fly fishing for salmon help

[chum77]

Gonna give you a quick run down on the gear im using first, I have a 9 foot 8 wieght sage rod withe rio versi sinking tip system. I was wondering is the any other effective method on fly fishing for salmon other then that lame chuck and duck system? Cuz I don't want to floss salmon that's why I switched over to fly fishing anyways. Oh also if you have any fly pattern suggestions that would be great as well, thank you very much.

[Strike Rite Tackle Co.]

Thats the only way that I know of to efficiently target chinook on the fly. You could try using a lighter sink tip and a similarly lighter fly in a dead drift to swing presentation. You would be relying on the dead drift and big mends to sink the fly and then a swing at the end.

[chum77]

Thanks for the info man, I was just hopeing I could get away from drift fishing. I guess if I can't catch em with my sinking tips, I guess ill try the chuck and duck style.

[Strike Rite Tackle Co.]

A change is nice once and a while. I find my self fetting away certain blocks of time for fly fishing only: a retreat of sorts to get away for a while. Hope you get into some nice chinook.

On a side note, I see that you mentioned targeting salmon. I mentioned ways for chinook but, if you were targeting other species, there are some other options. For coho, they will take the standard swin, but they also got crazy if you cast and retrive flashy flies. Gold over silver flashabou on a strait eyed heavy wire hook with some dumbelle eyes has worked before, as have chartruse clousers. Pinks are simmilar, with takes on the swing and retreive as well: downsize offerings and use pink. Chum seem to be willing if you put it in front of them. As with Coho Chum like chartruse, cerise, and other common colors. I have even seen people casting hootchies on a fly rod for chum.

[chum77]

Thank  you very much for the much needed info on salmon fly fishing. Wow throwing hoochies on a fly rod that's diffrent can't say I have heard of that but dosnt mean I won't give it a shot at one point I can see how that can work thought, they do make those mini ones that look perfect for flippin out there on a fly rod, ya I hope I hook into some chinooks too, but if not there is always those pinks it seems like they will just about tackle anything that is thrown at them lol, and the chums I am lookin very forward to for fly fishin. Once again thank you for the info.

[queets guy]

S.R.T.C  has tossed some good info.  With the silvers just entering PS though I would stick with baitfish patterns until atleast Sept, then move onto the very flashy and small "attracter" type flies when they near fresh water and start to get their 'lockjaw' stage.  If you used a smaller pinkish baitfish pattern you would be comboing an excellent coho and humpy fly making a very effective pattern.  Are you fishing salt or rivers?

[chum77]

Well so far just rivers, been wackin some summer runs, but I know the pinks will be in soon so that's why I needed the info on how to fish for the salmon coming in, but so far I have only been fishing the rivers. That's all I do rather im fly fishing or not.

[queets guy]

Got it, in that case a running line/sink tip set up would work out much better.  But with record pinks this year they say that Browns and Dash Pt.  can be loaded with pinks for the curious beach angler, just bring your own rock to stand on and you'll be fine. 

[chum77]

Can't wait for theys pinks to come pooring in its gonna be a riot with my fly rod and by the way thanks for the insight queets guy.

[younggun]

if your going to targeting chinook, cast out at a downstream angle, jack a large mend into the line to allow the fly to sink, point your rod straight out into the river (90degrees to the bank), what this does is it allows the flyline and fly to come across at a very slow pace, this keeps the fly in the fishes face for a long period of time, ellicting a teritorial strike. Bigger flies like moal leeches, marabou speys, and articulated intruders are better because of size. (water conditions must be up with some colour, all you will be doing is practicing your cast in low and clear coditions)

All info has been collected by word of mouth from Brian Niska at Whistler flyfishing, tested and proven.

YG