The Salmon River King Salmon Migration "The Run"

Take a look at this video on a mini series that aired a few years ago on the Sportsman Channel about the annual migration of Chinook and Coho Salmon in lake Ontario. The Salmon river run starts in Pulaski, New York and ends deep up the river where these great fish will spawn and die. The economic impact the run has on the town of Pulaski is tremendous.

At the end of their life cycles Salmon will run up into the Salmon River and try to get as close to the exact spot they were released by the hatchery, and after the spawn will die. This video shows the tremendous instinct these fish have.

Fly Fishing: Casting, Knots, and Accessories

How to Cast a Fly Rod

It takes a lot of practice and patience to master the art of casting a fly rod. The different types of casting is a very important skill in fly fishing.

It requires gradual, synchronized movements. It helps to think of each movement, both the back cast and the forward cast, divided into three steps. The first is loading, the second is the momentum of projection, and the third is the pause.

There are several types of casts. The most common of these include the basic cast, false cast, side and reverse casts, roll cast, and double haul cast. 

The easiest cast, called the basic cast, is simply casting the line straight back and then directly forward. Anyone new to fly fishing should master the basic cast before going on to other techniques.  Use a short length of line to begin with if you are new to fly fishing. This will help you gain sufficient control of the line, while practicing short gentle movements.

The false cast is a variation of the basic cast. Practicing this type of cast helps to build precise timing that is required in fly fishing.The false cast is also used to dry out a dry fly that has lost its buoyancy.

The false consists of the same backward and forward movements as the basic cast, and is immediately followed by another set of the same movements. The fly line actually travels backward and forward repeatedly without touching the water.

The side and reverse casts are generally used when wind is a problem.  They are also used if there are obstacles that can make a regular cast difficult.

A roll cast is generally used if the fisherman finds himself with his back to such obstacles as a high riverbank or overhanging trees.  When these conditions exist, a basic cast is almost impossible. You need to let out a good length of line in front of you; it's best to let the current take it a short distance. The drag of the water on the line will load the rod, and you will need to gently lift and roll the line forward without executing a back cast.

Using a double haul cast in fly fishing will enable you to cast a much longer line than is possible with a basic cast. In order to do this you need to have a faster line speed. This is done by making much larger casting movements, applying more strength, and loading the rod more before the forward cast.  During this cast both hands of the fisherman must work independently.

The above five types of fly fishing casts are the ones used most often. There are many other types of casts also, including the S-cast, the parachute cast, and the mend cast.

Casting is the basic physical skill involved in fly fishing. Its purpose is to place the fly exactly where you want it to be, and just like any other skill it takes practice. Accuracy and the delicacy of the presentation are very important when fly fishing. Mastering the basics of fly casting first will make it easier to move on to the more difficult casts. Good Luck!

Checkout this video which covers all the basics of casting, knots, and picking the right gear!

Fly Fishing Knots

Fly fishing requires knowing a few knots, and learning to tie the right knots can make all the difference in the world to your success or failure.  It’s important to not only select the right knot for the situation but also to tie it properly. Poorly tied fishing knots will mean lost fish and frustration for you, so knowing about the right knots and how to tie them can be a huge part of your overall enjoyment of the sport, and the fly fishing experience.

Quick Tip 

Before you tighten a knot, moisten it with saliva or with the water you are fishing on. This will help the knot slide and seat properly. Lubrication also decreases excessive heat which can weaken the monofilament. Heat is generated by friction created when the knots are drawn up tight. Moistening the knot will reduce this heat and allow you to have good, strong knots.

Tighten knots with a steady, continuous pull. This is called seating the knot. Make sure the knot is tight and secure. To check this, pull on the line and leader to be sure it holds. It’s better to test its strength before you fish rather than to have it break once you get a hook-up.

You will need to know how to secure your line to the reel.  This is called “Backing to the fly reel” and there is a specific knot as to how to achieve that. When you are backing to the fly line, you should use either an Albright Knot or a Nail Knot.  The Nail Knot is also good for using when tying the fly line to the leader.

