Show Us Your Water

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hot tuna
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2009/09/07 18:38:47 (permalink)

Show Us Your Water

You always hear me talking about the "proper" water to fish salmon. Here is what I mean in real color. Everyone wants to see fish but here is just plain advice as to successfully target salmon.
These pics are at 750 flow and using a #4 streamer with 2 bb shot.
I sight target a single moving/staging fish(or group) and swing the fly across an in front of the fish. If it (they) move forward I also move with the fish and if after a few attempts they are not intrested then I let them be.
No we don't floss, line or chase them...






"whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
#1

24 Replies Related Threads

    2Bonthewater
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    RE: Show Us Your Water 2009/09/07 19:47:57 (permalink)
    chase the fish..........
     
    It is absolutely hysterical watching folks high stepping up river to 'chase' down the salmon !!!

    www.2bonthewater.com
    #2
    dimebrite
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    RE: Show Us Your Water 2009/09/07 19:55:58 (permalink)
    i find the fish run up the pocket water on the other side of the island instead of the side you are showing.  if i'm not mistaken that is right above the flats in the dsr.  but yes, i would rather fish a spot where i don't see the fish, but i know they're running there...
    #3
    hot tuna
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    RE: Show Us Your Water 2009/09/07 20:34:44 (permalink)
    you mean the heavy water where a string of lead rules ? They were pounding them hard there and in the bucket sat.
    In higher water they will go through there but in normal fall 335 flows the run is through the flats.
    Nah , for salmon I like to see my fish take my fly.

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #4
    salmotrutta
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    RE: Show Us Your Water 2009/09/08 02:26:13 (permalink)
    Great pics. HT.. It sure looks good to me. I am beginning to get the fever. I may take a trip up in two weekends if all works out.
    I've yet to line a fish. I don't get why people who don't take the time to learn how to use the tackle properly are the same ones who say we line them/Salmon don't strike, etc.. That crap ****es me off. Esp. because I generally am lucky to catch 3 a day working hard to get an eat.
    Amen.

    Two weekends if all works out. Show us any pics. you got. I wanna learn more too. There is no greater than reading about fishing- well except fishing...

    Lyrical
    #5
    dimebrite
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    RE: Show Us Your Water 2009/09/08 06:26:15 (permalink)
    well, i actually notice they come up both sides of either island down at dsr.  sometimes they go up the jos hole side, and sometimes the other.  i actuallly hit a run once where nothing came up the joss hole side.  thousands of fish were splashing up those shallow flat rapids.  what a sight. i think what ever path the fingerlings take back to the lake is the one they take when they go to spawn.  like i said earlier these fish are so unpredictable.  i've actually seen pods of fish go up one channel between islands, then turn around, go back down around the island and come up the other side.  these fish are so amazing.  for fishing and water tactics, that's all a personal preference.  i don't prefer to see my salmon though.  it's great to see them take, but when fishing a deep seem above a white water pocket, i find the fish are more aggressive.  once they break through that pocket in to the channel of preference (least path of resistence) and they see that bright irritating pattern,  i find they're usually more likely to hit.  plus they rest in between pockets and they don't like being bothered when they rest.  just my personal preference.  i find i catch more fish when i don't see them.  for instance, do you spot your steelhead when you fish for them?  that's the way i look at it.  but it's totally personal prefference.  it worked for me on saturday though.  i landed 8 kings and 1 steelhead.  i just can't wait for a month from now when the steel really starts to come.  i'm already tying sacks and big wets to swing to those bad boys.  fish on...
    #6
    hot tuna
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    RE: Show Us Your Water 2009/09/08 18:19:40 (permalink)
    DB, you are right on about spooking fish (salmon) in flat water. But as for pocket water, there it is in living color which I posted, looks like perfect pocket water to fly fish. Hold move, hold move. Heavy water, nah I avoid that, it is just not possible for me to fly fish that water.
    Fishing trout & salmon are apples to oranges, no in general we don't sight fish trout.

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #7
    dimebrite
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    RE: Show Us Your Water 2009/09/08 20:54:22 (permalink)
    definitely good pocket water for swinging flies and streamers.  that water there below the wall pool and betwteen the flats has some nice big rocks and it gets a little deeper than it looks.
    #8
    dimebrite
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    RE: Show Us Your Water 2009/09/08 21:05:32 (permalink)
    but you'd be surprised, with a long rod, if you drift the seem on the edge of the white water, you can get down better than you think.  especially with a strike indicator.  the indicator with a drag free drift allows the fly to sink (with some shot of course).  or high stick nymphing with a long rod  (switch or two-handed).  i love it all.  nothing beats fishing in general, no matter how you do it.  fish on....
    #9
    twobob
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 03:23:08 (permalink)
    This was actually for rainheads but it is prime salmon water also
    #10
    pafisher
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 12:55:33 (permalink)
    Holy crap 2B you went back 5 years to dig this up.....it does bring back memories of the past....some good,some not so!
    #11
    hot tuna
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 13:04:40 (permalink)
    I will still say those above spots & waters are my favorite of ALL for salmon. They move & hold in the small breaks of migration. Great swinging water with big uglys .

