Fishing Tackle And Tales

Fly fishing in fresh water for salmon is probably the greatest challenge there is when it comes to landing these ocean-going fish. Even though salmon steelhead fishing is notoriously difficult when it comes to getting them to bite on a fly, most fishers consider one catch in a whole day of well worth the effort and the bragging rights that come with it. Of course, novice fishers will not understand the big deal about landing one steelhead on a freshwater fly cast, but you can rest assured that experienced fishers will understand the real feat you accomplish.

These game fish are often caught casting in the ocean, but in most ways these ocean dwellers are vastly different animals than the ones that are found in freshwater. Spawning salmon, including steelhead and both the Atlantic and Pacific varieties, eat only occasionally if at all while migrating, so the food instinct is not something the fisher can count on to make them rise to the fly. The gear (including bait and tackle) needed to have a successful freshwater experience is thus totally different than that used either for true freshwater species or for saltwater fish.

When you look at flies used for freshwater casting, you will probably wonder what the heck they are modeled after. Most freshwater fishing flies take on the shape of various insects or larvae that the fish will bite on, while casting in saltwater will mean fish-imitating bait. The flies used as bait for salmon steelhead fishing in freshwater don’t look like anything at all. They are not designed to impersonate a food source of the fish, since most of them going back upstream aren’t eating anyway. Instead, they are created with the idea of either annoying the fish or arousing its curiosity in mind.

One exception to the rule is fly fishing for kokanee. Kokanee typically live in deeper fresh water, but like all species they do have a spawning instinct that tells them to move when it is time to mate. They can often be caught on flies that do resemble prey species, as they will eat when spawning. The most successful flies are nymphs, especially when attached to a lighter line that allows the fly to rise in the water, imitating the behavior of real nymphs. Kokanee can also be caught year round in fresh water habitats through trolling with bait such as roe and wet flies on a downrigger set up.

Once you do get one of these finicky fish to bite on a freshwater cast, you will understand why a landing s prized so highly. The rods and reels used for freshwater are often the same as those used for freshwater species (composed of graphite, and if you are salmon steelhead fishing you will probably want a stronger model), but no freshwater fish ever fights quite the same as having one of these specimens on the line. Be ready to fight these fish for every inch; even the small kokanee can take up to half an hour to land on a fly fishing set up.

You also may find our article on drift fishing interesting.  Click here for more information related to fishing.

You may publish this article only on the condition that all links are left working and intact.

Setting up for a great ocean fishing trip doesn’t mean focusing only on salmon fishing tackle. Tackle is important, of course, but you also want to make sure that you take other gear into consideration, such as fishing rods, fishing reels, the type of fishing line that you are going to use, terminal tackle such as hooks and weights, and of course baits and lures.

Different types of salmon fishing are going to call for different gear. Any ocean salmon fishing is going to mean that the salt water takes its toll on your equipment, and we’re not just talking your basic gear; if you fish in a boat, you are going to have to have your motor checked constantly- some estimates put the turnover rate for an inboard motor on the ocean at seven years. This can really add up, but there are tricks, like using fresh water coolant, that can help add life to your motor.

As far as salmon fishing tackle and gear, you should pay a lot of attention to the composition. Fishing rods and fishing reels should be made of a material that does not corrode, such as stainless steel, graphite (this is the most popular material in

ocean fishing rods), plastic, even wood. Don’t use equipment that is made of mixed metals; different metals will react in different ways to the salt content, and you could end up with a reel or rod that is 25% corroded; it will look fine for the most part but it won’t work.

There are different schools of thought when it comes to the right type of fishing line to use as far as your salmon fishing tackle is concerned, but in most cases the more expensive line is the best option. Now, it doesn’t have to be the MOST expensive fishing line on the market, but higher priced lines tend to be best for clear water fishing; the less visible line will not spook a fish off of your bait. More expensive lines are also more resistant to breaking, kinking, and tangling.

Casting can be one of the most rewarding salmon fishing experiences, especially when the costs are weighed against those incurred fishing from a boat. The tricky part can be in determining the right kind of flies; in fact, the only type of salmon that is really going to bite on a fly are steelhead. The flies you are going to be successful on for steelhead will depend on whether the fish are winter or summer run, and of course the kind of bugs that are around the river or stream you are casting on. The real challenge in casting for steel heads is just getting the fish to bite on any flies at all.

Ocean fishing for salmon, whether from a boat (mooching, trolling, or drift fishing) or from the shore requires some very specific salmon fishing tackle. You need hooks and weights that get the line down to the level that you want, but that also don’t pick up a lot of kelp on the way in. Bottom bouncers work great as lures for casting from a wharf or from the shore, and packed roe is one of the most successful baits. Remember that baits and lures for salmon are always based on smaller fish; bugs won’t get you a lot of bragging rights at the end of the day when it comes to salmon. 

For a great selection of fishing gear at discount prices visit: http://www.gosalmonfishing.com/all-fishing-tackle.php

Want to learn tips and techniques that the pros use for fly fishing? Visit: http://gosalmon.tofly2459.hop.clickbank.net/

Drift fishing gets its name from the fact that you are just drifting along in your boat; there is no motor, no need to get to one point or another, just you, the waves, and hopefully a school of salmon below you somewhere. Drift fishing will often mean both mooching and casting, depending on where you think the fish are. This means that you should have both an open face casting reel and line set up in case you spot salmon on the rise for a school of herring away from the boat as well as the usual gear and products for depth fishing.

The bait used in drift fishing is designed to give the impression of a wounded baitfish. This bait tempts salmon on several levels. Visually, flashes of light will catch the attention of the big carnivorous fish and lead them to the area. Of even more significance are the sound vibrations set off by the bait, which give them their colloquial term “bottom bouncers”. These vibrations attract fish from all over the area, who want to get a look at what’s in distress.

Both the movement and the sound created by the bait in drift fishing are designed to trigger a predatory response in salmon. All predators, both terrestrial and marine, are drawn to the easy meal that a wounded prey species represents. An animal wounded can’t get away as easily, and will trigger a “eat NOW” instinct in the brain of the predator. Easy meals are difficult to come by in any wild setting, and the fish want to snap it up before someone else does.

Because of the still water nature of drift fishing, it is important that the line used is lighter and won’t be spotted by an approaching salmon, especially the leader portions. Good leader will be lighter than twenty pound test.

Finally, the rods used in drift fishing are different from the ones that you will have success on while mooching. Mooching rods have soft tips, which allow a watching fisherman to see when the salmon takes the bait. Drift fishing is about the instant grab and then the fight, so a rod with a semi stiff tip is required to set the hook in the mouth of the salmon. If the rod is too stiff, however, you run the risk of tearing the hook right out of the salmon and losing the fish altogether because they don’t have as much play.

In drift fishing, you want to be moving the rod up and down, causing the vibrations which cause the salmon to go nuts. This up and down motion can be tiring on the wrists, so it is important that the rod has a good foot or so of butt length which will support your forearms. This length will also allow you some extra leverage against your stomach to help when reeling a fish in.

Drift fishing and mooching are peaceful, stationary ways to catch salmon out on the ocean, and both require quite a bit of patience and set up skill. Trolling, on the other hand, will allow you to take in a lot of scenery and try out a few different spots, and will be the subject of the next article in this series.

If you’re an avid fisherman, you may find this Largemouth Bass Extreme Fishing Guide! interesting.