When securing the leader to the tippet, good knot choices include the Surgeon’s Knot or the Barrel Knot. Securing the tippet to the fly can be achieved easily with a Improved Clinch Knot.

Learn to tie these knots correctly, because the weakest part of a fly fisherman’s equipment is his knots. The video above has a section on knots. Practice tying knots before you get on the water.

Fly Fishing Accessories

In addition to the clothing and your balanced outfit there are many accessories that you should have for fly fishing.

Some of these accessories may seem strange, but when wading-out in fast moving water situations, it is best to have all of your gear and tools with you.

First is a fly fishing vest with plenty of large pockets, pockets large enough to fit your fly boxes.

You should also have a spring-loaded retractable spool that attaches to your vest to hold a pair of nail clippers. They come in very handy for trimming knots. 

You might want to attach a patch of rubber for straightening leaders. Ideally, the vest should have a large back pocket to carry light rain gear. Some vests also have a ring at the back of the collar, where you can attach the net to keep it out of the way.

The choice of your fly boxes is very important. One should have large compartments where you can store dry flies without crushing their hackles. You should also have one or two smaller boxes with foam linings and metal clips.  These are for holding your wet flies, nymphs, and streamers. Having a couple of small vials to hold your dry of flies after catching a fish also comes in handy.

A spare spool for your reel, already loaded with backing and line, is a good idea to have with you. Also a few spools of leader material, a leader wallet,  a sharpening stone, and a sharp knife are important for the fly fisherman to have within easy reach. Insect repellent  is essential when fly fishing.

Having a good pair of polarized sunglasses will help you to see the fish and protect your eyes from the damaging rays of the sun. It's also important to have a small pocket flashlight with a flexible neck.  This can be very useful for many things including changing flies at dusk or dawn.

Other useful items include a thermometer, a small first aid emergency kit, split shots in different weights (split shots are used to get nymphs and wet flies down deep, close to the bottom) and a small first aid emergency kit.

Many fishermen like to take a collapsible wading staff with them while fly fishing. It helps them to keep their footing if they are wading in a heavy current or on a slippery, rocky bottom.  A small cotton mesh net with a short handle comes in handy for netting your fish.

There are many other accessories available for fly fishing today. Many of the choices depend on each fisherman's personal preferences.

Artificial Flies

Purple and Black BeadHead WoollyBugger

In general, artificial flies are an imitation of natural food sources which fly fishers present to their target species of fish while fly fishing. Flies are constructed by fly tying, in which furs, feathers, thread or any of very many other materials are tied onto a fish hook.

Flies may be constructed to represent all manner of potential freshwater and saltwater fish prey to include aquatic and terrestrial insects, crustaceans, worms, baitfish, vegetation, flesh, spawn, small reptiles, amphibians, mammals and birds, etc. 

Dry Flies - Dry flies are designed to be buoyant, or land softly on the surface of the water. Dry flies typically represent the adult form of an aquatic or terrestrial insect. Dry flies are generally considered freshwater flies.

Wet Flies - Wet flies are designed to sink below the surface of the water. Wet flies have been tied in a wide variety of patterns to represent larvae, nymphs, pupa, drowned insects, baitfish and other underwater prey. Wet flies are generally considered freshwater flies.

Nymphs - Nymph flies are designed to resemble the immature form of aquatic insects and small crustaceans.

Emerger Flies - Emergers are designed to resemble the not quite mature hatching aquatic insect as it leaving the water to become an adult insect. Generally considered freshwater fly fishing trout flies.

Streamer Flies - Streamers are designed to resemble some form of baitfish or other large aquatic prey. Streamer flies may be patterned after both freshwater and saltwater prey species. Streamer flies are a very large and diverse category of flies as streamers are effective for almost any type of gamefish.

