Salmon River NY

[justinl8688 0]

I will be heading up to Salmon River in NY this fall for my first time. I would like to know what some necessary flies are to bring for salmon, steelies, and browns. I will probablly be goingin the late sept. mid oct. range. Thanks!

[DaveG 0]

Justin:

 

At that time of year you will be in the middle of the salmon run, with decent numbers of browns and some steelies. Dead drifting nymph and egg patterns is the go to method for high percentage fishing. Swinging streamers, Spey flies etc is more pleasurable but yields way less hook ups for the majority. Then there are those who dead drift a bare hook, or next to it, and still manage more than their fair share. It has been my experience that regardless of your intention, mouth lining and foul hooking is responsible and almost unavoidable in certain runs, for most of the hook-ups for salmon. I guess my best advice is to keep your patterns simple, inexpensive, and tied on a stout hook in the size 6-2 range. For many it's simply a few wraps of the cheap chenille du jour wrapped on a hook shank. The Browns and Steelies will tend to move to a fly much better than the Kings or Cohos.

 

In any event it's a circus that needs to be experienced to be believed. Once you zero in on your preferred method...it will drive where and when you make your way to the river. I go there every year and still find myself shaking my head in disbelief

 

Daveg

[DaveG 0]

Justin:

 

After looking at my first response, there wasn't much substance to it. So....A simple black stone imitation seems to be the bread and butter fly for many. Although larger sizes are commonly used, egg patterns (peachy orange colors) and natural nymph colors are popular in smaller sizes 10-8, I know several angelrs who swear by a size 12 nymph for stealth reasons. Keep in mind that many of these fish have run through a guantlet and have been stung and broken off several flies before they reach you. A few simple dressings with chartreuse, pink, pearl and blue tones are sensible to have on hand. Bring plenty of shot or slinkies if dead drifting is your thing. You will loose plenty of terminal tackle if this method is your bag. If you fish the more traveled runs, your lines will take a beating.

 

I currently use only a two-hander now. Traditional swinging only...no chucking and ducking. My hook-up rate has plummeted but my enjoyment has skyrocketed. Good luck amigo

 

DaveG

[justinl8688 0]

the salmon are normally snagged or do they actually bite?? bc I have heard that its near impossible to actually clean hook one. Also, what X leader should be used? I plan on bringing an arrangement of suckerspawn estaz eggs glue eggs streamers and nymphs ... hopefully that will work out

[Shaq 0]

Justin,

 

There are many who will tell you that kings don't bite. Those are the 2 landed for 40 hook-up crowd that like to stand in a riffle and throw flies at fish that are on the run. The Kings that are in the salmon will bite just as readily as the ones in the pacific NW and Alaska and will chase down a swung streamer IN CERTAIN SITUATIONS. ICS is the key. I don't know too many fish that will pass 40 people in a riffle and then bite a fly but left milling around in the tail end of a pool unmolested, they will crush just about any big fly you throw at them. I have caught kings on the spey in the lower, mid, and upper river in the beginning, middle and end of the run. Now I will say that you can swing flies through kings all day and not get a pull but you can fish over trout all day and get zilch too. I'm not too sure why people who go to the Salmon think they DESERVE to get a fish no matter what but I have to say with all due respect to DaveG, snagging a salmon is not responsible, but he has a case for almost unavoidable in certain runs. The number of foul hooked fish will diminish if you swing flies on sink tips or dead drift with indicators. The accepted method of fishing with the running line is not a dead drift rather a way to drag the fly across the bottom with a small curve to your drift. It's probably the best effective way to fish deep water and keep your fly down in the swirling currents of the Salmon River but if abused, ie fished with longer than 2-4 feet of tippet between the weight and fly, you certainly can line fish all day long. I can't cast any stones here, I have lifted many fish over the 15 years of fishing the system but can tell you, the days of swinging flies and getting 2-3 hard tugs with 12lb test and landing 90percent of the fish hooked have been much more enjoyable than the days of flossing salmon, looking over my shoulder for game wardons, snapping off fish that are hooked foul, and asking people if the hook seemed in the mouth as the fish wizzed by them ever were. A short list I like to use is a group of black or purple egg sucking leeches and woolly buggers, a group of nymphs from black stones, PT nymphs, princes in the 6-10 range, a selection of egg flies in the orange, pink, yellow, and chartruece range. and a few flashy marabou speys. Purple, white, pink, black, chartruece. that should prepare you for most situations. Swing the egg suckers and speys, running line the nymphs, indicator the eggs.

 

Another reason I swing flies in the salmon run is that it is almost always the steelhead who breaks formation first. The first time through the run, the first hit is 95% always the steelie. The fifth time through the pod of salmon with the 3rd color change, bam big king.

[DaveG 0]

Justin:

Shaq speaks truthfully and accurately. Many of us (hopefully) transition from stages through, numbers of fish taken, to a point where how they are taken. Respect for ourselves, flyfishing, and the wonderful fish we seek is the answer. It is my hope that you will take the high road from the get go. I did not have such advice or knowledge when I started.

 

DaveG

 

Shaq: Give me a PM and maybe we can get together and swing some flies in Paradise as soon as the Upper open,....

