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Salmon River Report 2012
- Thread starter LyNcH
- Start date
LyNcH
Dries, wets, nymphs and streamers...it's all good!
Monday September 10, 2012, a day that will go down in history as one of the biggest runs the Salmon River has seen since the early 90's. Tuesday the 11th was almost as good. Rugby10 and I were there to take it all in. Insane is an understatement. Thousands of fish hit the river that day and the action in the DSR was so insane, we became exhausted from it all. As you know from previous posts, I had already spent a few days down there and learned where the fish tend to congregate in the low water (185cfs vs the usual 335cfs).We pulled in the lot at 5am, I was first in line for season pass holders, Rugby was was first in line for day pass holders. Because of this, we were able to have the prime spot in a great run, and boy was it prime. Thousands of fish blasted the river that day, and the we were fishing the perfect resting area for them. There were so many fish, that Alan and I literally could not make 3 drifts without hooking up with a fish. We easily each fought over 100 fish that day, there were so many stacked on top of each other, that we had to keep breaking off due to the unintentional foul hooks as we were trying to get a good drift for the agitated fish. Big stoneflies and green wooly buggers with a single bb split shot under an indicator is the ticket this time of year for kings. When the cohos start there run next week, I'll be changing over to bright colors.
I did catch my first steelhead of the season using a bright blue pattern. It was only 13", but it was a steelhead. Caught one female coho, no browns. Every Chinook I saw was a natural reproduction fish, the hatchery fish should start running in a week or so.
What I don't understand is why someone would pay a guide in the DSR during the salmon run. First off, most of the guides down there are a joke. In particular, there is this guide named "Joe". He alway, I mean always, fishes the bucket with his ugly stick fly rods and some nice Orvis reels. He teaches his so called clients how to properly overweight the leaders with huge pacman split shot, cast across the current and let the fly swing and wait at the end of the drift. I heard him say a million times you can tell when they take it (when you've lined them is what he should be saying). The best is one time when he was fishing, yes, a paid guide fishing instead of spending time with his clients, and hooked into a fish. Of course, the first thing he yells is "He crushed this one, right in the mouth". The fish blasts straight upstream (a sign it's foul hooked) and he fights it for a good 5 minutes. When he finally gets the fish in, it is belly hooked. He then actually said, this fish hit this fly, fought hard and spit the hook and then rehooked himself in the stomach. His client agreed with him and commented that the same thing had happened to him several times. I really don't get why people pay for this type of offensive "guiding".
But I digress. Here are a couple videos I shot for the run.
[video]http://s800.photobucket.com/albums/yy283/elandkl/SR%20September%202012/?action=view¤t=2012-09-10_15-40-31_148.mp4[/video]
[video]http://s800.photobucket.com/albums/yy283/elandkl/SR%20September%202012/?action=view¤t=2012-09-10_13-08-26_440.mp4[/video]
Let the video buffer for 30 seconds before playing it. Photobucket sucks for video sharing. I originally posted them in 1080p on youtube, but someone on SC posted a link to my 4 videos and they started getting way too many hits, so I changed them to private until after I bring a few guys up next week. Not that this is a secret spot, but I want to be first there again and no need to over promote it and that lurker snag city site.
I did catch my first steelhead of the season using a bright blue pattern. It was only 13", but it was a steelhead. Caught one female coho, no browns. Every Chinook I saw was a natural reproduction fish, the hatchery fish should start running in a week or so.
What I don't understand is why someone would pay a guide in the DSR during the salmon run. First off, most of the guides down there are a joke. In particular, there is this guide named "Joe". He alway, I mean always, fishes the bucket with his ugly stick fly rods and some nice Orvis reels. He teaches his so called clients how to properly overweight the leaders with huge pacman split shot, cast across the current and let the fly swing and wait at the end of the drift. I heard him say a million times you can tell when they take it (when you've lined them is what he should be saying). The best is one time when he was fishing, yes, a paid guide fishing instead of spending time with his clients, and hooked into a fish. Of course, the first thing he yells is "He crushed this one, right in the mouth". The fish blasts straight upstream (a sign it's foul hooked) and he fights it for a good 5 minutes. When he finally gets the fish in, it is belly hooked. He then actually said, this fish hit this fly, fought hard and spit the hook and then rehooked himself in the stomach. His client agreed with him and commented that the same thing had happened to him several times. I really don't get why people pay for this type of offensive "guiding".
But I digress. Here are a couple videos I shot for the run.
