Tributary Salmon

[ctranter]

So last year while walking my dog along the Humber I came across a few fisherman waist deep in waders and stopped to chat with them a bit. I asked them how they were catching Salmon. The reply was "Salmon don't feed when they enter rivers, instead the only way to catch them is to "accidentally" hook them. Couple minutes later I watched the same guy set the hook into a dorsal fin, and haul the beast into a net. I refuse to believe the only way to catch salmon is to snag them...

 

So this year I would love to experience the salmon run, but I want to do it legitimately. I know pretty much any Lake O tributary supports the salmon migration but I dont know what type of equipment to use.

 

Rod??? - I have a light St. Croix 11.5'er that I use for Steelehead, is this too light? Will a 20 lb salmon snap this if it runs downstream?

 

Line???? - I assume braid is ideal because its strength, yet the guys I talked to said they used 12lb mono.... really?

 

Tackle??? - The guys I watched on the humber used Rapala's and huge spoons, I can only assume because they made snagging easier. If its true that salmon don't feed on their migration, then what else catches them legit?

 

Technique??? - I did pretty well last season float fishing for steele, is this an effective technique for Salmon as well? The guys I watched were fishing very shallow... and using cast and retrieve technique.

 

Thanks for the guidance!

[glen]

That rod is too light. Go with a heavy spinning 8'er.

Line go with 10lb -12lb mono.

Yes they will bite.

You can catch them float fishing.

[craigdritchie]

Salmon fishing in rivers is a good news/bad news deal. The good news is they can be a lot of fun to catch. The bad news is that nothing attracts hordes of inbred idiots like a salmon run. So they quickly become just about impossible to catch legitimately as a result of all the morons wading in up to their chins and snagging the bejeezus out of them. Actually, snagging is the least of it - it's fairly common to see jerks chasing them up and down the rapids with landing nets, night and day. Popular rivers like the Credit, Humber and Bronte can be absolute war zones on warm autumn weekends, so little wonder the fish get just a wee bit spooky.

 

If you can find undisturbed fish (and it's a big if) then they can be caught legitimately on regular steelhead tackle. Truth is, in most rivers they can't really go too far, so if you're patient, they're fairly easy to land on a medium to heavy steelhead rod and mono from maybe 6 to 10 pound test. Fluorocarbon is even better. Forget braid - it looks like rope in the water, and this is one kind of fishing where you want to be as subtle and low-visibility as you can. Your St. Croix should be fine providing you don't try to horse the fish. Regular float fishing techniques with roe or small dark-coloured flies will work just fine on fresh salmon.

 

In larger, deeper rivers, you're probably better off to use a heavier spinning outfit and cast small crankbaits like Flatfish, Kwikfish, Hot Shots etc. Cast across the pool and slowly retrieve so it swings across in the current. You might want to add a split shot or two, maybe a foot in front of the lure, to help get it down in the current. For what it's worth, this works really well in the frogwater down by the lake, and in harbour areas too. In fact it's probably the most reliable way to catch salmon legitimately from land. I've completely given up stream fishing for them in favour of this approach.

 

The best harbour and stream fishing is for freshly-arrived fish. They deteriorate quickly in shallow creeks like Bronte or the Humber, especially if the weather is a bit warm. Once they reach spawning condition, it's basically game over - they're focused on having fun with other salmon, so leave them be. A good rule of thumb is, if you can see the fish, then they can see you too. Move on and try somewhere else.

 

Chinook usually show up in the lower end of bigger rivers by the end of August, usually following a good cold rain. Coho are normally a bit later, normally October or November. Coho seem to respond to lures more consistently than chinook, but that's just my opinion.

 

Best advice I can offer is to get as far away from other people as possible. Some of these guys who show up for the salmon run are real Neanderthals. Honestly ... it's a wonder some of them can even walk upright.

[glen]

[alexcba]

i use a 9 foot noodle rod with a straight 6lb mono line and a spinning reel. you can use bigger rod, you'll just have to play the fish more.

 

salmon will hit in rivers, i have had some foul hooks i normally just snap my line the moment i realize this as fighting a snagged salmon is a fight i dont want but the majority are right in the yap. get your self set up with the equipment and you and i can meet up at old mill and fish together. i'll show you my brown/rainbow holes too. maybe if you enjoy it enough you can join in on our north of 89 trips.

[DRIFTER_016]

Salmon fishing in rivers is a good news/bad news deal. The good news is they can be a lot of fun to catch. The bad news is that nothing attracts hordes of inbred idiots like a salmon run. So they quickly become just about impossible to catch legitimately as a result of all the morons wading in up to their chins and snagging the bejeezus out of them. Actually, snagging is the least of it - it's fairly common to see jerks chasing them up and down the rapids with landing nets, night and day. Popular rivers like the Credit, Humber and Bronte can be absolute war zones on warm autumn weekends, so little wonder the fish get just a wee bit spooky.

