Flyfishing for Kings

frankenfish · 12-06-2003, 07:23 PM

Anyone with experience flyfishing for Kings in Oregon/Washington? I would be interested in hearing about it.

TillamookChinook · 12-07-2003, 02:40 PM

I have had some experience fishing for Kings on the lower Clackamas. Fishing, not catching.

TC

tailchaser · 12-08-2003, 09:16 AM

What do you want to know? Between myself, my dad, and buddy we've hooked over 300 chinook this year on a fly. I'll be posting pics here quickly on our year in review.

tc

[ 12-08-2003, 11:56 AM: Message edited by: tailchaser ]

Riverkeeper · 12-08-2003, 09:33 AM

[img]graemlins/lurk.gif[/img]

tailchaser · 12-08-2003, 10:56 AM

I put it on the main board.....

lilnorthfork · 12-08-2003, 02:37 PM

Tailchaser, how about passing along some basic info; you know... where, when, how.

We know the who and can guess the why.

tailchaser · 12-08-2003, 03:00 PM

Some basics for flyfishing (that we do) is different than many. We primarily target fish when the water is low and clear. I use a small fly #4, #6 and will make a slow presentation. Salmon will snap at fly's but rarely chase them. It's similar to bait mostly by being upstream and casting at an angle that the fly sweeps in front of them. Strip it very slowly while it's in thier face and you'll be able to watch them jump up and take a swipe at it. It can give a man a heart attack sometimes when they miss it. I use a 9' 10 weight rod, w/ type II sink, clear intermediate line. My favorite fly's are chartreuse, with some silver flicker to it and a pearl body. I also use a red comet on occassion to change a little. 9-10' of maxima or seguars flourcarbon and you're set.

In tidewater, it's merely a stripping game. Strip the fly slowly and target areas you see fish jumping a lot and ponding in. However, tidewater is where you'll get a lot more foul hook-ups, but they also can be very aggressive.
Hope that helps a little. I have many tricks on various rivers but they're all different. Learn the stream and the fishing is a lot more productive. Also, watch the old salts when they're fishing and be nice. They'll pass a lot of info to us younger guys if you pick thier brain a little.

Beer offerings usually help also on the river. :grin:

tc

frankenfish · 12-08-2003, 08:34 PM

Tailchaser,

I have caught one King on a fly. Mostly luck. If you would consider it, I would love to do some fishing with you. Lunch and dinner on me.

Frank

tailchaser · 12-08-2003, 08:57 PM

I'm not against showing you how to nail some to the wall, however this year is basically over in terms of the salmon on a fly. Drop me a note every now and then and we can touch base, and set you up with the proper gear long ahead of time. Come October it'll be worth the wait. I'll probably start fishing salmon more in saltwater next summer if you'd like to see that one and learn a few tricks there. I have a friend who kills the coho in the ocean on a fly, so I have to check that one out next year.

tc

Old dog · 12-09-2003, 02:17 PM

It will be great to see more info from you guys here on catching chinooks on a fly. Caught my first 2 in tidewater in 2002, just as you described stripping a flash fly with a 10 wt. rod. Struck out for chinook this past fall, however, and reverted to spinners (landed and kept 2 bright ones in tidewater)- although I did manage to land my first silver on a fly this past September. Where and how would be some good bets to try for springers? Thanks for any advice.

tailchaser · 12-10-2003, 06:26 AM

As of springers pretty much anywhere where you can sight fish for them is a good bet. Or in holes that are 8' or less. I do my fishing on the rogue for those.

tc

greenbuttskunk · 12-10-2003, 10:09 AM

trask and wilson for fall chinook and coho with a polar shrimp. No, a greenbuttskunk is NOT as affective on chinook.
GBS

alwayslookin · 12-20-2003, 08:19 PM

Tailchaser, I'm glad I'm not the only one who sight fishes for Kings. I've had some 10 fish days on the Trask using the sight casting method. On more than one occasion, I've been ragged on for being unsporting by so called purists who insist that you should not fish for a nook that you can see. They insist the fish are too vulnerable when they are in shallow water. My reply has been: they are not holding on redds, they are showing very early color if any, so I'm going to fish to what I can see. I have too much bursitis in my shoulder to be blindcasting a 10 wt all day.

Barviewrocks · 12-22-2003, 11:34 PM

I have had success on the Trask, Wilson, and Nestucca in the fall using a shooting head to get the fly down. I just used ugly stuff like black, brown, or ginger nymphs. Once had a 40+ chinook come up and grab one when I was stipping it in. We usually fished in tidewater. When they get past tidewater, I give them an exec pardon and let them reproduce. I wish I had the confidence to cast off the jetty rocks for salmon and rock fish.