View Full Version : Would a salmon take a spruce fly?
Jennie@ifish
10-07-2003, 07:23 PM
I was out fishing this evening, just minding my own business, waiting for dusk. I caught a couple nice sized cutts, 15 inches or better.
Then, it fell silent and nothing would take my spruce fly.
I was almost ready to give up, and I got one of those lunker bites. You know, no nibble, just a big pull, like a slug in the arm.
Immediately I think, "BIG FISH!" and I get all ready, mend my line, try to decide hand or reel, decide reel, and... weird.. ? I didn't feel much weight, and no movement. Maybe it isn't a big fish? Just a very scrappy little one?
Then... I couldn't feel a thing! Just like reeling in dead line. Maybe I lost it?
So, I'm reeling my line in, with a very curious attitude, and when my fly was 10 feet from me, a huge fish swooshed out of the water. Now, it was nearing dark, and I can't see well anyway. Just watch me at night, trying to stumble back to the house! So, I couldn't tell what it was, but this thing made waves, and snapped my line faster than any fish I had ever hooked! I mean, like it was made of cotton candy threads! The swoosh of the fish made waves! I kid you not!
Anyway, salmon don't feed in fresh water, right? So, could it have been? I mean, really! This thing was HUGE!
Jen
skein
10-07-2003, 07:34 PM
I think it was a squid.
But then I tend to think everything is a squid these days. :shocked:
Skein
Jennie@ifish
10-07-2003, 07:36 PM
You are right! It WAS a squid!
:smile:
night everyone... I'm going to bed dreaming of huge salmon on spruce flies. :smile: :smile:
Jen
First Light Bite
10-07-2003, 07:43 PM
Rule #1 Big fish eat little fish. Having fished in Alaska for 25 years now I have learned that salmon will hit ANYTHING under the right conditions. We used to have contest when we went up there to see if we could find anything that would not catch a fish. Only had 1 winner in 6 years called a Zonar I think was the name. So you probably had a hit from a salmon it sounds like. Too bad you did not get to fight it they are a ton of fun on a fly. Maybe tomorrow evening it will happen again you just never know. Heard this a thousand times expect a fish with every cast!
Jennie,
Any coho in the Kilchis? They will take a spruce fly. Ditto on steelhead. Heck it could have been a 30 inch cutt :shocked: (wouldn't that be something?).
Hope you land it next time, so you can tell us what it is.
Orange Heron
10-07-2003, 08:49 PM
Jennie,
I have caught spring chinook on the Nestucca on a Spruce Fly. It was about 10-12 lbs. Fall Chinook will hit a fly pretty good. Both in tidewater and freshwater.
Rich
reeldick
10-08-2003, 01:28 PM
"Newsflash"
Pet Alligator escapes near Tillamook,OR.
Mad Mikey
10-08-2003, 01:36 PM
Jack's take swinging flies, have caught several on the coastal streams and the Deschutes. I've never caught a nookie on a floating line swinging but know it has been done, rare but possible(with exception to AK of course).
My guess is a Jack or Summer steelhead, the latter of which can make a very aggressive strike at the current water temps.
In some parts of the world, flies are often used for chinook. One of Roderick Haig-Brown's favorite flies was the General Practitioner.
http://www.flyfishingconnection.com/images/flies/generalpractitioner.jpg
[ 10-08-2003, 07:14 PM: Message edited by: Pete ]
Jennie@ifish
10-08-2003, 01:40 PM
Very few summers in the Kilchis. Just one that I know of. His name is Duke. I named him.
Jen
Grantspastor
10-08-2003, 05:05 PM
I have taken countless jack salmon, and a few adults incidentally over the years while fly fishing for steelhead
oolichan
10-08-2003, 06:45 PM
Originally posted by Pete:
In some parts of the world, flies are often used for chinook. One of Alexander Haig-Brown's favorite flies was the General Practitioner.
http://www.flyfishingconnection.com/images/flies/generalpractitioner.jpg <font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helvetica">Sacrilege.
It's Roderick Haig-Brown.
See... http://oberon.ark.com/~kdbhbh/RHB.html
That's what I said, isn't it? Roderick! I knew that! I have a picture of him sitting on my desk!
corkyking
10-08-2003, 11:57 PM
Out of the hundreds nay thousands of Silvers that pass by there are some few that act like a bass in heat or a catfish. On a local river there is a run of Silvers out of which a few individuals will reportedly dig a spinner out of the mud or follow it right to the beach. These stories come to us after hundreds of fishermen have fished thousands of hours and I have no doubt as to their veracity. I myself have seen a Silver break out of a school to chase a large brown fly or a bait of eggs.
I just came back from the Skagit where I saw fishermen using the Wee Dick Nite for Silvers and Pinks with good success. Who'd a thunk it!
A fishing bud of mine gets an early start on a local river because he thinks that he has to cast at least 500 times per Silver so he throws even when they aren't there. :wink:
bllelk
10-09-2003, 12:01 AM
Following up on First Lights comment about fish eating anything, Several years ago I went fishing in Minnesota with an Air Force buddy who'd been stationed in Alaska. We were catching fish including monster blue gill on everything in the box. He came out of his box with a plastic mermaid lure he bought in Ak. Propellors at both ends and 3 sets of treble hooks. Darned if we didn't catch fish on that thing.
:laugh:
fishbait
10-09-2003, 12:46 AM
Jen,
My guess is that it was a summer steelhead... try again, who knows it might still be there just waiting for you :cheers:
lilnorthfork
10-09-2003, 12:54 AM
Great post for the ifish flyfishers thread. Who is moderating this puppy anyhow? :grin: