Tips-newbie

hey whisper; on this board there are a lot of different opinions and views on all ways and methods and gear and yada yada yada...but you can be assured that all the guys here have nothing but good advice. i believe i've seen your posts on some erie boards... anyways, i'd prefer to ask you what you have in mind for targetting salmon. are you spin or fly??? maybe both??? you obviously fish for steelies if your from erie... if you have a rod as big as an 8 weight you should be good. 9' in length is a good start. if your heaviest rods are 7 weights, trust me they can do the job. but they do lack the backbone of an 8 or 9 weight when it comes to hooking a strong silver hog....

fly fishing methods: 1. floating weight forward or DT to match your rod of choice fished with weighted flies or added split shot to your leader. this method can work just about anywhere from walking pace water ranging 2-4 ft. depth or riffle edges and tail outs of fast water... there are many different water types on the salmon... i recomend staying away from the large deep pools and look for the in between water. often i find that salmon will seek cover and rest just above a large rock in tail outs of fast runs; this water should never be overlooked...
2. chuck and duck with a running line or a smaller weight fly line... this method is proven and can be very effective. you can use just enough weight to be just between the bottom and half way water column. tight lining your fly through just about any type of water can produce fish. even when fishing flat/shallow water in between pools or islands, casting on a 45 degree and letting it swing straight down from you c an be lethal. the 45 degree angle is recommended in FLAT water to prevent hooking up on the bottom. also tight lining through pockets and runs is very effective with this method too.
3. swinging flies spey style or riffle hitched can produce fish as well and a steel brown or atlantic could be an added bonus when targetting them this way. by far this is a very rewarding way of catching them, but hook ups will be less for sure. i reccomend heavy flies or some small added bb shot followed with necessary mends to help your fly get down. sink tips can be effective as well, but i dont recomend them unless you are targetting specific water only (bigger water/larger pools/ gradual tail outs etc.)... you will find in most water other than the ones mentioned will result in your sink tip getting fouled up from rocks and you will be switching tips often due to many different types of water...
4. flies... egg patterns, yarn patterns, sucker spawn,comets, leeches, flesh patterns, egg sucking leeches, streamers, buggers....etc. are staples for sure. if targetting the upper river the naturals will definitely work a little better... if targetting the lower river, yes, big streamers can work as well being that they eat baits like that in the lake. i tend to use glow bug yarn wads, glo bugs mostly in the lower river and it works great for me. brighter comets and leeches will work great in the lower river as well...

good luck and feel free to ask more questions. theres a great group of guys here willing to help..

Do you have a place to stay?If not,that should be first on your list.Look at the list of lodging on this site,and Salmoncrazy.They might be the same but it does n't hurt to look.
Dime just gave you lots of good advise,but first what is your method...fly tackle or spin?

I most likely will use spin I have a 7 and 10 weight fly rod. I have a rod that has a 6-12 pound line rating its a 10'6 Shimano Convergence with a Daiwa Exceller reel. I hope to drift some jigs and streamers under a float. Should I use bigger jigs and floats or same size as for steelhead? Also, is there is still areas you can keep 1 or 2 salmon just for the road? Thanks a lot for the tips guys

Pa fisher is correct with your rod and set up; you can go to 10 lb line if you'd like as long as it doesn't stress your rod too much. Anything with a maribou tail should work well. For float size; that all depends on water level and velocitybtw I did receive your pm...

ORIGINAL: draketrutta

ORIGINAL: fish whisper

I hope to drift some jigs and streamers under a float.

bottom bounce,swing,or floss like the "seasoned salmoneers"

i call that ham-n-eggin

another thing too, seems though they covered the gear, if youre spotting fish, dont jump right into the water, cause if a female is sitting in one spot shes waiting for male in her nest. just sit back and watch the mudsharks come in.

yeah~ erie fish for bait.

just watched the news, got forecasted for scattered showers all the way through the week til thursday and friday, then back to rain for the weekend.

Plus my great-uncle stopped over to my house this morning and said the **** kayakers demanded the river to be raised so they could go down a few weeks back. plus he said he seen 2 helicopters run the river a few times also. so who knows, im just hoping for a bit more rain so my well doesnt go dry.

Waderboy I've heard that works well for kings in alaska as well.I guess that's why they often smack my wad of glow bug yarn that I snell on my hook

Hey fish whisperer do you have a date set and reservations?I'll be up there in Sept a couple times and maybe we can get together,I'm not local as I'm from SE Penna. but I have been fishing up there for a long time.

ORIGINAL: waDerboy

Giant wads of red eggs under a float crush kings around these parts.

your odds are much better on the OhSnaggo river...

if you intend to fish the SR estuary (which I won't), don't ferrgit to put some little styro balls in the sack to keep your presentation "in da zone"

da true&blue "bombers"
know I speakz the truff..

Welcome aboard-
   Although a lot of guys will post about past seasons in late August that had lots of fish the fact of the matter is that this time of year depends greatly on water Temp and flow for the Salmon to enter the river.
   Your trip is coming up very soon and so far this year is hot with  low water. It has just rained up there so hopefully that is changing rapidly as it always does this time of year.
   I have had years with little and years with lots of action in late August. If you stick to the lower river your odds will increase quite a bit. Although I havent fished there for some time if the Pay to Play DSR is open its the very best bet that early. Believe its bout $45 a day now. For that one early trip with all the other realted expenses that is still worth it.
   Personally I go a bit upriver to immediately below or above the small town of Pulaski. The ballpark area has plenty of acess and if the fish are running they will be there. Remember they may well run in small pods this time of year so an area having zippo happening can change very quickly.
  Good luck.

ORIGINAL: retired guy

this time of year depends greatly on water Temp and flow for the Salmon to enter the river.

Actually RT - those factors won't keep the Slammins from running the gauntlet - when they are ready to run - they run - regardless of conditions (remember the drought year of 07?).

Water flow and temps will dictate how long the fish will survive in the river once they pass the point of no return.

When the Salmon run depends on how fast their biological clocks are tickin.

If no rains materializes this year - expect another bloodbath on the SR.

Hello swim. While i see your a new name here you have been on the usa forum for a few.. Welcome and your million dollar question is a great one.. The guys all gave some answers now here is mine;
DSR: while I love the place for salmon fishing I would NOT however suggest going there at that time.. Just aint worth throwin $45.00 with all your chips on red.. Now I'm talking the time your going.. Just go to some of the real lower parts of the river, ball park,staircase,black etc.. It's free and wont be crowded at that time.. Your chances of seeing fish are just as good.. Now in another 2-3 weeks from then.. Absolutly go to DSR..

Now retired guy is correct, temps,flows and even length of daylight trigger fish to run for the spawning grounds.. So far we have not had much good on any of those factors.. But there are always those outta the box (how I do db) fish that just wander in and that in itself can trigger other fish.. So really ya never know..

No Drake:
07 not a whole lot went past the Black for some time.. Even dsr was a zoo and slaughter house..

Well good luck swim and if you would, Please report back if you go just so I dont always feel like I'm wasting my time typing.. That just my pet peave.

Good luck

ORIGINAL: hot tuna

No Drake:
Even dsr was a zoo and slaughter house..

Yes Drake - the dsr WAS the ZOO & SLAUGHTERHOUSE..
re-read what I typed b4,

When the Fish R Ready, they GO.

Slammin Procrastinators are almost as accurate as the Weather Channel - and that ain't sayin much.