Egg Patterns - Egg flies are all designed to resemble the spawn of other fish that may be encountered in a river and consumed by the target species.

Flesh Flies - Flesh flies are designed to resemble the rotting flesh of pacific salmon encountered in a river and consumed by the target species.

Saltwater Flies - Saltwater flies are a class of flies designed to represent a wide variety of inshore, offshore and estuarial saltwater baitfish, crustacean and other saltwater prey. Most of the time you see a pattern it will represent of a shrimp, crab, baitfish, or a combination of them. Saltwater flies generally are found in both sub-surface and surface patterns.

Rainbow Trout Fishing is a Sport for Everyone

If you are interested in fishing for rainbow trout, I have compiled some info and great practical tips for any angler, but the article is geared more for the beginner!

So, here we go: There's a lot of information involved like the appropriate gear, and different bait and lures you can use before you take-off for your local stream or lake.

This article will cover some of their habits, where they live, the best season to catch them and choosing what type of bait is best for specific waters and conditions! Trout fishing is a sport for everyone. You don't need a boat and motor, a depth finder, a pH meter, a guide, or any expensive tackle. All you need is a spinning or spin-casting outfit in working order, a box of hooks, some night crawlers.

Rainbow trout are NOT considered finicky eaters and will strike a wide variety of lures, baits, and flies. Weighted spinners and wobbling spoons are preferred by many anglers.

Anglers that target these incredible gamesters with a fly rod often use streamers, muddlers, egg patterns and other imitations for catching these fish.

Rainbow trout, including juvenile steelhead in fresh water, routinely feed on larval, pupal and adult forms of aquatic insects (typically caddisflies, stoneflies, mayflies and aquatic diptera). They also eat fish eggs and adult forms of terrestrial insects (typically ants, beetles, grasshoppers and crickets) that fall into the water.

Other prey include small fish up to one third of their length, crayfish, shrimp, and other crustaceans. As rainbow trout grow, the proportion of fish consumed increases in most populations. Some lake dwelling forms may become planktonic feeders.

Habitat: 

Rainbow trout prefer clear, well-oxygenated, cold-water streams with gravel or rocky bottoms, deep pools, and natural cover. Unlike native brook trout, however, they also thrive in large lakes as long as there is cool, deep water. Their ideal temperature range is between 10° and 16° C (50° and 60° F) although they can survive warmer temperatures than some other species of trout. They are more sensitive to acidic water than brook or brown trout and prefer water with a pH of 6 to 8. Stocked rainbow trout can adapt to virtually any waters as long as they have proper habitat, year-round ideal temperatures, and adequate food sources.

In rivers and streams populated with other salmonid species, rainbow trout eat varied fish eggs, including those of salmon, brown and cutthroat trout, mountain whitefish and the eggs of other rainbow trout. Rainbows also consume decomposing flesh from carcasses of other fish. Adult steelhead in the ocean feed primarily on other fish, squid and amphipods.

Rainbow trout (a west coast native) don't commonly reproduce very well in Northeast rivers and lakes and should be maintained by stocking. They occupy the fast, big water utilizing different habitat when compared to the brown trout. Well known for their acrobatics (tail-walking), rainbows can offer any angler a simple thrill.

There are a number of methods used to catch trout, however newbie beginners should start with light spinning tackle. However many anglers seek more of a challenge by using a fly rod or fishing wild trout in crystal clear streams, but for now we're going to stick with the basics.

Inexpensive Spinning Gear is All You'll Need 

A lightweight spinning or spincasting reel outfitted with 4 to 6 pound test line.Use monofilament line no heavier than 6 pound test in cloudy or muddy water and no heavier than 4 pound test in clear water. A suitable trout fishing outfit would include: an ultra light, fast action spinning rod between 5 and 6 feet long, #10 to #14 regular shank bronze hooks and just a few small split shots for occasions when it's needed to get your bait in the target zone in swift moving water.

