Salmon
“The act of fishing – for fish, dreams or whatever magic is available – is enough. It transports us to a special world, and a state of mind, where we are free.”
Fennel Hudson
Fly fishing for salmon is a beloved pastime among anglers and outdoor enthusiasts. It requires a unique set of skills and knowledge, including understanding the behavior and habitats of salmon, selecting the appropriate equipment and flies, and mastering the techniques of casting and presenting the fly.
For Fly Fishing, is dedicated to providing expert guidance and resources for those looking to improve their fly fishing skills and catch more salmon. It does not matter if you are a beginner or a seasoned pro, there is something for everyone.
We provide articles, videos, and tutorials that cover a wide range of topics, from selecting the right fly rod and reel to mastering advanced casting techniques and choosing the best flies for different salmon species.
When you want to go fly fishing for salmon to the next level, you have found what you are look for at forflyfishing.com. Our goal is to help you land the catch of a lifetime.
What is a Salmon:
Salmon are a type of fish typicaly found in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It is an important food source and a popular sport fish. Salmon are known for their pink flesh and their ability to swim upstream to reproduce, "spawning".
There are many different species of salmon, including chinook, coho, sockeye, pink, and chum salmon:
- Chinook salmon: Also known as king salmon, these are the largest species of salmon and can grow up to more than 100 pounds. They are found in the North Pacific Ocean and are prized for their high fat content and rich flavor.
- Coho salmon: Also known as silver salmon, these are smaller than chinook salmon and typically weigh between 6 and 12 pounds. They are found in the North Pacific Ocean and are known for their silver skin and reddish-orange flesh.
- Sockeye salmon: These are medium-sized salmon that are known for their bright red flesh and are found in both the North Pacific and North Atlantic Oceans. They are highly prized for their flavor and are commonly canned or smoked.
- Pink salmon: These are the smallest species of Pacific salmon, weighing between 2 and 4 pounds. They are known for their pale flesh and are the most abundant species of salmon in the North Pacific Ocean.
- Chum salmon: Also known as dog salmon, these are smaller than other species of Pacific salmon and are known for their dark, almost purple flesh. They are found in the North Pacific Ocean and are commonly caught for sport or used for bait.
Salmon are native to the North Atlantic and Pacific Ocean regions. They are anadromous, meaning they are born in freshwater streams and rivers, migrate to the ocean to live and grow, and then return to their birthplace to spawn. This will sometimes involve swimming long distances even including climbing up waterfalls.
However, there are some like the Kokanee salmon which is a landlocked form of sockeye salmon, they are native to the lakes in western North America. Like some of the other landlocked salmon, kokanee do not migrate to the ocean but spend their entire lives in freshwater. They are known for their bright red flesh and are popular among anglers. These salmon are smaller than their anadromous cousins, the adults will avereage about 12 inches and weigh less than a pound. They are native to the mountains of the western United States and Canada, and are commonly found in high-elevation lakes and reservoirs.
Salmon will usually be found in cold, clear streams and rivers. They are known to have an excellent sense of smell, which helps them to return to their birthplace. They have a strong jumping ability, that helps with navigating around obstacles in their path.
Salmon is an important food source for people around the world, and are an important cultural and spiritual symbol for some indigenous communities. While they are awesome to eat fresh, they can be canned, smoked, and even made into jerky.
Day in the life of a Salmon:
The life of a salmon begins when they lay eggs in the gravel of a freshwater stream or river. The eggs hatch into alevins, which are small and translucent they conitue to be attached to their yolk sacs for nourishment. After a few weeks, the alevins absorb their yolk sacs and emerge from the gravel as fry.
After they the yolk sac is absorbed the fry will begin to feed on small insects and crustaceans growing quickly. While growing they become sleek, streamlined body the shape and they develop the coloring and markings of their specific species.
After a while the salmon fry become ready to migrate to the ocean, they begin something called smoltification, which is a series of physiological changes which make them prepared for life in saltwater. The changes help them develop scales, salt glands, and the ability to swim downstream to the ocean.
