Salmon Flies

**Tony Buzolich** · 07-01-2005, 10:46 PM

Hi Sturmer,and all.

Sorry I just lost my return post punching some wrong key so here it goes again.

I just now got in off the river and am glad to say everybody is still around, stripers, shad and salmon.

Quite a few shad are floating down half dead but I'm still seeing large spawning balls on the surface.
Better yet, the large stripers are gorging on these floaters like bass chasing poppers. I usually pull the boat out around 10:00pm because I get too nervous about leaving my truck in the dark otherwise I'd be out all night. These guys that are taking the biggest stripers do just that, ALL NIGHT. Big fish this week was 43lbs. Sad, and I told the guy so too.

As for early season salmon, use flash flies, anything that imitates bait in the ocean. These really fresh fish are still geared on eating anchovy and they'll chase baitfish imitations. Try small striper flies with a lot of flash.
Later I'll switch to coventional steelhead patterms in size #4 and #6. I fish them the same way as for steelhead with a quartering swing and short strips. I never fish egg patterns and never with an indicator. Use the old fashioned conventional steelhead swing for both the steelies and the salmon.
Hope to see you guys out on the water,
TONY

07-02-2005, 12:11 AM

Thanks Tony
Sounds like the way I always do it,but I never did well this early in the year.

**Bill Kiene semi-retired** · 07-02-2005, 08:52 AM

I think most of those people who catch the big fish take them home mostly to show off.

I don't think it is healthy to eat them?

Maybe it would be better to buy them a digital camera?

I am hopping they will get a "slot limit" here in CA.

The only problem is the commercial salmon interests and others would like to see the non-indigenous Striper eliminated.

**Tony Buzolich** · 07-02-2005, 10:10 AM

Hi Bill,
You're right about bringing those big ones in just to show off. Even the guys I work with all say "turn them loose".
Besides being an old fish and probably tasting bad, the toxin level has to extremely high from all the years of feeding in mercury laden waters around the bay.
The last thing I try to impress on these guys is that they are taking millions of eggs out of the spawning system when they kill a big fish like these.
One of the worst offenders holds fishing derbys fairly often so he can promote his own business.
I asked him about what he does with these big fish and he says he just chops them up and gives the meat away.

What a waste!

A slot limit would help protect some of these big fish but I think these kind of guys would still manhandle the fish to the point of death anyway before they had to release them.
TONY

HC · 07-02-2005, 11:30 PM

Hey Tony, I really like reading your great reports keep up the good work! I hate to confess this,but I am a complete idiot when it comes to salmon fishing. I can catch them when they are still in the ocean but in rivers I am screwed. Any gear or what ever I just suck at it. Some of it has to do with confidence I expect, and knowing that they really aren't eating it anyway doesn't help. So I could use some help with flash flies. That are they or is there a pattern I could look up? HC

**steve sullivan** · 07-03-2005, 01:50 AM

Originally Posted by Bill Kiene

I think most of those people who catch the big fish take them home mostly to show off.

I don't think it is healthy to eat them?

Maybe it would be better to buy them a digital camera?

So if you catch a 25 pound totally chrome spring salmon and want to take it home for a table salmon you are going to f*** yourself up healthwise? Or if you catch a 15 pound totally silver stealhead and want to take it home to share with your friends you are also endangering your health?

Because let all the anti "thully" people hate me even more, but I caught a 26 inch totally chrome hatchery steelhead on the last day of march and I took that guy home to eat, and it was darn tasty

**Darian** · 07-03-2005, 07:25 AM

Hi Steve,..... Not sure I understand where you were going with this....

Tony's points about large stripers are valid for continuation of Striped Bass and are supported by statements made in the Health Warnings sections of DFG Regs.

It's your choice how you want to interpret or use the info/warnings in those regs and if you choose to take an occassional fish, as many of us already do, so be it.

Nobody's out to get you.... Maybe you need to ligthten up here.

**Darian** · 07-03-2005, 07:42 AM

HC,.... Your confidence level needs a boost.

Salmon fishing is a lot like fishing for other types of fish. If you put in the time/effort, you'll begin to catch 'em.

Nothing like experience combined with knowledge. As a starter, I'd recommend reading, Fly Fishing for Pacific Salmon by Ferguson, Johnson and Trotter. The book will give you a very good base of practical info to use. You can build on that by talking to people who are successful at fishing Salmon (gear/fly types).....

Then, get out there and fish 'til ya drop

..... and,

Good Luck

**ripdlip** · 07-03-2005, 08:56 AM

Confidence is the best thing to have on you when you go out to chase these wonderfull creatures! Never leave home without it and always belive in it. It will never let you down!!!

Wow, Sorry for the preaching.