Natural Baits: 

It is hard to beat the good-old nightcrawler for baitfishing trout. It really has the perfect weight for a long cast and they're readily available. Hellgramites and water worms (insect larva) may also be good. They're harder to obtain in mid summer and are challenging to cast long distances, but are perfect for drift fishing. Small minnows (pinheads) work efficiently in early season as soon as the fish are sluggish, but you'll have to keep them alive in a minnow bucket.

Fishing the Nightcrawler 

Hook 50 % a crawler only once at either end and let the rest hang. Approach the pool quietly from downstream keeping well hidden a little distance from fish. Cast upstream over the pool allowing your crawler to drift back towards you. Your line will float, so keep an eye on it and you can determine if you get a bite. If you play it cool and don't disturb the water, you would possibly catch more than one fish from same pool. Be patient and fish carefully. Discover how to cast with accuracy. If you have disturbed the pool, move to another. 

Hellgrammites and water worms are highly effective when free-drifting naturally baits into a pool. You can attempt a delicate upstream cast and drifting the bait directly to the pool from upstream. This system is also useful when fishing a stream or pool that's protected using a fallen tree.

To sum up bait fishing: fish natural (natural drift, no bobber, no sinker, light line) fish afternoon hours in springtime, early morning in summer. One of my favorite strategies is to bait fish a stream on the way in , after which cast spinners to the same pools on the way back.

Lures

Spinners, jigs along with other minnow imitators also are very good for trout. Any color or style is apt to work, but match these colors and species for starters. Gold-Browns, Silver-Rainbows, Copper-Brookies. There are hundreds of rainbow trout lures that have proved to be successful, here are a few of the most popular. Some of the top lures for catching trout are:

Blue Fox Vibrax - This spinner runs from the surface to two feet, so it's a good choice for shallow scenarios. The die cast and chrome plated body has a laser holographic painted finish and emits sonic vibration when the interior section strikes the outer bell. The treble hook is dressed with calf tail and tinsel for visual appeal and enhanced profile.
Mepps Comet Mino - The popular Mepps Spinner. The soft plastic minnow's erratic swimming motion and hand-painted finish imitate an injured baitfish, while the flash and vibration of a Mepps spinner call attention to the presentation.
Luhr-Jensen Hus Lure - With a narrow profile and compact design, the Hus Lure casts like a bullet and cuts through surface current to reach big-fish depths. An erratic minnow-like action produces strikes with minimal angler-imparted action. Swift currents will "work" the Hus Lure for you, but in lighter flows, slight rod twitches snap the bait forward so it can flutter back into the current. 
Rebel Wee-Craw - Designed to imitate a crawfish scooting across the bottom, this 2-inch-long crankbait reaches 5-7 feet. Formed with a tucked-under tail by the bill and bulging claws facing the aft treble, the Wee Craw (and its Teeny version) give the appearance of a fleeing crustacean.
Rapala Count Down - A consistent sink rate of one foot per second allows for precise targeting of specific depths whether the fish are suspended, at the weed tops or holding on bottom structure. Trolled or cast, this weighted balsa lure swims with a slow-rolling Rapala action. Sized well for stream trout, the inch-long, 1/16-ounce CD01 runs 1-3 feet and sports a single No. 12 treble.
Panther Martin - Panther Martin inline spinners! Many fishermen call these spinners.... "The best of the best". Simply because they just catch fish! Doesn't mater where, when or what kind of fish your after! They work! Period! Great action, up or down stream, across current, with current! Doesn't mater! If it swims, Panther Martin lure will catch it! Many trout fishermen get all colors, and sizes, and claim it's all you need! They plain and simply catch fish! All types of situations, waters, time of year!

Synthetic Bait: Powerbait To Catch Trout 

Powerbait (or any other synthetic bait that comes on a jar) should float. Most of it does, but make sure that the variety that you're using is a floating trout bait. The floating aspect is critical, because we want our offering to be floating off of the bottom, above any underwater debris.