 

If you can find undisturbed fish (and it's a big if) then they can be caught legitimately on regular steelhead tackle. Truth is, in most rivers they can't really go too far, so if you're patient, they're fairly easy to land on a medium to heavy steelhead rod and mono from maybe 6 to 10 pound test. Fluorocarbon is even better. Forget braid - it looks like rope in the water, and this is one kind of fishing where you want to be as subtle and low-visibility as you can. Your St. Croix should be fine providing you don't try to horse the fish. Regular float fishing techniques with roe or small dark-coloured flies will work just fine on fresh salmon.

 

In larger, deeper rivers, you're probably better off to use a heavier spinning outfit and cast small crankbaits like Flatfish, Kwikfish, Hot Shots etc. Cast across the pool and slowly retrieve so it swings across in the current. You might want to add a split shot or two, maybe a foot in front of the lure, to help get it down in the current. For what it's worth, this works really well in the frogwater down by the lake, and in harbour areas too. In fact it's probably the most reliable way to catch salmon legitimately from land. I've completely given up stream fishing for them in favour of this approach.

 

The best harbour and stream fishing is for freshly-arrived fish. They deteriorate quickly in shallow creeks like Bronte or the Humber, especially if the weather is a bit warm. Once they reach spawning condition, it's basically game over - they're focused on having fun with other salmon, so leave them be. A good rule of thumb is, if you can see the fish, then they can see you too. Move on and try somewhere else.

 

Chinook usually show up in the lower end of bigger rivers by the end of August, usually following a good cold rain. Coho are normally a bit later, normally October or November. Coho seem to respond to lures more consistently than chinook, but that's just my opinion.

 

Best advice I can offer is to get as far away from other people as possible. Some of these guys who show up for the salmon run are real Neanderthals. Honestly ... it's a wonder some of them can even walk upright.

 

 

Some good advice here.

To add, I always had good luck using Michigan Wigglers (flies) in chartreuse or orange.

Float fishing is IMHO the best way to legally hook fish, especially in pressured waters.

 

I found early on in my salmon fishing exploits that I foul hooked many more fish when bottom bouncing than I did once I went to the float.

 

Try and get away from the rubes and your chances for fair hookups increase dramatically.

[laszlo]

I've never punched someone in the face in my adult life but last year I seriously considered it many times

during the salmon run.

 

One day walking my dog along the Humber I saw 2 guys wading in the water in steel toe boots wearing work jeans casting into the dam with 5 foot light action rods snagging fish. Cave men came to mind.

[bare foot wader]

some good info mentioned above

 

IMO most legitimate method is float fishing

 

bottom bouncing(esp sight fishing) generally = flossing the salmon

[Dozer]

50 lb. braid, 3 oz. bell sinker and the biggest treble hook you can find!

 

...and did someone just say 6 pound test?!?!?

 

I stay away from the creeks during the salmon run.

[dave524]

Done the best with a float rod, larger than normal float and leader, egg loop on a stout hook and a big gob of fresh skein.

[12footspringbok]

First off in MY OPINION salmon are just as easily "flossed" in deep pools with float gear as they are in shallow pools bottom bouncing.

 

Now back to the original topic.

 

For rods i've used a few different styles and lengths but i prefer a 8-9ft medium action spinning rod. I use this because it is alot easier to move around with and not get tangled up in trees etc but still gives good control when figting a fish.

 

For line i like 12-14 pound test depends where you are fishing. These past few years i've opted for the 14 due to the heavy woodwork i usually fish around.

 

For lures some of my favourites would be jointed rapalas, spinners, diving crankbaits, and flatfish. I find different years the fish have different preferences, last year my go to bait was a rapala taildancer in pink/blue.

 

For technique i like casting in retreiving in pools directly downstream for some sort of obstruction like fallen logs or perhaps in a deep pool right behind a sandbar that comes up shallow. As already mentioned the majority of the time if you can see the fish the fish can see you and won't bite...Unless they are undisturbed and you are real sneaky

 

 

I think its true that the fish don't feed when in the rivers the bites are just reaction from the fish becoming territorial and being pissed that your invading their space. I've watched salmon come up from the depths of a pool to smash my lure with only 3 feet of line left from the tip of my rod and its quite a wakeup at 6 am Theres no better feeling than feeling a salmon smash your bait on the retreive. GOOD LUCK!