After they get to the ocean, the salmon will continue to grow and become mature, the salmon will eat small fish, squid, and other marine animals. Depending on the species of salmon it can take up to 5 years for the salmon to be ready to return to their birthplace to spawn. At this point hey will begin the challenging journey upstream, aidded by their sense of smell and their acrobatic jumping skills to pass the obstacles and waterfalls ahead.
Once they arrive at their spawning grounds the salmon will lay their eggs in the gravel and at this point will die shortly thereafter. The life of a salmon is a complicated and interesting process that involves multiple stages of growth and development. It is a testament to the adaptability and resilience of these remarkable fish.
Picking a Fly Rod:
Picking the right fly rod will depend on the salmon that you ar targeting, including the size and strength of the salmon. The last thing you'll want to do is use a pole that is rated for a 125 lbs. King Salmon when you are fishing for a 1 1/2 lbs. Kokanee. Another consideration is weather or not you are fishing a lake, in the ocean, in a river or in a smaller stream. Here are a few things to consider when choosing a fly rod for salmon:
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Length: A longer rod will encourage longer casting distances and better accuracy, this is important if fishing for salmon in large bodies of water. On the other hand, a shorter rod is maneuverable and easy to handle in tight areas like streams and when fishing from a boat.
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Action: fast-action rods will have stiffer tips and are more responsive, this improves your ability when casting larger flies and fighting larger fish. Slower-action rods have softer tips and a more forgiving blank, this will be easier to cast and will keep your lighter tippets in tact.
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Weight: Rod weight of is usually determined by it's prefered line weight, this is the size of fly line that the rod was made to handle. A heavier rod for casting heavier line and flies, this is helpful when chasing larger salmon or in windy conditions. A lighter rod is easier to handle and more versatile covering a wider range of situations.
Finaly, the best fly rod for salmon fishing depends on the specific conditions being fished. Sometimes it is helpful to try out a few different rods to see the one you like the best.
Popular Fly Poles
Brands | Description |
These rods have a fast action and strong blank, this makes them a great choice for casting large flies and fighting strong fish. They are available in many different sizes. They are popular when fishing for salmon in both freshwater and saltwater. | |
Known for being lightweight with a responsive design, this makes them easy to cast and handle. They offer many choices for size and action, work for salmon in both freshwater and saltwater. | |
Known for their fast action, sensitivity, and being a strong blank, this makes them accell when casting large flies and fighting fish. Many sizes and actions to choose from while also suited for fresh and saltwater. | |
Fast action and powerful blank, well-suited for casting large flies and fighting strong fish. Many sizes and are popular for targeting salmon in both freshwater and saltwater. | |
Scott G Series fly rods are made of high-modulus graphite blank, featuring a sleek, modern design. They are equipped with high-quality components, titanium stripping guides, snake guides, and burled wood reel seat. These are available in a range of sizes and work great for targeting salmon in both freshwater and saltwater. | |
Fly rod is made out of a blend of carbon fiber with other advanced materials, this gives the rod a lightweight and responsive feel. It's available in a range of sizes and can be used in both freshwater and saltwater environments. |
Salmon Flies:
Salmon flies are a fly used when fly fishing for salmon. For the most part they are large and colorful, and created out of a variety of materials used to make the body, wings, and hackle. The flies are designed to mimic the behavior of what salmon eat, such as baitfish, crustaceans, and insects.
Flies being used for salmon fishing dates back hundreds of years, the first recorded use of fly fishing for salmon was in the 16th century. As the years have passed, fly tiers have created many different patterns to imitate what the salmon eat. They include wet flies, nymphs and more complex patterns created for the body, wings, eyes and hackles.
There are many reliable salmon flies patterns, but modern fly tiers have made a number of new patterns that use new materials and techniques. The flies highly effective when trying to catch salmon, and used with the trusty traditional patterns.
