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Thread: Skagit Fishing for King Salmon on the Feather

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2012
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    Grass Valley
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    Default Skagit Fishing for King Salmon on the Feather

    I posted a similar question in the Steelhead and Salmon section yesterday and got no response, maybe someone here has some ideas?

    I'm considering going down to the Feather River to try swinging flies for Kings with my two handed rod. I've caught them before when steelhead fishing in the past with an indicator rig and glo bugs. I wasn't really targeting Kings at the time. I would like to try swinging intruder type flies and specifically go after the salmon.

    I figure I should start by swinging big chartreuse and white intruder type flies in the deeper channels with a heavy/fast sink tip. I guess that the alternative is have an indicator rig and fish glo bugs but that seems foreign to me on a long 2 handed rod. I haven't ever tried indicators on a skagit setup and I'd probably end up untangling birds nests in my leader all day.

    Any advice on the best way to start out?

    Thanks,
    Joe

  2. #2
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    Aug 2012
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    Subscribed.
    I have done this exact thing and have only gotten one hookup. Contrary to what I thought to use, (big gaudy fly), a guy that fishes there a lot with success insisted that small (4,6 standard length wet fly hook) bright flies are the way to go.

  3. #3
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    Jul 2015
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    Idaho Falls, Id
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    Comets worked back in the 60's/70's for my Dad. He used a shooting line and a HEAVY shooting head. I remember him even using lead core heads. His theory was that to get a hookup a guy had to dredge the bottom. Anyway, it worked. I think the theory of small flies is good. My Dad's comets looked like a size 6/8 tie on a #2 gold hook. Good luck and hold on. I've only been in danger twice in my life of being spooled. Once by a 29 inch Bow on the Henrys Fork and once by a huge Chinook on the Eel.

  4. #4
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    Aug 2012
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    Of course, Comets! I hadn't thought of that yet.

    That's definitely an old school Eel river sort of salmon fly and way easier to cast than a half a chicken sort of intruder. Plus it'll get down to the bottom faster.

    I'll tie some up in chartreuse and white tonight and go try.

  5. #5
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    Aug 2011
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    Piedmont, CA
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    Quote Originally Posted by TahoeJoe View Post
    Of course, Comets! I hadn't thought of that yet.

    That's definitely an old school Eel river sort of salmon fly and way easier to cast than a half a chicken sort of intruder. Plus it'll get down to the bottom faster.

    I'll tie some up in chartreuse and white tonight and go try.
    I used to fish the Feather for kings every August. The fly selection is not as important as getting the offering close to the bottom. I did however have better luck with a bead chain eyed, chartreuse bugger tied on a size 2 or 4 salmon hook.

  6. #6
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    Default Salmon Flies....

    Just to add a thought, during the late 70's/early 80's, I fished the Sacramento River below the Red Bluff diversion dam. Current was swift but you could drift a part through several holes/runs down to Los Molinos for Kings. The fly of choice was a heavily weighted, Black Boss (silver rib, brown hackle/tail). Very effective.
    .
    "America is a country which produces citizens who will cross the ocean to fight for democracy but won't cross the street to vote."

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  7. #7
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    Darian,

    Thanks for the advice. I hadn't really thought about the Sacramento yet. I haven't ever floated that section of the river. Looking at the river from the google maps satellite view, it actually looks like there are more places to get out of the boat and spey fish than in the high flow area of the Feather (gravel bars and such) . It's probably less crowded too.

    --Joe

  8. #8
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    Jan 2005
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    October is the top month on the Lower American River because that is when we get high numbers.

    Salmon are coming in the river right now though but not thick enough for success on flies?

    Maybe 10 or more years ago Andy Guibord, Chuck Campana and Joe Shirshac were wading just below the River Bend (Goethe Park) bridge on the River Bend side for King Salmon on a fly. I think they used some egg imitations?

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    Bill Kiene (Boca Grande)

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  9. #9
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
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    Dont discount an egg sucking leach for Salmon and Steelhead on the Feather and American!
    "God grant me the serenity to accept the size of fish that I catch, the courage not to fib about it, and the wisdom to know that no one would believe me any way".

  10. #10
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    Aug 2016
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    napa, ca
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    Tahoejoe, don't know if it helps or not but I started a thread asking for advice for swinging flies for chinook on the American river last month, should be under 'American river salmon' in the steelhead/salmon section on page 2; folks were generous with info. Haven't been out yet due to the heat. It sounded like the feather is also a good bet, but when I checked the flows saw it's at 7000 cfs near grossly. I wonder if I'm looking at the right section of the river? I've only fished the low flow section once for steelhead but definitley didn't seem anywhere near those flows.

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