Salmon trip

Got into Pulaski Sat night bout 9 PM
-Heavy rain ,thunder and lightning stopped around Altmar while coming in.
 
Slept in a bit on Sunday and went lower mid-LOTS of people and -for the time of year, decent fish in the AM.
Slowed as the day went on and really not much -if any- evening push.
 
Today ( mon) accidentally slept in again and didnt hit the river till about 7:30.
Far and away fewer people. Weekenders gone.
Apparently a decent night run and many AM fish on stringers already.
Not huge numbers this mid morning but slow and steady.
 
Have a favored downriver rock and small run generally to myself as its easily overlooked by the masses. As usual the kings would stop there where you can FISH for them.
Found them to be very fresh- feisty and unusually willing.
All mature Kings but not huge like some reports-just nice very fresh adult fish, many appearing in the mid 20s.
Reports of the fish being very strong are correct- mouth hooked fish are generally a bit controllable imho- not these-
strong runs into the backing VERY quickly were the norm.
Nursing some line burned fingers LOL
It was slow in the late AM and bugged for Ct around noon.
 
GREAT early trip.
Best part-- ran into Andy for a while in town.
 

Not saying its a run yet -cept perhaps at the very earliest of light.
 
But the fish keep coming- albeit slowly.
Kinda the beginning of the beginning of a run lol.
Took a look at the estuary Sun afternoon- fish -yes- many -no.
Still pretty nice for the time of year--
 
Walked the lower plenty of early Septs w/o any luck when was a part time resident lol-soo- this is a bonus for a pos outa stater.

You know how stories go up there, but one second hander was that there is a 3 mile stretch of solid Salmon showing along the shore someplace close by.
One fella did say he saw a nice coho caught this AM in the river.
 

Hope to be back in a few weeks myself--Good luck up there.

Had a real nice trip- for the time of year- last week and looking forward to another pretty soon.
Been reading the reports constantly- clearly down low is good- but thats normal for there - then they spread out going up river - the experience changes as ya go up.
Sooo, been looking for the rare actual fisherfolk experiences and find them not so commonplace cept for very low.
Some of the shops aren't even doing regular daily reports yet - only now and then- and when they do post its been a general report on the lower third of the river.
Guide services dong nice reporting but -face it- most are in the DSR.
Opinion- good fishing here and there down low- like below 81- and spotty for walkers as you go up -spottier still far up.
Nice pushes so far but no big run yet.
Worth a trip -yea- but keep reasonable expectations for where ya go.

Charlie-understand completely - had to walk away from holding fish as folks RAN over to my little hole when seeing me obviously trying to swing through for fish and began to slash, chase and cross my line.
Don't like it but its the way it is early season down low.
Thats why I like upriver later when fish are in- folks more spread out and-to a degree- more polite.
When I started in the 80s ya could fish a LOOONGGGG way for Steel without anyone else around, and then ya gave each other space. Not anymore- 
Now Steel-even in winter- are becoming the new slash, snag and chase species.
If one can accept that its gonna happen and that ya gotta just move on now and then it can still be a nice trip.
Gettin into my mid 70s and finally realize am too old to get into arguments or fights over a fish.
Love it up there-often just get to a nice spot and sit back and watch the show.
Have enough caught so that its the experience not the number that counts.
Started before the DSR was even there - fished low all the time for quality of fish- even did the DSR thing when it started and liked it but that too became a chore as they started giving fishermen second choice of spots by allowing guides and clients in early to hog the nicest places so -bye bye.
Havent kept a fish in many years- but the urge to catch them is still strong and I'll be darned if I let slobs stop me.
Go up there and FISH its still GREAT.
Good times still outweigh the bad-even when ya can no longer walk to the spot ya remember so well--ahhh father time- lol.
 

Perfect---
I try and refrain from giving too much advise - as fly fishing goes with 1 being worst and 10 being best- am somewhere between a 2 and a 3.
But never give up trying-
Advice from guys who are good at it goes a long way- spin or fly.
As you pointed out, reading water goes a long way too- (also makes up for a lot of my lousy presentations).

Ps.
The south side of spring hole is a bank monger set up side. The fish run the north side but you pick at only moving fish.

And so it begins here.
Pulled out my travel box which I haven't looked at in 2 years. Always shambles but has the necessities for SR.
After digging, at least I found my hooks in there I wanted. 4, 8 & 10's tossed a few ties in for some trout's too.
Had a few hrs to myself and whipped up 3 dozen basics .
Tomorrow maybe get a bit more naturals like crayfish and stone fly patterns done.
For now I'm in the game.

Have fun, Jack and whomever makes it up to his secret spot. Sounds like they are there in force.  

GOOD FISHIN---

Sounds like  mid river will be  outstanding over the next couple of days  - IMHO
Gonna have a great trip.

Ran into heavy traffic on 81 before the 481 by pass and lost about a hr,so I did nt get on LFZ until very late and got a zero for the fish,did n't see any one else hook up.There were fish there but did n't hit my flies.Going to try my secret spot in the AM.Don.t know where Ill be when you get here Rich but I'm in room 6,it's in the rear at end of building.

Heading out in few hrs in route. Word I got is it's a complete ZOO up there with ppl.
Hopefully I can navigate through town around 8pm .
This may just be my swansong trip for salmon. After 40 years, I'm tired of circus events for fishing

hot tuna
And so it begins here.
Pulled out my travel box which I haven't looked at in 2 years. Always shambles but has the necessities for SR.
After digging, at least I found my hooks in there I wanted. 4, 8 & 10's tossed a few ties in for some trout's too.
Had a few hrs to myself and whipped up 3 dozen basics .
Tomorrow maybe get a bit more naturals like crayfish and stone fly patterns done.
For now I'm in the game.

Very nice!  
I've been up a few days.
Lots of fish with a boatload of coho in the river.
Tough fishing for me but they are there in numbers.