Catching a Salmon!

[Santiago]

I'm relatively new to game fishing and have only so far caught wild brown trout, including two good sized fish from the Thames on coarse fishing tackle. Although I did hook into what appeared to be a salmon (or sea trout) many years ago whilst spinning in the Shetlands for pollack, but the fish jumped and threw the hook.

Anyways, I have to buy a salmon permit in order to fish on an estate in Scotland for brown trout, because salmon are present. Its relatively cheap, only £15 per day. So I thought I might as well try my hand and try to catch one.

The prospect of hooking into one, though, makes me a bit nervy. So to my point, how do salmon fight, and how best does one tame them?

[Catfish.017]

As with all fishing it depends on how big the fish run to and what gear you'll be using . I was fortunate to catch quite a few Salmon during my Sea Trout years, mostly at night on a 10' single handed 7/9 aftm rod. These fish ran from four ponds up to,twelve pounds and without exception fought hard and doggedly, never coming to the net first time, often making a long run down the pool when I thought they were ready to come in . However as most pools on these rivers are generally free of snags (with the possible exception of boulders) I always felt reasonably in control. I would say if you've caught plenty of decent sized Carp you should'nt have any problems . The only one I lost that haunted me for a while after, was I suspect a foul hooked fish that jumped the rapids into the pool below and departed forthwith.

[Santiago]

Sounds very exciting! I'll be using a 7# rod as I'm hiking and can't take lots of gear as the place is about 8km from the nearest bus stop. So I have to compromise with a rod that can also be used for catching the smaller brown trout, and I might even do some fly fishing for pollack from the shore. And I'm already taking a spin rod for the bass up there! So possibly already planning to take too much gear.

I might even fish for the sea trout at night.

I've seen video clips of anglers running down the bank chasing the hooked fish, and it all looks very dramatic! I've caught double figure pike on the fly but they don't tend to run far, and I've caught plenty of double figure barbel, so I guess I'll be fine as long as I keep a cool head should I be lucky enough to hook a sizeable fish.

[Tengisgol]

I’ve only caught kelts but my friend salmon fishes the Wye. The only thing I can add to the discussion from what I have seen is be prepared for them to be hooked and then off again! I think the ratio of hooked to landed is significantly worse than most fish so just be prepared for that. Dear old Ron Rudd the ghillie (great name eh!) his advice was strike twice (but that was spinning).

I’d imagine on the fly the trick would be steady and hard on the first run to bed the hook. I’d be interested to know what the recommendation is when they leap - try and stay tight or go slack?

[Catfish.017]

I’ve only caught kelts but my friend salmon fishes the Wye. The only thing I can add to the discussion from what I have seen is be prepared for them to be hooked and then off again! I think the ratio of hooked to landed is significantly worse than most fish so just be prepared for that. Dear old Ron Rudd the ghillie (great name eh!) his advice was strike twice (but that was spinning).

I’d imagine on the fly the trick would be steady and hard on the first run to bed the hook. I’d be interested to know what the recommendation is when they leap - try and stay tight or go slack?

Salmon are far less likely to leap than Sea Trout. However Hugh Falkus advised always to slacken off to a leaping fish. I followed this advice and rarely lost a fish but this was when using barbed hooks. Curiously if a hooked Sea Trout immediately thrashed the surface repeatedly then it was rarely landed. I can't recall ever losing a Salmon on the fly but spinning was a different matter.

[Santiago]

Cheers! Where I plan to fish is barbless hook only, so I'll try to be extra careful should I be lucky enough to hook either a sea trout or a nice salmon.

[Olly]

So many variations - of rivers - of method - of fly - of spinner! Fishpal can help with rivers holding salmon that can be booked for fishing with prices varying from where catching is very very hard - to easier waters. Although I think none are "easy!".

I have fly fished, spun and used prawns. It all depends upon local bylaws in England. The only Scottish controlled waters I have fished being the Tweed and its tributaries in England. An anomaly whereby the Tweed Commissioners manage the river basin on both sides of the border. No Environment Agency north of the border!

Had salmon spinning and on the prawn. Fly fishing so far being hard although others have caught. Those I have hooked - not all landed - have really fought for their size. A double figure salmon fighting harder than either a double rainbow or brown, perhaps comparable with a huge barbel. However as salmon can reach 30-40+ pounds and you never know what you will hook, the salmon could be enormous.

As to rods the new methods of fly fishing can use lighter/shorter rods with lighter lines. But this could be described as catching a barbel on whip - precarious!

Hard work - yep! Enjoyable when you land one - definitely!!

[Liphook]

Aha! A salmon section on the TFF

I always advise guests to 'bow to the fish if they jump' - rather than thinking about rod/arm movement, just bend at the waist and this seems to be a good way to impart sufficient elasticity/slack at the right time. The more experienced might be able to spot a fish jumping directly towards them - not easy in the heat of the moment - and lift the rod in the hope of getting the leader up and out of the way of the crash landing. Nothing is going to work all of the time and losing fish just happens at times.
I've yet to find an 'easy salmon river' if indeed such a thing exists, and I'm not sure if I'd ever want to to be honest! Some rivers are easier to access/wade/fish but wherever you find them they'll be fickle buggers at times and occasionally suicidal at others. However I have fished some prolific runs of fish on the likes of the Naver, Borgie and Dioanard with a 10ft #7 and never felt at all under gunned for grilse and salmon to say 12lb which are usually the primary targets. If you're lucky enough to encounter a large summer salmon then just lower the fighting angle and give the fish more butt. A ghillie friend of mine has landed fish up to 21lb on his 10ft 6in #5/6, so choose the tackle to deliver the flies that get takes and worry about the fish once their on! Small flies are often the ones you want unless the river is in spate.

[Olly]

Very different tackle to what I and others use on my river! 12-14ft rods - 10-12# - starting in February/March with tube flies or Waddingtons. Most fish being nearer 20lb than single figures - with the occasional 25lber. From the 15th May spinning is allowed and on 16th June prawns can be used. Some now use the shorter rods - Scandi style.

One day I fished another river in the south with trotted prawns - landed 5 - lost about the same number. Those landed were mostly in the 5lb+ mark with one bigger at 16lb. An easy river on its day but then there must have been a prolific run.

A Northumberland river, managed by the Tweed Commissioners, which I also fish is fly or spinning only where I had a 12 on a flying C. No prawn allowed. Similar to another local river in Durham where prawn was banned by the club as it was too succesful!

So a variety of methods - rivers - salmon runs - all dependent upon where you go, the season and height of the rivers, etc! Add the numerous choice of fly or spinner - not easy!

[Liphook]

Olly I put my post together knowing Santiago was heading up to Sandwood Bay shortly with his 7wt trout tackle which is actually ideal. There's no need or advantage to taking a double hander until you get onto the lower beats of the bigger rivers like the Naver (though some folk take one to dap from the boat on the lochs). There is no spinning or bait fishing up there - it is fly only in fresh water across the entire county of Sutherland. If it was elsewhere then my advice would obviously differ.