 

Heres a couple pics of some legit caught fish from last fall... It can be done.

 

[Musky or Specks]

Caught this one legitimately on a buchertail

 

 

So they do hit in rivers

[BillM]

Sure they hit in rivers, about 5% of the time, lol..

 

If you want some hard fighting chinnies, get out on the piers while they are staging, they'll be fresh and you'll experience exactly what a 25lb chinook can do.. Don't wait for it to be half dead swimming upstream.

[salmon]

Sure they hit in rivers, about 5% of the time, lol..

 

If you want some hard fighting chinnies, get out on the piers while they are staging, they'll be fresh and you'll experience exactly what a 25lb chinook can do.. Don't wait for it to be half dead swimming upstream.

 

X2

What BillM said.

They are much more fun at the piers. Gave up the rivers many a moons ago. The only time I will get into the river @ October, November. When the circus leaves town.

[torco]

I agree with most about the piers and mouths of rivers. They are alot of fun when they are fresh and the rivers become a circus but to each his own. You can have fun catching salmon in the river and it can be done legally and many would argue ethically.

 

I am sure between now and October we will read countless debates and horror stories involving this annual event.

[asdve23rveavwa]

Sure they hit in rivers, about 5% of the time, lol..

 

If you want some hard fighting chinnies, get out on the piers while they are staging, they'll be fresh and you'll experience exactly what a 25lb chinook can do.. Don't wait for it to be half dead swimming upstream.

 

I second Bill's statement. Hit the piers in the evening/dark for the best action. At least some of the fish are still worth catching. Once they are in the river, unless you are fishing big water, they really aren't worth pursuing.

[bucktail]

Nothings better then a big old marshmallow, giant treble and 50 pound test!

 

Seriously rattlebaits , cranks and glow in the dark spoons all work wonders from the pier and in estuary staging areas.

 

Get there VERY early at least an hour before sun up as the first crack of light they start to wind down in there agrressiveness most of the time.

 

Darren

[ctranter]

Some great advice, thx guys. Hope to see you out there

[fishinguypat]

yeah as many others stated they do bite in rivers, but if the salmon are spooked it is much harder for them to bite, thats why usually the first person at the new hole gets the bite.oh and i wondered does port dover even have a salmon run?

[Cudz]

you and i can meet up at old mill and fish together. i'll show you my brown/rainbow holes too. maybe if you enjoy it enough you can join in on our north of 89 trips.

I would be very careful of this invite. Alex wants to show you his brown hole.

 

Sorry Alex. Couldn't let that one go by without a comment.

[vinnimon]

yeah as many others stated they do bite in rivers, but if the salmon are spooked it is much harder for them to bite, thats why usually the first person at the new hole gets the bite.oh and i wondered does port dover even have a salmon run?

 

 

Never seen salmon there.But nearby I have!

[ctranter]

I would be very careful of this invite. Alex wants to show you his brown hole.

 

Sorry Alex. Couldn't let that one go by without a comment.

 

 

Well played, sir

[mk2vr6]

definitely chucking spoons off the piers during the staging and early runs is where it's at. Once they are up in the rivers they are mostly a nuisance when you are trying to fish for browns and fresh steelies.

[CLofchik]

1) The last time I drifted the Humber & Credit rivers for Kings I saw a guy running through the riffles chasing salmon with a sword. A flippin' SWORD!

2) Any GTA river will have hordes of goobers exactly 22 minutes after the first pod of Kings show up (I've timed it several times)

 

Sure they hit in rivers, about 5% of the time, lol..

 

If you want some hard fighting chinnies, get out on the piers while they are staging, they'll be fresh and you'll experience exactly what a 25lb chinook can do.. Don't wait for it to be half dead swimming upstream.

 

What he said, ofcourse there's times when the fish are seriously running the rivers or inbetween pods of running fish when the piers fall silent. The lower estuaries of rivers are probably the most reliable places to fish, and as a bonus flossing them is significantly harder when they have some depth to play with so the hordes of goobers generally leave the stretch of river between the pier and first few rapids alone. Chucking wobbling or rattling lures in the deep holes pick up plenty of fish, but drifting a hunk of skein under a float just off bottom can tempt the most tight lipped of salmon most of the time. Plus the mud sharks in the estuaries still have some water to play with and put up a better fight than shallow pools.

 

 

Learn how to tie an egg loop and pick up some skein. Most trollers will gladly give up some skein if you ask, so boat ramps with a fish cleaning station are a good place to score some free eggs.

[steverowbotham]

I would be very careful of this invite. Alex wants to show you his brown hole.

 

Sorry Alex. Couldn't let that one go by without a comment.

 

LMAO