Salmon fishing, dry fly methods. New version.

In this publication I add some notes from FFF " Non traditional methods" thread.

This autumn there was successful way of salmon fishing at the water surface. The Chavanga river water level was low, and fish hid in holes between stones on river main current. It did not react to usual provocative salmon flies, despite that we have reduced their size till 12-14 number. Probably, in crystal-clear water fish perfectly saw all lacks of an artificial bait. Fly deduction in one place, its acceleration upwards against the current or movement across did not interest a salmon. But we have found a way. In places where in the tideway of the river there were many large stones, there was effective a way of provocation of a salmon on becoming wet dry fly. The fly of type CDC sedge after wet remains in a superficial film of water. At a stop of its drift over parking of fish, the fly forms a small hillock of water directly at surfaces. This easy wave is well visible to the fisher and it is possible to supervise fly`s movement.
At the moment of a stop of a fly and hillock occurrence on a surface fish rose from shelter more often and attacked. The cast distance and presentation did not exceed 5-7 meters. Among stones it was possible to approach imperceptibly and to fish carefully all possible shelters. There was a problem of nylon strength. The salmon ignored thick tippets also, as well as the big flies. It was necessary to apply fluoro-tippets 0.20-0.22 in diameter. Diameter of 0.25 has seemed already too rough and appreciable in water. We have lost a part of large fishes, as it is very difficult to land such fish among stones. To such flies I have not noticed any color preferences. Probably, the fact of appearance of a hillock on a water surface was the main thing.

Some experiments seem deprived of practical sense, simply absurd. I about catching of a salmon by small dry flies. If it was a question about bombers and provokers similar to them then it would be not necessary to mention it. Interest of a salmon to objects on a surface - history old and peculiar not only to the rivers of the north Kola. The same curiosity is shown by a salmon everywhere to the most different subjects dragged at a surface. Bomber it is only known variant of a superficial bait. Metal lures are resultive on a surface too.

Aggressive dry fly fishing

There is a method of catching of a salmon a wet fly which is close on presentation level to the dry. The fly fastens in asymmetric knot and at cast downwards and across moves at a surface. At most currents and directions of cast depends, as it will go. If to throw across, the fly is dispersed on an abrupt loop and goes with a wave at the surface. If to direct a cord downstream, the fly behaves more easy and leaves more deeply. This method of provocation described as riffling hitch, was at one time very popular. In it is a lot of nuances and to apply it costs not only on the salmon rivers.

Provocative surface fishing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sGDq9LiF1k

Silverleapers, Thanks for this nice material!

Bomber fly is intermediate between weighty lures and small on the size artificial flies. Its size and buoyancy have appeared approaching for traditional salmon tackle. But I think, matter is not in a flies, and in a furrow. The furrow involves not only salmons as chubs and other fishes react. It is possible to go further and to remember the fact of interest of salmon fishes described in the literature to a place of an input of a scaffold in water, here the furrow too is formed at bait movement.

Real dry fly fishing

Therefore not ploughing bait which effect is almost natural, and persistence of catching on a usual drifting fly is curious. With salmons attacks on dry I considered episodes of last years casual, and did not try to give to them any ordered kind. I and now cannot systematise somehow fishing of a salmon on a dry fly. The provocation element in small caddis, for example, is doubtful enough in my opinion. Not aggression, and curiosity or elements of food interest can be motive. Anyway fish pecked on usual grayling preparations. I remember simple deer hair caddis fly on barbless hook of 10-12 sizes, in it there was nothing special. Variants "dry" the technician, thus, happen are effective enough, though are engaged in them in almost exclusively summer. It is considered to be that at this time the salmon loves leaves to a surface. But activity of a salmon decreases in warm water, it reacts to standard baits is worse. Then, we think that business is simple in a low water level, and to catch there, where more small, on plums before rifts, on an example more correctly. But the salmon rises to a fly and on deep places, and not only in the summer, and so on. Uneasy to find sense in reaction of fishes to a dry fly. Probably, matter is not in fish, and that in the summer we are simply more inclined to reconstruct a fishing tackle on an easy harmony to indulge trout and grayling, and at the same time and to experiment with a salmon.

Imitative dry fly method.

My son has told to me about this case . For one of days there was a hutch off small mayflies. Everywhere were visible traces of graylings which attacked emerging nymphs and insects on a water surface. We have found suitable flies, I was fishing wet variants, the son caught on dryfly . In this place water moved from coastal stones in a direction to the river centre. The majority of graylings attacked flies when they moved in the same direction, from coast to the centre. We tried to simulate both an insect and its natural movement. It was interesting that here on depth of 1/2 metre a CDC may fly #18 was attacked by silver salmon. After short struggle salmon has break a tippet and has left. In my opinion, in a fishing technique was very little provocative, we fished and tried to imitate as much as possible to present real insects.

Another story by ispy 968 : I have caught salmon in Ireland on dry Mayfly on the rivers in June in Low water conditions with bright sunshine, it seems to work better if there is an upstream breeze to put a small wave on the water. I was told by an old ghillie that the wave puts more oxygen into the water which switches the fish on and makes them active.

I have also used a dry Royal Wulff on a size 1 low water iron to get King Salmon in Alaska, very interesting to watch them rise very slowly from maybe 5' 6' down to inspect the fly closely before taking.

