The sickness has begun

Well, it is that time of year here on the Southern Oregon coast " The start of salmon season " So now and for a couple of months the wife knows that all free time will be spent chasing these silver beauties. Family and friends knows that here is a good chance of not seeing me except for maybe a fleeting glimpse or running into me on the river or if I do happen to make it to some social event they know I'll be worn out from the days action or that I'll have to leave early for tomorrows adventures. The wife is alright with this and understands completely(something about loving smoked salmon and can't get enough of it) What makes salmon fishing even more special is that I go after them with a fly rod all the way- from the open ocean all the way up river. This year my fishing buddy "Tinker" is tagging along for the ride and I think it's going to be a wild ride! So hopefully here in the near future I'll be posting some pictures and stories of that wild ride.

Yeah, yeah.  First day of the season and some people go right off the deep end.

And now I'm "tagging along" with you, am I?  Just because I ask you what flies to tie, how long they should be, what hooks I should use, what color the flies need to be, what weight of leader, and how large my net should be doesn't mean I'm Sancho Panza...

Wait!  Yeah, I'm just tagging along.   

Just because I ask you what flies to tie, how long they should be, what hooks I should use, what color the flies need to be, what weight of leader, and how large my net should be

Well....what was the answer?

Just because I ask you what flies to tie, how long they should be, what hooks I should use, what color the flies need to be, what weight of leader, and how large my net should be

Well....what was the answer?

Happy to oblige!  Here's what I learned:

1. Salmon flies.
2. Just long enough but not too long.
3. Any hook from a size 4 to 2/0, but sometimes it takes a 4/0.
4. Color doesn't matter, but Krystal Flash does (this applies to #1, too)
5. 15# leaders unless 12# is better, but 18# is okay if that's what you want.
6. What net?  You aren't going to catch anything anyway.*

* I'm only allowed to tag along so I can testify to Mr. 12foot's Mastery of Salmon-Catching, and of course to take pictures of the event.   

Here is are a couple of action shots(could that second picture be a missed strike-only Tinker and the fish will know) Third one is a small selection of flashy, gaudy hope.

And there you have it - with that third picture, you now know more about what flies to use than I'd managed to learn, and I fish with the guy.

The second photo is of me, setting the hook on a fine example of a Summo testa nuttallia obscurata - which was, sadly, foul-hooked and had to be set free.  Rats!