Fly Patterns:
Flies | Materials | Fly |
Cascade | Hook – Double Salmon Hook (size 12 to 8) Thread – Black 8/0 Tag & Rib – Medium oval tinsel Tail – yellow & flame orange bucktail, 2 strands of crystal flash Body rear – Holographic silver tinsel Body front – black thread Wing – Arctic Fox & 2 strands of crystal flash Hackle – orange cock over yellow cock |
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Green Highlander | Hook: salmon hooks sizes #1/0 to #8, Wet Fly Hooks in size #6 Thread: 8/0 Thread in Black Tag: Oval Silver Tinsel / Yellow Floss Tail: Golden Pheasant Crest Butt: Ostrich Herl in black Rib: Oval Silver Tinsel Body: Rear 1/3 Yellow Floss Front 2/3 Green Seal Fur Green Hackle Underwing: Golden Pheasant Tippet Overwing: Mix Green and Orange Buck Tail Wing: Red Squirrel Tail Cheeks: Golden Pheasant Neck Feathers (Red) Hackle: Yellow | |
Silver Doctor | Hook: Spey Hook 1 1/2 size Thread: Uni-thread 8/0 fire orange or red. Tag: French silver oval tinsel 8/0 and one of four strands of bright yellow rayon. Tail: One or two golden pheasant crest feathers, 2 imitation blue Kingfisher feathers. Butt: Imitation red seal fur. Ribbing: Medium oval silver tinsel. Body: #12 flat silver tinsel. Underwing: (Optional) Golden pheasant tippet. Wing: Red, blue and yellow fine bucktail and fox squirrel. Hackle Collar: Two silver doctor blue hen or soft rooster. Hackle: (Optional) Braham hen soft hackle or saddle feather as veiling. | |
Thunder and Lightning | Hook: 8 Daiichi 2421 Salmon Hook
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Popham Beach | Hook: From 7 to 11 Tag: Gold twist Tail: Golden pheasant topping Butt: Two turns of peacock herl Body: Three parts - yellow, blue, and orange floss. At each joint: one or two turns of peacock herl veiled with three or four of the small red Indian crow breast feathers Rib: Fine gold twist; blue jay, hackle at shoulder Wing: Mixed - fibres of gold pheasant tail and tippet, bustard, teal, blue, yellow and claret-dyed swan, and a topping over all Head: Herl | |
Blue Charm | Hook: Salmon Wet Fly 4-12 Thread: Black, Yellow | |
Wolly Bugger | Hook: Size 8 3XL or 4XL streamer hook Thread: BlackTail (choose color) Tail: Marabou to match body color. Can add a few strands of flashabou. Body: Thread-core chenille (choose color) Hackle: Grizzly woolly bugger hackle.
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Egg Sucking Leech | Hook: 4x long standard streamer Thread:3x or 6x color to match abdomen of the fly (e.g. black, olive). An alternate color can also be used which blends more closely with the color of the material representing the egg (e.g. orange, red, etc.) Tail: marabou plume (black) with 3-5 strands of flashabou Abdomen: saddle hackle and chenille (black) Head: (options) polyyarn, polar chenille, egg yarn, etc. Lead free wrap diameter to match the hook shank | |
Glo Bug Salmon Egg |
Hook: Size 6 Egg Cadis Thread: Color to Match Yarn Body: Glo Bug yarn
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Tying up this topic, fly fishing for salmon challenging, rewarding and it offers fly fishers the chance to chase one of the most sought-after species of fish in the world. It does not matter if you're fishing in freshwater streams, rivers, lakes or in the ocean, you'll find that there are a variety of techniques, flies, and rods that can be used to catch the fish you've always dreamed of. Don't forget conditions and species vary, but when you do little homework for the specific area you plan to fish, the reality of success is much closer. When you have patience, dedication, and some luck, you'll be on your way to catching the fish of a lifetime. Thank you for visiting our website, and we hope you'll come back soon for more tips and insights on fly fishing for salmon. Don't Forget to Check Your Fly!
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