Salmon on the Fly, Trinity / Klamath Glen

[Hortuna]

With the 1/2 ers being most of the action, I was thinking of targeting salmon. Being new to the fly fishing game, can anyone help me on how you would fish them. Swinging, Indicator, Etc? I plan on fishing in the next 10 days

Hortuna

[Bill Kiene semi-retired]

This time of year some will accidentally hook some smaller Jack salmon on the Klamath River while swinging flies for Steelhead.

You will see the big jet boats full of clients side-dragging fresh roe for salmon in the lower river.

So that is the "where" in the river which are deeper moving runs.

To get down in that you probably need an anchored boat and lead-core.

The Trinity River gets a run of salmon early too.

It is a smaller river and maybe easier to get a fly in front of those salmon.

Be sure to check the 2011 fishing regulations.



Try to fish more when it is low light level.

This is early and late in the day.

In the shade of the canyon walls.

During overcast weather or even the smoke of a forest fire.

From noon till 4pm take a nap..........

[Darian]

Hortuna,.... Your description of your skills doesn't give us much of an indication of whether you're familiar with Salmon fishing at all. That being the case, some reading material might help. An informative book that I'm familiar with is "Fly Fishing for Pacific Salmon II" by Les Johnson and Pat Trotter. This book covers most skill levels, tactics and flies.

There're several other books available about Salmon fishing in the salt as well as estuaries and rivers.

Another method of gaining that knowledge is to hire a guide (like Bruce Slightom) who lives in the lower Klamath area.

Altho Salmon can be caught from the bank or shoreline, a boat or a pram is best for Fly fishing. The estuary or lower part of a river that I've found to be best for a bank bound fisherman is the Eel River.

Good luck.... :D

[bclem81]

Hortuna,
I have found great success on the Trinity for salmon using Yellow sucker spawns, orange glo bugs and big red copper johns, and I mean big, sz 8-10 sometimes sz6. Thats if you are going to target salmon on the fly, and this would be under and indicator. I was up on the Trinity end of July, the salmon were in the deeper holes in the fly only water actively taking my flys, none up in the hatchery area though, they hadnt quit moved up yet. When they take your fly its for the most part a very supple take, so any movement of the indicator set.

Wish I could help you on the K but ive never fished it.

Hop this helps.

[Dan Harrison]

Caught this guy swinging a black rubber legs on the Trinity. Thought I had a really nice steelhead for a bit. Honestly most Kings caught in Cali on the fly are incidental. I have heard of people using large Prince nymphs under a indicator and I even tried it once and caught nothing.


http://i1143.photobucket.com/albums/n640/danharrison250/IMG_1580.jpg

[Darian]

"Honestly most Kings caught in Cali on the fly are incidental.".... :question: :question:

Not really sure what the basis for that statement comes from but have to assume that it originates from the old saying that Salmon will not take flies. Therefore, any Salmon caught on a fly is either snagged or an incidental catch. Trying a single time to catch a Salmon on a large Prince Nymph under an indicator is hardly a demonstration of the accuracy of the above premise. I don't want to start an endless debate on this or highjack the thread but it has been demonstrated many times over that Salmon will freely take a fly. 8)

Acknowledged, Salmon can be difficult to catch in a deep pool in valley rivers on a fly but are relatively easily caught, legally or not, on a riffle. The same would apply on the Klamath/Trinity rivers. I've fished both types of waters and much prefer to fish for them before they stage up in Riffles as it's almost impossible to avoid snagging them when the fly is bouncing over their backs. My personal preference is to fish them in estuaries where they are fresh from the ocean and likely to be very active....

At any rate, I would not discourage anyone from trying to catch Salmon on a fly. They're a lot of fun on a fly rod. :D

[Dan Harrison]

Darian see the beginning of the post, Trinity / Klamath. My response was only about these two rivers only. I could load this board with pics of salmon caught in Alaska and even there the best action for kings is at the river mouth or estuaries as you say. So what I am saying is that I think we agree more than you think.

[Frank Alessio]

Way to go Zen... Looks like fun...

[dpentoney]

I was on the Klamath the 10th of August for the first time in many years and it was strange. There was hardly anyone fishing. I had Blake riffle all to myself except for a couple of boats. No one was fishing for salmon at the mouth of the river at all. The Indians camped at the net sites did not have their nets in the water.

We used to start fishing the lower river by 4th of July, and always caught fish on the first outing. By the 10th of August things were in full swing. By then you could expect 10, 15, 20 fish mornings, (halfpounders) and it was disappointing if you did not get into a few bigger fish.

I heard that the guide boats heading upriver were getting 5 or six fish a day, which for 2 or 3 guys covering the amount of water they are able to seems like pretty slim pickings.

[Hortuna]

I was on the Klamath the 10th of August for the first time in many years and it was strange. There was hardly anyone fishing. I had Blake riffle all to myself except for a couple of boats. No one was fishing for salmon at the mouth of the river at all. The Indians camped at the net sites did not have their nets in the water.

We used to start fishing the lower river by 4th of July, and always caught fish on the first outing. By the 10th of August things were in full swing. By then you could expect 10, 15, 20 fish mornings, (halfpounders) and it was disappointing if you did not get into a few bigger fish.

I heard that the guide boats heading upriver were getting 5 or six fish a day, which for 2 or 3 guys covering the amount of water they are able to seems like pretty slim pickings.


Yeah, it is crazy. As a kid, fished Blake riffle, Terwer Riffle, 101 Bridge & the mouth all summer 1980 - 1983 as my grandfather was a 30 year vet of the river. We always fished shoulder to shoulder from July until we left in early September. Are any of those spots fishable??

Hortuna

Hortuna

[Terry Thomas]

Perhaps the reason for no nets out in the lower river was because of that little "fish" swimming around down there... a whale and her calf?

[dpentoney]

Yeah, it is crazy. As a kid, fished Blake riffle, Terwer Riffle, 101 Bridge & the mouth all summer 1980 - 1983 as my grandfather was a 30 year vet of the river. We always fished shoulder to shoulder from July until we left in early September. Are any of those spots fishable??

Hortuna

Hortuna

There is no longer any riffle to speak of under the 101 bridge or at Terwer. Blake is nice water though an easier wade than it used to be. The bottom is fairly level, it used to be much more uneven. Much easier to fish but less places for the fish to lay out of the current.

I was a fixture under the 101 bridge from '65 to '75. Lots of great times there.

I was also concerned about how much moss is growing on the river bottom everywhere except where there is a lot of current. Much more than there used to be. I noticed this also on the North Fork of the Smith. I'm sure this is due to increased nitrogen levels in the river from fertilizer leaching into the rivers from upstream marijuana cultivation.