The next thing to consider is powerbait is best employed in lake fishing situations. Not only lake fishing situations, but also still fishing situations. Which means casting your offering out, and waiting for a trout to bite.

Another tip is begin by taking the end of your line and slipping on an egg sinker (1/4 to 1/2 an ounce). Now tie on a small barrel swivel (size 10 or 12) to act as a "stopper". On the opposite end of the barrel swivel, tie on a double or single hook (preferably size 8 or 10). This is your Powerbait rig. Now simply put
enough synthetic bait on each hook to completely cover the hook. You should now have 2 balls of Powerbait, with the double hook set-up, hanging from the end of your rod.

Now simply cast it out and let it sink. Slowly reel in the slack, until the line is completely taught, and set you rod against a stationary object. Now you wait for a trout to bite (the rod tip will begin bouncing when a trout bites). My general rule is to wait fifteen minutes to half an hour and if nothing happens, reel in, check your bait, and cast to a different spot.

Here is a great video explaining basic equipment and lure techique: 





Good Fishing!

Steelhead Fishing: The Metal Head is One Tough Fish

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It seems like no other fish can instill the deep rooted passion that the steelhead can implant. But when you do hook one of these chrome trophies it makes all those hours spent on the water worth while. Read more and learn when and where to catch steelhead, and how to choose tackle.

Two distinct strains of steelhead are stocked in Lake Ontario. The winter run "Washington strain" enters the tributaries of  Lake Ontario in mid-September, with the run PEAKING in mid-October through November. Lake Ontario is the closest to my home in Massachusetts and actually has one of the best steelhead stocking programs in the country.

The winter run for the Washington will slow considerably as water temperatures drop into the 30's. However, warming periods will bring new fish into the tributaries throughout the winter months. Many love the winter fishing, because of the small crowds and the surprisingly good cold-water fishing.

The "Skamania steelhead strain" is a summer run/spring spawner which was developed by the State of Washington from wild stocks on the Washougal River. The Skamania are only stocked in the Salmon and Little Salmon River and usually can enter the river in May with the bulk of the run coming in the late spring and summer.

What's it like to catch a steelhead?

Steelhead are powerful competitors, and pound for pound can match up with anything that swims. Many steelhead are lost within the first long run of the hookup - any little mistake made by angler or flaw in their equipment will often result in a lost fish.

The initial power run

• Don't try to stop or turn the fish on the first long run, try to get line back on your fly rod as quickly as possible - hold the rod tip high, and let the drag do the work. 
• If the steelhead gets distance on you downstream, in fast water, you usually have to chase it down.
• Keep the pressure on the fish and don't play the fish to exhaustion, especially if you intend to release it.

Although many like to chase steelhead with a fly rod, some of the other successful fishing techniques are spin tackle with spinners, spoons, and the very popular, float and salmon egg combo.

 Here is a video explaining steelhead fly rod setup!

 

Steelhead Water

Look for areas of pocket water formed by boulders in fast current. Logs or boulders, can buffer the fast current and also provide security. Steelhead seek-out spots of the river with moderate to fast flow with a medium depth range of  3-4 feet.

Steelhead do not prefer the bottoms of deep holes like Chinook Salmon . But when faced with low water conditions or heavy angling pressure they will seek-out a large pool, usually holding in the head and also in the tail out. Also look for seams in the river where two currents come together.

A mint silver colored fish color or "chromer" is a fresh run fish that recently left the lake and entered the river system. The longer the steelhead has been in the river, the darker in color it will become. Fresh run chromers are usually the most aggressive and easiest to catch. Steelhead prefer river temps in the 45 to 58 F range.

 On sunny days fishing is best at dawn and dusk, because steelhead have an aversion to bright light. On overcast rainy days, steelhead will remain active and moving all day.

Brown Trout Fishing: What You Need To Know To Be Successful

The brown trout  is native to Europe and Asia but has been stocked successfully in the North America and other regions.

