learned a lot over the years. To many people's surprise or disagreement....salmon in the river do not eat nor bite (sorry to disappoint you Nomad). However, there is a learned technique that will result in hooking the fish in the mouth (lining). The only exception is the estuary or when entering the river....some will still feed. The other thing I have learned is that ALL the online reports are nonsense....these businesses depend on our business to survive and an honest report may be anything but. I was lucky enough to have friends there and they reported fishing was average at best, but hook ups would happen if you put the time in. BTW, look in the bottom pic....there was a robust local fishing near me in shorts and sneakers. He was in the water all day. Crazy. As stated above, at times you encounter aggressive guys up there that are unfriendly and refuse to move when you hook up. I was lucky enough to fish next 6 guys from Maryland that were polite and friendly. I saw a pod of fish in front of 1 of them and pointed it out to the guy and he hooked and caught the only steelhead I saw, a 15 lb beauty. ALSO, some asked about rods....there is a great deal on ebay now. The Cortland procast noodle rod in 10'6, 2-10 lb for $60 shipped. I bought 2.

Edited October 5, 2018 by nmc02
Mistakes

[OMC]

Nmco2 I would agree with most of what you posted. I would say after 25 yrs of fishing up there for salmon, steelhead,browns and alantics that the salmon, kings and cohos do not feed in the river. However when the kings hit the lower river before the gauntlet they are still aggressive and still bite a fly. Do they do this a lot No they dont and most are lined. But it's hard to say that they dont bite out of aggression, explain how the drift boats pulling plugs upriver get them to attack the plugs all season. I enjoy fishing to them the same way I would for the other species and wait for the take. Alot of those takes and I mean alot are just them being lined. But whether they are lined or not if the fish is hooked in the mouth they are fun to fight. When we foul hook a fish we immediately point the rod at the fish and pop them off. The cohos hit alot more than the kings for some reason and are IMO more fun than the kings. I guess my point is if you go up there with the opinion that they dont feed so just snag them you can be missing how easy they can be caught by just fishing. I am not saying you do that but that is the mentality of alot of guys up there. It has slowly been changing up there and alot of guys fish to them, the aggressive snagging is slowly going away. I could only imagine what it would be like up there if everyone fished and these fish were allowed to migrate without being ripped at the whole time. As for the reports they are horrible but more recently the DSR gives a pretty accurate report. It not like they need to lie since they are always sold out during the salmon season. In the past their reports were a joke just as the others. 

Over the next 2 weeks there will be fish moving into the river daily some days alot and other days just a trickle. 

Bring on the Steelhead !!

[nmc02]

20 minutes ago, OMC said:

Nmco2 I would agree with most of what you posted. I would say after 25 yrs of fishing up there for salmon, steelhead,browns and alantics that the salmon, kings and cohos do not feed in the river. However when the kings hit the lower river before the gauntlet they are still aggressive and still bite a fly. Do they do this a lot No they dont and most are lined. But it's hard to say that they dont bite out of aggression, explain how the drift boats pulling plugs upriver get them to attack the plugs all season. I enjoy fishing to them the same way I would for the other species and wait for the take. Alot of those takes and I mean alot are just them being lined. But whether they are lined or not if the fish is hooked in the mouth they are fun to fight. When we foul hook a fish we immediately point the rod at the fish and pop them off. The cohos hit alot more than the kings for some reason and are IMO more fun than the kings. I guess my point is if you go up there with the opinion that they dont feed so just snag them you can be missing how easy they can be caught by just fishing. I am not saying you do that but that is the mentality of alot of guys up there. It has slowly been changing up there and alot of guys fish to them, the aggressive snagging is slowly going away. I could only imagine what it would be like up there if everyone fished and these fish were allowed to migrate without being ripped at the whole time. As for the reports they are horrible but more recently the DSR gives a pretty accurate report. It not like they need to lie since they are always sold out during the salmon season. In the past their reports were a joke just as the others. 

Over the next 2 weeks there will be fish moving into the river daily some days alot and other days just a trickle. 

Bring on the Steelhead !!