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #12
    dimebrite2
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 13:35:21 (permalink)
    Hahh! Jack I think I met you for the first time a week or two after this original post .. Time does fly. I still don't prefer the shallower flat riffly water as it turns in to a waiting game. I prefer to fish on the blind. Two Bob... I prefer water more like the pic of bill you posted there for salmon and steel... Black seems in between haystacks... Salmon usually lie in the heavier turbulent riffles (not white water) for extended periods of time. and the steel lie on the softer seems...
    #13
    dimebrite2
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 13:37:04 (permalink)
    Will say though tuna, I've had great times in those spots when runs were nose to tail and fin to belly with little fishing pressure
    #14
    dimebrite2
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 13:41:23 (permalink)
    I'm feeling like I'm on a roll here!! Lol... One other thing about two bobs water... I find fish hold longer in water like that and similar types... More oxygen and more cover...cooler temps and deeper seems... Larger obstructions causing micro back eddies... As long as the fish are unpressured I have found or thought they they are prone to be much more aggressive for protective reasons...fish on!!!
    #15
    twobob
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 13:56:20 (permalink)
    I was just cruising and found this old thread.
    Found it interesting.
    Please guys if you don't already have some take a few pics of your favorite spots, keep it tight if you think you will give away a secret, just like to know what others like.
     
    I prefer rather large pockets in heavier flows.
    As said they tend to hold longer and when fresh fish move in there is a lot of territorial aggression to take advantage of.
    Great to  big ugly swinging for and they don't get much bigger and uglier than Bill and myself (not necessarily in that order.
    #16
    twobob
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 15:37:15 (permalink)
    Sorry it took so long but I have the Bills on, trying to figure it out and just woke up 4 times when I dropped the remote each time.
     
    As I said the lads getting big.

     



    #17
    pafisher
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 17:52:26 (permalink)
    2B....the second two pictures is what it's all about,sweet memories!
    #18
    pafisher
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 17:59:12 (permalink)
    Now I get it ,the boy is Andy's,I was confused until I read the other thread.Should have figured it out as he looks just like his dad and granddad!Are those shots from today?
    #19
    twobob
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 18:14:33 (permalink)
    Don't know.
    Sometime this week I think.
     
    What up Jack I only resurrected this thread to try to fool you into posting a pic of your secret spot.

    #20
    hot tuna
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 18:29:15 (permalink)
    Got a little fire going while I decompress form today's bust azz homework .
    Still for me I like the 4' deep or so pockets for salmon, not so much steel.
    Those fish in that depth are aggressive fish to me. They try and hold their ground until pushed out by other fish or pizzed off from a fly in their face. Granted as db said, you may have to walk ( I don't wait ) to find fish moving into these places.
    It to me is swinging a big ugly with little or zero weight 101, watching a fish move to grab the fly is money !!

    I totally understand the heavy deep pockets, its cover and congregation for more fish. Sadly it draws more fishers and some don't play fair, hence I avoid them. That's just me and how I like to target salmon, I like seeing the strike of a king :)

    "whats that smell like fish oh baby" .. J. Kaukonen
    #21
    dimebrite2
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/14 19:35:03 (permalink)
    Jack that was last Thursday. Brought two to hand out of 3 hookups. The company of just my son and the water was fantastic.

    Tuna, I hear ya bud. I've fished that water plenty and yes I never wait. Only time I've stayed planted in that stretch is when there's a big run in...

    Two Bob, thanks for posting the pics. And yes he is getting big. His patience, casting and drifting has increased amazingly this year.
    #22
    twobob
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/15 03:06:03 (permalink)
    Tuna I don't need (or really want) it to be very deep.
    More just a larger eddy around structure in I think heavier flow than what you showed.
    Same idea of the resting kings getting pushed by new arrivals and fighting to keep their holding spoot.
    That and while I like to see the grab I really like that heavy throb out of the blue interrupting my swing.
    #23
    fichy
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/15 07:37:13 (permalink)
    For me Kings  are better sightfished. I  get some very heavy pulls  striper fishing on the swing, as I almost never fish areas where the tide isn't moving well, and would rather see Kings chase and chomp.  Having learned some tricks from HT and had the pleasure of fishing (and catching) kings and cohoes with him, I'm fully on board with his method and water.
    Thanks for the pics Andy!  His smile says it all. + 2b for the relay.
    #24
    bigbear2012
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    Re: RE: Show Us Your Water 2014/09/15 07:55:18 (permalink)
    Great pics guys
    I personally prefer to fish the deeper water and big holes, so i don't see the fish and won't even be tempted to try to floss them.

    wishin i was fishin
    #25
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