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OldSalt -> RE: August on Salmon river (6/14/2009 12:34:11 PM)
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Straw,
Listen to what everyone says, then go against the grain. If you and your buddy seriously like to fly fish, then August is a great time on the SR. Keep your anticipation high and expectation low. I say fly fishing, because at this time it is ideal, you do not need any weight or little if any used. Spin fishing would be reserved only for the deeper pools.
Every year I usually make 2-3 trips a summer to fish the SR. It's a great river and summer is the best time to appreciate the river as you can learn many of it's secrets. You can study the flows and bottom contours, see the seams and routes fish will navigate and check out the pools and depths were fish hold. It's hard to do all in one or two summer trips, but doing this for almost 20 years helps when the fish are in or when your blind fishing in the fall/winter.
The biggest factor about fishing this river in the summer is really enjoying, understanding, and feeling the river without the pressure of crowds. You will really see how this is a world class river when you travel the banks, enjoying it's beauty with few, if anyone, in sight. This has been my secret, I'm sure not really a secret, as many have come to find out, for many years.
If you have a choice, watch the weather and flows, if you can time your trip around a flow of 500 + you will find a fish or two. You've got to cover a lot of water, using big flies, looking for a swirl or a flash, then work it. I'll keep this brief, but again, cover a lot of water. Down low on the river is great, but I've gotten into great fish up river in July and August.
In August you can have the opportunity for an early King or two, nothing like getting into a 25 lb. beast when you are least expecting it, but you've got to anticipate it on every, and I say every cast. All it takes is one pass of a flashy fly this time of year near a King and that fish will go for it.
August and other summer months are the time for Atlantic's on the SR. Now I'm talking about a lot of casting and covering water. These fish will show themselves if your fly is near. My largest summer Atlantic landed was 36 inches. Last summer I hooked and fought my first SR Atlantic on a dry fly.
I'm talking one fish a day for a successful outing, two is exceptional unless you hit a early run of Kings down low.
Browns, and some big browns, are in the river year 'round. Big Skamania's are in the river all summer.
One year, swinging big flies, I located a fish who showed himself coming out of the shadows to check out my fly. It did'nt take, but this time of year, all you need to get the adreniline flowing is to raise a fish or have one swirl. So, for the next two hours I worked this area, and proceeded to get the attention of this one huge Skam. I went from a size 4 bright Salmon fly down to a size 18 nymph, allthewhile keeping an eye on any movement or flash within a 20-30 yard stretch of water.
In the summer, you have the comfort of knowing you can take your time, work an area, try different flies, while not having to worry about losing your spot, or someone else moving in and spooking your fish with tons of weight.
The size 18 nymph did the trick, this huge summer skam took, pushing well over 20 lbs. Over two hours of working one fish, was successful. The fish was on, and he was hot. Minutes later, after a blitz run on light tippet, he straigtened out my hook. My heart had'nt stopped pounding, my hands were still trembling, and he was gone. Success. This is what you fly fish for.
Enjoy the sights, see an eagle, pack a lunch, have a cigar, and feel the river in one of it's best seasons'.
Tight lines,
OldSalt
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