I agree. There is an art to hooking them in the mouth and I am pretty successful in doing so. I thought most of the pluggers were fishing the estuary and lower end of the river. I wish I could tell you I have had great success with the steelhead. Unfortunately, a great day for me has been two landed in a day. I mostly fish them w nymphs and an indicator on fly rod. I have never center pin fished, but have been told it is the best chance for success. 

[OMC]

2 minutes ago, nmc02 said:

I agree. There is an art to hooking them in the mouth and I am pretty successful in doing so. I thought most of the pluggers were fishing the estuary and lower end of the river. I wish I could tell you I have had great success with the steelhead. Unfortunately, a great day for me has been two landed in a day. I mostly fish them w nymphs and an indicator on fly rod. I have never center pin fished, but have been told it is the best chance for success. 

It really isn't an art you just fish as you would to trout. It works much better in the quicker runs and pools. If you do it in the slower pools you are wasting your time unless you just want foul hooked fish. I should mention that when a big push is on your percentage of fair hooked fish drops dramatically. 

The driftboats fish the whole river pulling plugs and get some vicious strikes. I personally wouldn't do it unless I was the rower. Reeling in the hooked fish isn't what I am up there for if I didn't make it happen myself but that's me. 

Steelhead, I have fly fished with bottom bouncing , indicator and swinging with sink tips. All of these work some better then others but it also depends on the time of the year. I have moved to centerpinning which gives me the most legitimate hookups and numbers of fish. It's not for everyone but I really enjoy it. 

[MGHunter66]

Nmc02 and OMC
While i agree that the fish don’t actively feed you can get them to bite out of aggression. It is a matter of using the proper type swing, not a traditional steelhead type swing one solely intended for Kings i learned some 20 years ago. Let me explain it and then give it a try for yourself. First you must actually see the fish or have a pretty good idea exactly where the fish is holding. Second this must be done with a floating fly line. Get upstream of the fish at a 50-60 degree angle, cast your fly past the fish about 5’ and 10’ above. As soon as the fly hits the water mend upstream and at the same time point your rod 45 degrees upstream from a point dead across stream from you. As your line starts drifting downstream follow your rod tip down with it. This will get your line swinging infront of them super slow with the fly inches from their face with a little practice. I have watched fish in clear water crush it and i have seen others suck it in as they flair there gills just because of the close proximity of the fly. Either way its fish on and always in the mouth. Give it an honest try, i was on non believer LOL until the guy that taught it to me hooked five fish in a row while he was teaching me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nmc02]

I plan on learning to center pin soon. Luckily a childhood friend moved to Oswego 20 yrs ago. He is a machine on the lake and know few guys who do better on the lake, if any. I still prefer fishing the river and his buddies guide there....many specialize in center pin. He is good friends w Andy Bliss of Chasin Tail and probably will go with him to learn. Do you or did you go w a guide when center pin fishing? If so, who??

[nmc02]

2 minutes ago, maximus66 said:

Nmc02 and OMC
While i agree that the fish don’t actively feed you can get them to bite out of aggression. It is a matter of using the proper type swing, not a traditional steelhead type swing one solely intended for Kings i learned some 20 years ago. Let me explain it and then give it a try for yourself. First you must actually see the fish or have a pretty good idea exactly where the fish is holding. Second this must be done with a floating fly line. Get upstream of the fish at a 50-60 degree angle, cast your fly past the fish about 5’ and 10’ above. As soon as the fly hits the water mend upstream and at the same time point your rod 45 degrees upstream from a point dead across stream from you. As your line starts drifting downstream follow your rod tip down with it. This will get your line swinging infront of them super slow with the fly inches from their face with a little practice. I have watched fish in clear water crush it and i have seen others suck it in as they flair there gills just because of the close proximity of the fly. Either way its fish on and always in the mouth. Give it an honest try, i was on non believer LOL until the guy that taught it to me hooked five fish in a row while he was teaching me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Iwill. Worth a shot

[MGHunter66]

Iwill. Worth a shot

Nick i spent a bit of time speaking with OMC last night. We all have different trips going on this fall but i suggest the three of us definitely make plans to hook up for some steelhead drop backs this spring


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[nmc02]

I would love to. Let me know. Always up for a day on the water (if my wife says so).

