Trolling for Salmon

[brno375]

Anyone do this out in the salt?  I'm going to give it a try but any advice is appreciated.  Thanks.

[pelagic paddler]

I've played around with trolling for salmon in the salt quite a bit. For some fisheries its a little harder/more work (fast troll ocean coho) for some it may even be easier/effective in a yak, (shallow water estuary trolling).  I have found that for the most part whatever method the power boaters are using can be adapted to yaks.  Find out how folks fish in your area and do your best to copy their technique (gear,depth,troll speed etc etc).  I like to fish hardware more than bait as it takes a little of the hassle out of the equation.  I can get a total newbie properly trolling a spinner or a spoon in a minute or two where as getting the same person to roll herring effectively takes slightly longer

[Spot]

Anyone do this out in the salt?  I'm going to give it a try but any advice is appreciated.  Thanks.

Mmmmmaybe


Look for the birds and you'll find the bait.  Find the bait and you'll find the fish.  Same set-up as for the estuary, just faster.

I can get a total newbie properly trolling a spinner or a spoon in a minute or two where as getting the same person to roll herring effectively takes slightly longer

Slightly?   

-Spot-

[brno375]

I can get a total newbie properly trolling a spinner or a spoon in a minute or two where as getting the same person to roll herring effectively takes slightly longer

How about with a fly?

[brno375]

Look for the birds and you'll find the bait.  Find the bait and you'll find the fish. 

That's logical.  Thanks.

[SargeSlaughter]

I think they forgot which part of the forum they were in. lol

[coosbayyaker]

I think they forgot which part of the forum they were in. lol

Ok, you need a fly that mimics the cut plug herring in it's natural environment.

[Spot]

I think they forgot which part of the forum they were in. lol

Dang!  I didn't notice that this was the fly fishing forum.  Sorry 'bout that!!!

For fly fishing in the salt, I'd suggest you look for the birds and you'll find the bait.  Find the bait and you'll find the fish.  Same set-up as for the estuary, just faster.   

I'd imagine that a big clouser or something similar would work as well as a Coyote spoon.  Like I mention in the July NWS article, troll just outside the surf early or late in the day. 

Here's a cool article that you might be able to gleen some tips from: http://www.topkayaker.net/Articles/Destinations/Vancouver.html

-Spot-

[ConeHeadMuddler]

I've gotten all my fly-caught salmon by casting and stripping the fly back, either while standing in a river, a beach on the Canal or Sound, or from an anchored boat.

Years ago, Canadian fly anglers up on Vancouver Island started trolling large baitfish patterns fast in the prop-wash behind the boat for Coho. They call it "bucktailing."  I guess the Coho seem to like to come up behind a fast-trolled fly in the bubble stream/prop-wash and nail it.

If anyone is serious about fly fishing for salmon, they'd probably want to get the recently published "Fly-Fishing for Pacific Salmon ll" by Les Johnson and Bruce Ferguson, with Pat Trotter (2008, Frank Amato Publications).
This book is a compendium of nearly all current salmon fly-fishing techniques, strategies, flies, etc, and deals with the variation of methods for each species of salmon. I have a copy.

Another series of books on fly angling for salmon would be "Tube Flies, a Tying, Fishing, and Historical Guide" by Mark Mandell and Les Johnson. Lots of great patterns in this book. There's a "Tube Flies ll" book out, but I'd recommend the first book in the series, first. Better if you are just getting into tying and fishing tubes.

I'm just now getting around to thinking about actually tying up a few. I've picked up a used copy of the first "Tube Flies" book and have acquired the right stuff to get started.

I'll be trolling herring in the Bay, and spinners in the river, though!

[doja]

Where do you want to fish for them?

It very s from area to area. Island has great fly fishing and lots of salmon.

Vancouver has limited opportunity's and most fish are down deeper than a fly line will ever go....until it's no longer fly fishing.

You could try the capilano mouth on a high tide or in the morning or both for best results! I'd use some sort of streamer. You can even go into the river part above the cp bridge but  you can only go so far and if the natives are fishing there you may have issues... but they are far up.

you could also try using a fast sinking line and  troll the north shore line, but remember, the more the boat goes forward the more the line comes up too... You'll mostly hit coho and you will want the fly moving fast so it will be tricky!

I don't think you want a Chinook on a fly rod in the salt as it may kick your butt!!! But if you do make sure you have lot's of backing, I mean lots!!!! A large arbor reel will help slightly but not much

Heck, it may even be worth while to try the tidal Fraser area for socks?

Good luck!

[brno375]

Spot, thanks for the link.  I picked a couple of things up.

CHM, I'll take a look for the first book you mentioned.  Thanks.

Doja, from what I have read and have been told, the mouths of rivers and along the beach are going to be the best choices for Coho this time of year.  Besides trolling, I was told to look for fish rolling (like a trout) and cast to them.  Right now I am equipped with floating line on a large arbour 10 wt backed with gel-spun and I picked up a few recommended flies.  I would love to hook and land a Chinook!  I do not know the Fraser system but I am sure there are some places that would be advantageous to go with a yak.  Good luck to you as well.

[doja]

I've heard the Harrison can be good for cutties and salmon. And the nicomen slough is also good for coho in the fall. Talk to the guys at Micheal and Young fly shop in surrey. They will give you great local advice.

[rrdstarr]

One of my co-workers told me the pinks are starting to run around the Island.  Guess I better go buy a 9-10 weight rod and reel!

[ConeHeadMuddler]

Pinks aren't that big. You could get by well enuff with a 6 wt for those! 7wt would be good, too.
10 wt and lots of backing is right for the Kings. 8 wt is a little light for Kings, but fine for Coho.  I have an 8 wt, but no 10 wt set-up, so I have to go "under gunned" and use the 8 wt for any fly fishing I attempt for Kings.
I had a good one I hooked in the Satsop River on my 8 wt (with only 12 lb test Maxima for leader) make short work of me. It took a #2 black and purple egg sucking leech, made from rabbit strips and marabou. It didn't give it back! That fish was like getting ambushed...I didn't know it was around and was just practicing my casting and trying to dead-drift the fly under an overhanging tree...

[rrdstarr]

Thanks Conehead, all I have right now is an inexpensive Redington 5wt combo.  Planning to buy a nicer Islander reel and Sage 8-9 rod this fall.