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Salmon fly fishing is distinctly different to trout Stillwater fly fishing. It is practiced by thousands of anglers all over Europe and Americas. Here are some of the distinctive features that are different to other types of angling:
- The flies are usually heavier doubles or trebles. These flies act as a solid attractants for salmon.
- Position is critical to your success. Always fish over a place where salmon prefer to rest, unless you see a moving fish.
- It is purely lure fishing method rather than imitative of insects (i.e. the fly should be moving as though it were a small fish). The essence of good salmon fishing is how you move your lure.
- As you are required to tackle-up in expectation of hooking a large fish, the leader strength etc must be suitable for this eventuality. Fish with a 16lb breaking strain leader.
- In order to get the flies down, in fast moving water, a sink-tip fly line is essential. Use a fast-sinking braided leader on a floating line, which gets round most of the problems.
- In order to stay 'in touch' with the fly, it is necessary to 'mend' the line occasionally. This involves 'flipping' the line repeatedly so that the downstream belly created by the action of the current, is converted into an upstream belly. This action enables the angler to fish for the most part with a fairly straight, direct connection to the fly.
- On a spate river, the most productive time to fish is as the river level falls after rain and the water starts to clear or settle down. That means you will need to consult river level indicators to get a feeling of the water level. Dawn and dusk is preferable, but you may catch fish during the day (and also at night).
- The general tip on establishing a contact with a salmon is to let the fish take line, and then tighten into the fish without a deliberate 'strike'. A trout angler’s natural reaction is to strike, but perhaps this instinct can always be controlled, when the prize is so much greater.
- To play with a salmon you are advised to always move downstream, so that the fish has to contend not only with the pressure of the bent rod, but also is forced to expend effort against the river current.
- Salmon is a tricky fish too; you need ounces of proven strategy before you hope to catch one of them.
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