[hunterbob1]

Nice goin Nick,nice fish,pics,it's hard in the river,I trolled outside,peeled line was easier without the crowds!http://www.screwylouiessportshop.com/.....https://littlesodusinn.com/meet-mary

 

[230jhp]

I have my 9ft 9wt set up for steel-head with a weight forward low temperature floating line. I have a whole box of egg patterns for that. Unfortunately I never go because I can never get someone to go with me.

What fly patterns are typically used for salmon?

What terminal tackle is used for spin fishing there for salmon? I have a pretty hefty ugly stick with 15# braided. I also have the 9ft soft tip rod I normally use for plugging in the surf. Salmon fishing in places like Lake Aeroflex I normally use the Uglystik with a Krocadile spoon.

[nmc02]

3 hours ago, 230jhp said:

I have my 9ft 9wt set up for steel-head with a weight forward low temperature floating line. I have a whole box of egg patterns for that. Unfortunately I never go because I can never get someone to go with me.

What fly patterns are typically used for salmon?

What terminal tackle is used for spin fishing there for salmon? I have a pretty hefty ugly stick with 15# braided. I also have the 9ft soft tip rod I normally use for plugging in the surf. Salmon fishing in places like Lake Aeroflex I normally use the Uglystik with a Krocadile spoon.

I use estaz egg patterns tied on a size 2 octopus gamakatsu hook. I would not use braid, as you get snagged often an it would be tough breaking. The 9 ft soft tip rod would work. You could also use the 9 wt fly rod. In my opinion, it is a bit heavy for salmon and steelhead. I use 8 wt for salmon, 7 wt for steelhead 

[OMC]

6 hours ago, maximus66 said:

Nmc02 and OMC
While i agree that the fish don’t actively feed you can get them to bite out of aggression. It is a matter of using the proper type swing, not a traditional steelhead type swing one solely intended for Kings i learned some 20 years ago. Let me explain it and then give it a try for yourself. First you must actually see the fish or have a pretty good idea exactly where the fish is holding. Second this must be done with a floating fly line. Get upstream of the fish at a 50-60 degree angle, cast your fly past the fish about 5’ and 10’ above. As soon as the fly hits the water mend upstream and at the same time point your rod 45 degrees upstream from a point dead across stream from you. As your line starts drifting downstream follow your rod tip down with it. This will get your line swinging infront of them super slow with the fly inches from their face with a little practice. I have watched fish in clear water crush it and i have seen others suck it in as they flair there gills just because of the close proximity of the fly. Either way its fish on and always in the mouth. Give it an honest try, i was on non believer LOL until the guy that taught it to me hooked five fish in a row while he was teaching me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I have seen that before and have tried it a few times when fishing down low to unpressured salmon. They will definitely attack it for sure. There has been times later in the season when the steelhead setup behind the spawning salmon and the salmon grab the fly I was trying to drift to the steel. Just proves there are so many ways to fish to them without snagging or lifting. 

[OMC]

4 hours ago, 230jhp said:

I have my 9ft 9wt set up for steel-head with a weight forward low temperature floating line. I have a whole box of egg patterns for that. Unfortunately I never go because I can never get someone to go with me.

What fly patterns are typically used for salmon?

What terminal tackle is used for spin fishing there for salmon? I have a pretty hefty ugly stick with 15# braided. I also have the 9ft soft tip rod I normally use for plugging in the surf. Salmon fishing in places like Lake Aeroflex I normally use the Uglystik with a Krocadile spoon.

I would use the 9wt for the salmon over the spinning outfit. I would also use the same egg patterns or estaz flies but I prefer size 6 egg pattern hooks normally gamakatsu Xtra strong or Diatchi egg hooks. Small flies work just fine in fact you have a better chance of getting a steelhead or brown while salmon fishing. 

Dont use braid up there in the rivers that stuff can really cause some damage. 

Edited October 5, 2018 by OMC