[billtiesflies 0]

here's my input Justin, I like black and purple pheasant tails tyed with bead heads. Also egg sucking leech's with pink and Chartreuse. Also egg sucking Stone flies, yes that's what I said try it you'll like it. Also green caddis pupa. Simple egg patterns will also produce quite well. Good luck, by the way Kings do bite on flies, especially those that have not been in the river very long. Bill c.

[lonewolve 0]

Justin,

Hi, I would hope you learn to swing marabous,on the salmon they will have the kings and cohos begging for mercy. I use to drift eggs and nymphs as well as wooly buggers only.Then one summer about 10 years ago i tied up some Aid's marabous and Cook's marabous also buggers in bright colors . the Aid's & Cook's marabous are in Trey Comb's masterpiece Steelhead book,by the way if you have these flies as well as eggs and dark stoneflies you can catch all your lake run fish legally without lining and snagging.Let the dopes that think they are "flyfisherman" spot fish and snag em,if you learn to fish the water just like trout you will be surprised at what you find. swing flies and you wont have to worry bout wardens dragging you off to jail or impounding your vehicle and confiscating your equipment.

Tight Wraps & Tight Lines

Rick

P.S. pm me and ill help you out

[justinl8688 0]

Thanks a lot guys.. i was talking to an older guy today that said not to bring my flyrod i won't land a fish.. and that they don't bite at all and i would waste my time. He said to use sponge and a hook and hope it goes in their mouth.. i was disappointed by thpse comments... but i am glad to hear that is not the case... i like your responses... would a 10 wt be sufficient? and what X tippet and what length?

[lonewolve 0]

JUSTIN,

Hi, A 10 wt would be better when kings are around, will help you bring em in faster, a 9 wt will also work but if you like steelhead a lot of guys use a 8 wt,followed by a 7 wt forsteelhead and any given time you can have kings .cohos, and steelhead in the river at the same time. there will also be a few lake run browns and possibly atlantic salmon, and maybe a lake trout too.me personally i use a G Loomis GL4 9 wt when i fish the salmon or the niagara rivers.for a reel i use a billy pate anti reverse bonefish model. Later in the fall i use a 6 wt for lake run browns and the billy pate bonefish reel the 6 wt will land the steelies too if you play em properly.

Tight Wraps & Tight Lines

Rick Wallace

[lonewolve 0]

JUSTIN,

Hi, A 10 wt would be better when kings are around, will help you bring em in faster, a 9 wt will also work but if you like steelhead a lot of guys use a 8 wt,followed by a 7 wt forsteelhead and any given time you can have kings .cohos, and steelhead in the river at the same time. there will also be a few lake run browns and possibly atlantic salmon, and maybe a lake trout too.me personally i use a G Loomis GL4 9 wt when i fish the salmon or the niagara rivers.for a reel i use a billy pate anti reverse bonefish model. Later in the fall i use a 6 wt for lake run browns and the billy pate bonefish reel the 6 wt will land the steelies too if you play em properly.

Tight Wraps & Tight Lines

Rick Wallace

[lonewolve 0]

JUSTIN,

Hi, A 10 wt would be better when kings are around, will help you bring em in faster, a 9 wt will also work but if you like steelhead a lot of guys use a 8 wt,followed by a 7 wt forsteelhead and any given time you can have kings .cohos, and steelhead in the river at the same time. there will also be a few lake run browns and possibly atlantic salmon, and maybe a lake trout too.me personally i use a G Loomis GL4 9 wt when i fish the salmon or the niagara rivers.for a reel i use a billy pate anti reverse bonefish model. Later in the fall i use a 6 wt for lake run browns and the billy pate bonefish reel the 6 wt will land the steelies too if you play em properly.

Tight Wraps & Tight Lines

Rick Wallace

[lonewolve 0]

JUSTIN,

Hi, A 10 wt would be better when kings are around, will help you bring em in faster, a 9 wt will also work but if you like steelhead a lot of guys use a 8 wt,followed by a 7 wt forsteelhead and any given time you can have kings .cohos, and steelhead in the river at the same time. there will also be a few lake run browns and possibly atlantic salmon, and maybe a lake trout too.me personally i use a G Loomis GL4 9 wt when i fish the salmon or the niagara rivers.for a reel i use a billy pate anti reverse bonefish model. Later in the fall i use a 6 wt for lake run browns and the billy pate bonefish reel the 6 wt will land the steelies too if you play em properly.

Tight Wraps & Tight Lines

Rick Wallace

[mnorton 0]

Justin

my .02cents...If youd like there are plenty of guides there also throughout the area one I know

is on flyguysoutfitting.com....reasonable prices..

one thing i learned about king/coho is that once they start their spawning mind set if you will

they really do not feed ,But you keep swinging a fly and put it right in their face they will

get ticked off enough to BITE the hook and then you have a rocket on your hands.

I have been thinking of going up this year too hav not been in a few years.

Good luck ....

Mike

[mnorton 0]

I see the state (NY DEC) has closed the upper flyfishing only section until Oct 15 due to low water conditions

there was another post somewheres around the forum of some photos....boy oh boy they need some

Rain Real Bad up there..........Don't think I'm gonna get up there this year if the water level do not rise jsut really no fun in it if you could walk out and pick the up ya know.....Mike