A fish that has come into a 'new' pool for the first time as he journeys upstream is normally a taking fish at least until he settles down into a lye.
Very often as the fly swings around past a fish it will show itself ie:jump,many however do not have any intent on taking the fly that said and on a slightly contradictory note it is a good sign,consequent casts often picking a fish up...if the fish is unwilling to play ball - drop the size of the fly this often works.
Assuming the fish is in a lye and shown himself in the same spot several times not a 'traveller or running fish' heading upstream.
Any salmon that 'head and tail' ie: porpoise in the water their dorsal fins and backs only creasing the water surface are taking fish.
I would suggest that as the water was up and the huge salmon crashed mid flow that he was a 'runner'.
Running fish rarely take until they actually rest for a breather to salmon the river habitat constitutes two types of pool ...
'Holding and resting'.
Both pools as their title describes serve those functions.
Holding pools where salmon lye up for hours or weeks at a time.
Resting pools where running fish lye up momentarily or for a period of minutes to regain their stamina and continue upstream.
More about this at ...
A GHILLIE'S TALE
Once identified which is which the fish will come to you as you will able to concentrate on those pools where you know fish should be lying up and not in water that entices fish to move through.
As salmon lye up in the same 'holes' that their forefathers and theirs before them have used for decades you will very soon learn where to find them.
Bear in mind that spate water salmon lye in different areas of the pool other to that when the river is at a normal height and flow.
Their eyesight is relatively poor 10 feet to their front would be a good estimate of clear vision.
Fish down and across the pool at 45 degrees mending the line as necessary right into the 'V' where the pool you are fishing spills into the pool below salmon like to rest right on the lip.
Striking-lift the rod into the fish.
Not all takes are 'arm wrenching' affairs in fact it is surprising just how gentle a 20 lb fish can take a fly,the angler feeling no more than a gentle pluck on the line.
Having taken the fly the salmon has to be given time to turn down and start to run with the fly or he will simply spit it out.
An immediate strike has the same result.
Once the fish is felt taking the fly a slow count to three then lift into him..it will become second nature to you quickly with experience.
If the salmon feels any resistance on taking the fly he will spit it out..
Once the cast has been made...
Fish with a six foot loop of line dangling from the reel gently trapped with your finger against the rod handle-allow the fish to take this line then simply clamp the fly line with your finger and lift into the fish.
OR
Fish off the reel-which as the title suggests,simply allow the fish to run off six feet of line or so directly from the reel before clamping the line and lifting.
Keep at it .....salmon fishing is a great sport with many surprises and full of exitement.
Tight lines for the future salmon ventures.
John
A GHILLIE'S TALE
An Idiot goes Salmon fishing !
and cant face stocked rainbows....... yet ive turned my attention to Salmon.
Re: An Idiot goes Salmon fishing !
Re: An Idiot goes Salmon fishing !
But i will keep at it weather permitting..........
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