Browns are the largest among the three types of trout species. Freshwater brown trout (Salmo trutta morpha) vary in color from silvery with few spots and a white belly, to the typical brown fading to creamy white on the fish's belly, with medium sized spots surrounded by lighter coloration.

The silver colored brown trout are sometimes mistaken for rainbow trout.

They may be the most difficult trout species to catch as they are finicky eaters and are cautiously intelligent. Intelligent in a way that they are always alert when it comes to baits. Frequent hang-outs for the browns are holes and the deeper runs. They like to feed either early morning or in late afternoon.  A 10 pound brown trout is considered a trophy catch and may exceed 30 inches in length.

Browns prefer cold or cool streams, rivers, lakes and impoundments. The species is more tolerant of higher water temperatures than other members of the trout family. A optimum water temperature range is 50 to 60 degrees, although the fish can tolerate water temperatures in the low 70s.
Older large brown trout live in deep lakes while you'll find the smaller guys and rainbow trout varieties in shallower, fast moving streams. The smaller brook trout is found in brooks and clear streams.

Within the United States, brown trout introductions have created self sustaining fisheries throughout the country. Many are considered "world class" such as in the Great Lakes and in several Arkansas tailwaters. Introductions of brown trout into the American West created new angling opportunities, none so successful from an angling perspective as was the introduction of browns into the upper Firehole River in Yellowstone National Park in 1890s. One of the earliest accounts of trout fishing in the park is from Mary Trowbridge Townsend's 1897 article in Outing Magazine "A Woman's Trout Fishing in Yellowstone.

Trout in general, whether it be brown trout or species like the rainbow usually require low temperatures and uncontaminated clean water with abundant oxygen supplies in order to thrive. Their foremost food sources are usually invertebrates like freshwater shrimps. They also feed on other aquaculture such as small insects which might fall into the river from the shrubs and trees around the river banks. The prime fishing water to look for when fishing for Browns is slow moving water with logs, under cuts in the banks, over hanging trees and brush, and rock shelves.

Brown trout can live 20 years, but as with the Atlantic salmon, a high proportion of males die after spawning, and probably fewer than 20% of anadromous female kelts recover from spawning. The migratory forms grow to significantly larger sizes for their age due to abundant forage fish in the waters where they spend most of their lives. Sea trout are more commonly female in less nutrient-rich rivers.

River and Stream Environments 

Depending on where in the world and which part of this country your talking about rivers and streams can have dramatically different patterns. Understanding how moving water shapes the stream channel makes it easier to find trout.

In most streams, the current creates a riffle-run-pool pattern that repeats itself over and over. 

A deep pool may hold big brownies, but rainbows and smaller browns are likely found in runs and riffles. Riffles have a fast current and shallow water. During the day light hours you will find small trout, called troutlet, feeding in these areas. Larger trout like feeding the ripples during morning and evening. Trout usually spawn just above or below riffles, but may spawn right in them.

Runs are found between riffles and pools and are generally deeper than riffles with a moderate current. The bottom is made up of small gravel or rubble. These hot spots hold trout almost anytime, if there is sufficient cover.

The deepest parts of the river are pools. Pools will appear smoother and look darker than the other areas of the stream. The deep, slow-moving water generally has a bottom of silt, sand, or small gravel. During midday high-light conditions, pools make good midday resting spots for medium to large trout, and should be your first "target" area during the day.

What Do Trout Feed On

Much like other aggressive gamefish, trout generally feed on other fish. When forage fish are not available, soft bodied aquatic invertebrates, such as flies, mayflies, caddisflies, stoneflies, mollusks and dragonflies, make up much of the trout diet. 

Nymph of a Golden Stonefly 

In lakes, various species of zooplankton often form a large part of the diet.

In general, trout longer than 12 in. prey almost exclusively on fish, where available.

Adult trout are very aggressive and will devour smaller fish up to 1/3 their length. Trout may feed on shrimp, mealworms, worms, insects, small animal parts, and eel.