Technique to get a Trinity Chinook to take a fly on the swing?

[flyaster99]

Having fished the Trinity for Steelhead, I have seen a good number of Chinook holed up in the deep pools but had zero success in getting any to take a fly despite using super fast sink-tips and heavily weighted flies on the swing. Hardware fishermen seems to have greater success with spoons and lures. So is it true that Trinity Chinook cannot be consistently taken on a fly rod on the swing? Or it it a case that I have not been trying hard enough?

[Walter]

Are you really in Singapore???

[flyaster99]

Are you really in Singapore???

Yes Sir, and its a looooong way from Lewiston and the Trinity.....

[Sizemict]

The Salmon in the T oftem move to the tailouts in the evenings. This is where I have had the best luck.

[Garrett S Realtor]

Lead core and a lot of flash...or tie a massive clump of roe to the end of your rod :) but seriously If you tie something similar to a massive roe ball that should work.

[flyaster99]

Thanks for the tip. Sounds like the problem is with my flies. I can usually find some fish and get the flies deep enough with heavy lines, but had never thought about adding flash and a "roe pattern"... ;) Guess the Chinook on the T is just not very into traditional Alaskan and BC Chinook patterns...

[Larry S]

Trinity and Alaska/BC? Apples and oranges. Try a Dupont spinner!
Best,
Larry S

[ycflyfisher]

So is it true that Trinity Chinook cannot be consistently taken on a fly rod on the swing?

I think that all depends on how you define "consistently" and "taken". I've definitely seen guys "hook" numerous Chinooks in a day "on the fly" targeting the springers in the fly only section and at upper Graveyard in late Sept. But they're all throwing some heavy duty kerplunk heads (really long heads) on floating runners that they lead with huge downstream bellies so the head literally whipsaws through a huge pod of salmon. They would tell you the chinooks are taking the fly. Most IMO would tell you they're flossing the fish.

I can't say I've spent any time targeting Klamath Basin Chinooks with a flyrod, but I usually get one every few years incidentally while targeting steelhead. Always jacks for me, and always when the Chinooks are upmigrating through the downmigrating fall dump of Trinity smolts or downmigrating pods of juvy shad on the Klamath. I think the presence of massive pods of tiny little fish downstream of your position definitely improves your chances of getting a Chinook to grab in the KMP, but in reality increases your odds from virtually nonexistent to marginally better than virtually nonexistent.

Every Chinook I've hooked took on a fast greasedline presentation with the fly sideways right in the surface film in a relatively shallow tailout. That said, we're talking about what amounts to a handful of Chinooks (for me) vs. a boatload of angler days on the water.

Since you're coming a long distance, if you feel you must catch a KMP Chinook (I can understand that) I'd take L's advice and bring a spinning rod to improve your catch rate.