salmon/steel flys

[jayL]

King salmon will obliterate a properly presented fly. Lots of luck involved too, but that's why you have to keep casting.

I've caught a bunch of them on actively stripped streamers. I'm talking a wake behind the fly, then FLUSH, down the hatch it goes. The when and the where is a major part of that, and huntinfool has yet to figure that part out, apparently.

As to the original post:

Good looking flies, but this'll probably be the last time you get remotely close to fancy. Not saying those flies are fancy, but the SR is a buzzsaw for tackle. I keep them to one or two materials and take no less than a dozen of each pattern/color, since pattern or color seems to matter a lot up there.

Lots of one material estaz and bunny leech style flies in my box.

 

[HuntinFool]

I will continue to fish the way I do and would venture to bet out perform most folks here. Its not intentional snagging more like "line" the fish. I dont and wont throw big streamers for them.

 

[pspaint]

guys be honest with yourselfs, if fished true ny style, you have 3 ft between the hook and weight, the figh swim with their mouths open and you snag ,they dont "eat", you snag them in the mouth.


Being a Western New York native, I totally disagree with this statement. I've fished salmon for many years (many of them on the Salmon River) and most NY'ers don't fish that way. Most of us fly fishers use typical swinging methods for the kings: ie: sinking leaders and weighted flies. Yes, it is true that many people do fish the way you speak of but we don't consider them "fisherman".

As far as "eating" a fly, they most certainly will. Early in the run, the fish are very aggressive and will attack a lot of different things. When they're in the stream for a while, it's a matter of triggering they're feeding reflex or territorial response. Kings that are near spawn are very territorial and will strike many things they see as a threat. I've seen many fish, literally shoot out and slam a streamer that got to near them. I read a study, some time ago (Done by one of the colleges) that stated many of the same things I just said. Basically, they will strike out of territorial response or triggering the feeding reflex....end of rant. lol.

Back to the main question! lol. Your flies look for the SR. Make sure you use "strong" hooks. They'll straighten lighter wires. I would add some pink and chart. comets and some purple (body) and orange esl's. That should do it!

 

[CLSports]

eggs, eggs, eggs.

You don't need to go nuts. Just a few basic colors. Switch them often to see what works that day or even time of day.

The Salmon will not feed when they are spawing in the rivers. They will however "bite" at a passing egg out of aggression or territorialism or whatever compels them to bite.

Accidental snagging does happen, so does a fish simply biting at a passing fly.

If you target Steelies/Browns it is a different story, but eggs ALWAYS work.

 

[jayL]

I've read that pacific salmon instinctively snap at eggs as an evolutionary advantage. Eat the others' young so that yours grow strong. My findings have mirrored this, given that I've throat hooked a number of kings on egg patterns, though, admittedly I've only experienced that in very specific areas of the river. It has occurred over a wide array of conditions, over a few separate years, so I don't see it as an anomaly.

But anyway, yes, the "don't bite" thing has been completely and thoroughly debunked.

Now that the fish counting contest has been proposed by the incorrect party, I think I'm going to close this thread.