[video]http://s800.photobucket.com/albums/yy283/elandkl/SR%20September%202012/?action=view¤t=2012-09-10_15-40-31_148.mp4[/video]
[video]http://s800.photobucket.com/albums/yy283/elandkl/SR%20September%202012/?action=view¤t=2012-09-10_13-08-26_440.mp4[/video]
Let the video buffer for 30 seconds before playing it. Photobucket sucks for video sharing. I originally posted them in 1080p on youtube, but someone on SC posted a link to my 4 videos and they started getting way too many hits, so I changed them to private until after I bring a few guys up next week. Not that this is a secret spot, but I want to be first there again and no need to over promote it and that lurker snag city site.
dcabarle
Administrator
After seeing this, I'll never understand why people need to cheat by flossing.
LyNcH
Dries, wets, nymphs and streamers...it's all good!
According to reports, the action still is insane up on the river. If you want to experience early King fishing before the toothless crowds jump out of their 2x4 bed-framed trucks in neoprene waders and mono-lined eagle claw fly rods, I suggest heading up this week. Cohos have started entering the system as well. Monday and Tuesday can't come fast enough!
dcabarle
Administrator
Yeah?? Try playing hockey against a bunch of guidos from Staten Island.
CTobias
Professional BS'r
Screw the salmon river. Unless you enjoy snagging with fifty of your closest friends I wouldn't even bother. This low water sucks, can't even get room to properly fish. You can see the fish in front of you with sucks. I could have left with a sore arm, but I came to fish not snag.
Might try and find room on the DSR tomorrow. Hit a couple on swung bunny leaches and lost one right at my feet. Hooked all those fish while listening to a guy upstream teach his kid to snag. "One. Two. Three. Lift!" that's exactly what he told the kid.
I'm not surprised at all. Just disgusted that people don't think these fish will hit.
I had more fun pulling spoons on the lake. We need water.
Might try and find room on the DSR tomorrow. Hit a couple on swung bunny leaches and lost one right at my feet. Hooked all those fish while listening to a guy upstream teach his kid to snag. "One. Two. Three. Lift!" that's exactly what he told the kid.
I'm not surprised at all. Just disgusted that people don't think these fish will hit.
I had more fun pulling spoons on the lake. We need water.
trico mike
make mine wild
Here is somthing i dont get, Lynch said the way to catch these kings is to use an indicator and that people swinging are lining or snagging. Chris reported he got some swinging. What is the proper method?Also why does everybody worry and complain about others and how they are fishing just go and have a good time, if thats not possible stay the fuck home!
i landed more fish than i can remember,,that were caught in the MOUTH!!..and if its done rite and you fish with your eyes you can target fish that with the rite method and a little luck they will take a fly..without a friggin doubt..i watched many open there mouth and take my fly..i used an unweighted small comet so as not to snag fish..my fly rode above fish..not under them..i dont fish the holes where there stacked..i target the groups of 3 or 4 that move then hold up in a seam or pocket..put a fly long enough in there site window and you will get some takes..if u stay away from the holes and arent afraid to walk we had no problem finding plenty of water to ourselves with hardly any anglers..that holds true anywhere.we fished the dsr.
CTobias
Professional BS'r
Didn't fish the DSR today, but I should have. I am sure a ton of fish came in with all the rain we had.
Fished Pineville this morning but didn't get any takers. Looked down in the hole from the bridge and there were at least 500 fish staging to run up. Down by 2A had a lot of fish moving as well.
I doubt they will raise the water with the rain they got today. It was a good bit, but not enough at all. Rained all day up there and rained fairly hard for a couple hours.
Maybe I will actually get to the DSR tomorrow.
Fished Pineville this morning but didn't get any takers. Looked down in the hole from the bridge and there were at least 500 fish staging to run up. Down by 2A had a lot of fish moving as well.
I doubt they will raise the water with the rain they got today. It was a good bit, but not enough at all. Rained all day up there and rained fairly hard for a couple hours.
Maybe I will actually get to the DSR tomorrow.
LyNcH
Dries, wets, nymphs and streamers...it's all good!
Fished Monday and Tuesday. So many fish, I think I am done salmon fishing for the year. I do wish I hooked into more coho. I saw 2 steelhead in the water patrolling. I took a nice backwards fall over a rock in 4" of water. Elbow landed first, square on a flat rock. I have a nice chip on the elbow now. By buddy blew up his Beulah 8/9 10'6" switch rod, right above the cork on the butt section. Very strange, he only holds the cork and never the graphite when fighting fish. No split shot whacks there either. These fish are stupid strong. Oh yeah, his reels drag also blew up on him....he had a bad day in terms of beating up his gear.
Mike, when I am talking about lining fish, I am referring to the guys who put a ton of large split shot on their leader and tie a fly 4' below that. The weight brings their leader to the absolute bottom on the water column and swings through with their fly behind and actually above it in the current. This set up is a lining set-up. When guys are "swinging" streamers, the sinking leaders is not below the fly in the column and never on absolute bottom. Also, with a properly swung fly the leader will not beat the fly to where the targeted fish are, it'll be one even swing. Sounds confusing, but it all makes sense in my mind!
