Catching an Atlantic Salmon on a fly is quite remarkable thing to do, Work! (but fun work). Going salmon fishing or sea trout fishing is a great feeling with a fly rod.
While fishing with us at Colfords Atlantic Salmon Fishing we will teach you the basic's of fly fishing for Atlantic salmon, trout and shad fishing with a fly.
Have you ever caught a salmon or trout on a fly rod? Well if you have been a lucky one to do so or a skilled angler who has, then you can fill up your fly box with these killer flies! Here are a couple good patterns me and my guides use. Green Machine, Undertaker, blue charm, ally shrimp, GP's and all colors of bombers which are dry fly's.
Now I will show you what you need for salmon flies and why? If its salmon your after you must know a few of the basic's and why to buy certain patterns. First thing salmon don't actually bite flies!
For example: The Atlantic Salmon, known scientifically as Salmo Salar, is a species of fish in the family Salmonidae, Which is found in the northern Atlantic Ocean and in rivers that flow into the Atlantic and Pacific.
You will want a fly that resembles the insects or fish that are in the surrounding environment, so its very convincing to take a pattern that looks like a insect.
When fishing dry flies you can land them softly on the surface or skip them across the surface. Use some sort of floatant like Gink to make them float. I ty mostly double hackle dries for salmon fishing, just to make them stand higher on the water. Also try casting them and landing them in different locations until you get ones attention, and you can keep aggravating them with different flies and resting the fish by not casting to him for a while. Make sure your leader is long enough that your fly does not slap the water, you want it to land gentle like a insect you see land on the surface.
With wet flies you will want to be under the surface. Leader is very important with dry or wet flies, I prefer using a tapered leader 10-8-6 or smaller for trout flies. Casting a wet fly can be difficult if your using a double hook or in the bigger sizes of flies. Most anglers including myself try to cast at a angle of 45 degrees down and across the river or stream. While other anglers try to keep the fly in a straiter motion by mending as the fly is coming around in the curent.
The Atlantic Salmon is very spectacular to catch on a fly rod because of there size and there aggressive nature. Our sea trout acts the same way but there mouths are very delicate, so be careful when landing a big one. Shad will give you a good fight but you only get a run or two before you have it in the net. You may hook 25 a day but land only a few, very soft mouths on a shad (American Shad) .
The Atlantic salmon is one of the most acrobatic and hardest fighting fish pound for pound that there is and to fish them on a fly rod, that allows you to have a great feeling, sensitive feeling to the rod and reel that will give a beginner a "finger jammer" lol.
Most salmon angler's are going for the "bright silver runs" coming in straight from the ocean. But don't pass on the spring salmon fishing, where you can put up to ten fish a day in the boat. Anglers like fishing low light in the early moring or late evening. And using dark patterns like the undertaker. You will want to use smaller flies in the clearer water with fine tippets. The dark flies will work well and they help not to spook a fish.
Brighter flies works best in the fall (but try them in the summer too, you just never know sometimes) when the water is dirty and murky due to fall rains and run offs. Marabou's and streamers start working very well and all the shrimp patterns. add some crystal flash to your flies which will work well in fall or the spring. But do not give up on the summer patterns which will work just fine or better!
All for this week, I hope these few tips helps when your out on the water catching a monster salmon or trout! Or any fish that you are fishing for that matter. If you have anymore questions just give me a shout. If you have a photo you would like me to add, send it to me with a brief details and I will post it.
I have some openings for the 2009 Spring Salmon Season. I have spots also available from June 1st to October 15th. Give me a call or drop me an email for guided fishing or a complete package or what ever type of group you may have. I look forward to hearing from you.
Tight Lines,
Rodney Colford
E: miramichifishingreports@hotmail.com