Mike, when I am talking about lining fish, I am referring to the guys who put a ton of large split shot on their leader and tie a fly 4' below that. The weight brings their leader to the absolute bottom on the water column and swings through with their fly behind and actually above it in the current. This set up is a lining set-up. When guys are "swinging" streamers, the sinking leaders is not below the fly in the column and never on absolute bottom. Also, with a properly swung fly the leader will not beat the fly to where the targeted fish are, it'll be one even swing. Sounds confusing, but it all makes sense in my mind!
Philthy Phil
more fish than posts
I'm thinking of heading out early morn (like 3 am) on Sunday and fishing through Monday...
Have the goons taken over the river yet?
I'm hoping to get into some Cohos and maybe some steel or browns...
Have the goons taken over the river yet?
I'm hoping to get into some Cohos and maybe some steel or browns...
CTobias
Professional BS'r
The goons are out in full force. Been on the river every day this week. Only fished the SR for an hour and a half today. Had one hard take and trout set it. Oh well.
Rugby10
Only Dry Flies Count...
flyI4
Fishizzle, I use worms but I'm looking to upgrade!
I have a feeling fishing is going to be stupid with numbers this weeekend but I'm really only looking for Coho and steelies. I also don't care to fish these bone dry riffles I keep seeing people taking video in, its a joke how people put these videos up thinking its so great, I look at it like I'm sure many others do and think how the hell do you even get a drift in there, let a lone enjoy the process of hooking a fish. I'll do what I can to find a run with some decent flow still left flowing through it.
Everybody's Friend
Liberal
I took video in a bone dry riffle for my students.
So they could see the fish running...
I wasn't fishing.
I was in my sneakers. Making a video...
For my students at school.
Were you talking about me? Or my video ?
Simms
New member
My goons crew is up there now. They said fishing is good...well, snaggging. My dad has gotten into some nice chromers and few small browns.
I've been in the hospital so my next time up will be clown day weekend.
Good luck everyone!
And remember, when fishing river left, and your fly is on the outside of the fishes mouth on river right, HE DIDN"T HIT...
I've been in the hospital so my next time up will be clown day weekend.
Good luck everyone!
And remember, when fishing river left, and your fly is on the outside of the fishes mouth on river right, HE DIDN"T HIT...
Trouser Trout
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
Just as a suggestion GB, your students would relate to your video better if you were atempting to harvest a spawning salmon with a spear.
Trouser Trout
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
True Simms, but these are high school kids in their early twenties, I think they have a solid grasp on the fundamentals like banana peeling, watermelon carving, and tree swinging, your idea would be much better suited for the primate i mean primary grades where the children are still in their early teens.
Simms
New member
TT,
Yes, the more I re-read both of our comments, your latest one makes the most sense.
Now, tell me, what grade/age do they learn how to properly fling fecal-matter?
Trouser Trout
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
From all accounts and observations the above mentioned skill is not a learned or taught act, it is natural and part of the simian genetic code. Much like a pointing dog instictively points, and retrievers instictively retrieve. And like those natural skills, it can by all means be practiced and perfected, but not taught, for the same reasons you will not find any calculus texts in GB's school either.
Everybody's Friend
Liberal
Tonias, I would fish wwith you any fuckin day.
Trouser Trout
Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
That's easy to say when you don't have a job......
CTobias
Professional BS'r
River was filled with goons during the middle of the week! There are still some spots where you can find solitude, but the water is so low that fishing really isn't that great since you are limited to the areas you can fish.
Everyone says this is "the most fish they have every seen and the best run ever!" Well no shit asshole. The water is low so you can see more fish and they have no where to go. Swinging has been tough and I've only managed a few hard takes with nothing to show for it. I did rope a shark in the back when I was stripping in my running line. Guess my muddler wanted to hitch a ride.
Until we get more water I will fish my last few days else where.
Everyone says this is "the most fish they have every seen and the best run ever!" Well no shit asshole. The water is low so you can see more fish and they have no where to go. Swinging has been tough and I've only managed a few hard takes with nothing to show for it. I did rope a shark in the back when I was stripping in my running line. Guess my muddler wanted to hitch a ride.
Until we get more water I will fish my last few days else where.
flyI4
Fishizzle, I use worms but I'm looking to upgrade!
I did some walking below sportsmans down in those riffles there and had some nice solitude and the runs had some flow there that made for some more enjoyable fishing than what I saw in most other spots. I did see a decent pod of steelhead come in through the DSR on sunday and the reports today from there indicate people are getting into them here and there. It is a known fact however that DSR will exaggerate to fill the parking lot. I'll be waiting til late october for my return, trout fishing seems to be picking up anyway to pass the next few weeks