Colbeinn`s story: This is very frustrating scially when large shoals of salmon are lying in the pool in the gin clear river and are just not taking. The usual method here in Iceland is to start with a very long leader and a micro fly and stand very far away from the pool in order not to be seen. This often gives results but I would like to mention one method that works very well in situations like mentioned above.
Last summer I was fishing Hrutafjardara a small river on the northern side of Iceland. The pool was packed with salmon and the temperature of the river was well above 16° . After casting every available fly in my box and trying all sort of different methods I remembered one advice I once heard.
That is to fish the pool upstream.
The salmon is in a way lazy as the hot water in the river takes out all spirit from the fish. The lower water levels also means that the salmon lies much closer to the surface and can therefore spot the angler much easier as the angle of its vision is much wider than in normal situations.
Therefore you fish it like trout upstream, that is you stand well below the pool and cast the fly and make sure to strip the line as the fly comes drifting down the pool . By applying this method I managed to hook two salmon last summer after have tried every fly in my box with different methods, stripping, hitching and so on.

Chavanga, Czawanga, Strelna river, salmon fishing in Russia, peche au saumon Russie, pesca de salmon Rusia, pesca del salmon in Russia, fiske lax, lov lososu v Rusku, fang von lachs in Russland

Something is more than simply fishing...

According to many fishers who visited Chavanga, salmon fishing it not a unique interesting hobby. The coast of the White sea is unique not only the nature, the rivers and fish. It is very interesting from the cultural point of view. Speech certainly goes not about theatres and libraries, elements of life of a big city. Very much the other way, it is interesting slow and a quiet life of these coast.




Here there are the traces left people many years ago. Here nothing disturbs old dwellings and the died cars, boats, here a moss and flowers grow directly in the middle of the fishermen house on seacoast. And usual things find unusual life. Here all lives differently, than at us.

Chavanga river. Diet # 6. Hard day of selective feeding.

                                                     Chavanga river.

                         Diet # 6. Hard day of selective feeding.

Imitations of mayflies in different stages of development (dun, emerger or spinner) are better for using during the periods when real mayfly meets on water. Last time I was in such situation in August during fly fishing on top part of Chavanga river. After two weeks of a heat it became cold. Small grayish mayfly has appeared on a surface, crept out and dried wings on stones and seaweed. The departure of insects has shown a real state of affairs, real quantity of fish and its appetite. It was possible to argue on a selective food of fishes and about the best fly. During such moments the correct fly, correct imitation of an insect is necessary.

I want to add that insects were small, 3-4 mm., that also demanded delicate presentation. Fish stood on border of the main current and small stony edge of the river. There was an impression that all fishes are turned by a nose to coast. So water moved. It was necessary to cast from the river centre to coast. A fly floated now simply towards to fish. Sometimes fishing in the river centre brought attacks too. But there were problems with natural presentation of a small bait on fast stream. It was difficult to catch.

During this time of grayling activity trouts were passive in low warm water. Trout fishing was productive only in night on deep rocky places of the Chavanga river.

Later, remembering this day and looking through photos, I have tried to analyze. We have found out actively eating fish, have defined that it eats, have chosen suitable imitation. We have changed tippets and leaders., have taken a place convenient for casting. We used special casts for correct movement of our flies. Here it is a standard set from 6 actions for fishing with imitative flies which simulate insects in any stage of development.

Chavanga, Czawanga, Strelna river, salmon fishing in Russia, peche au saumon Russie, pesca de salmon Rusia, pesca del salmon in Russia, fiske lax, lov lososu v Rusku, fang von lachs in Russland

Hucho taimen fishing. Part 3.

                    Fishing tour for siberian taimen.

                                              Taimen fishing program here:

                     http://blog.chavanga.com/2013/11/giant-hucho-taimen-program.html

In comparison with   a bait for a spinning the fly loses in mobility. Therefore for flyfisherman there is absolutely other problem. It is not necessary to work on the areas,   too much time leaves. It is necessary to choose the best, most perspective points for fishing. These are places where taimen   is fed, instead of has a rest, we search and   caught active fish. More often it is a mouth of inflows, inputs in holes after rifts, merges a channel, inputs in old channels of the rivers. Therefore for fishing on a fly the season begins with the end of June when taimen stays on shallow water. Active fishes give out often themselves leaving to a water surface for small fish. It is an opportunity for fishing on superficial baits. If traces of surface activity are not present , it is necessary to fish thickness of water, trying to spend a fly deeper. It is clear that technically it is difficult. In the autumn fish, especially large copies, become in deep places, which are a little accessible to fishing on a fly. But anyway, it is possible to count on exits of fish to a surface on the artificial mouse at night.

Attack of fish is felt on a miscellaneous. It can look as blow or a hook for a bottom. All depends on position of fish, depth and force of a current. Therefore at any suspicion it is necessary to strike. Inactive fish takes fly languid, we feel small pushes or jerks. It is possible to think that it may be a lenok or grayling but is frequent it can also large taimen.. On open places it is possible to land even very large fish. But in places with the tumbled down trees and other shelters, taimen it is frequent can take cover there and tear off tackle. Very difficult situations arise, when fish manages to leave downstream. Then chances to extend a large copy, working against the current, are very small. Except fast throws on a current, fish can jump. Already at coast taimen starts to turn round an axis, as an alligator, or lies on a bottom in a deep place.

Chavanga, Czawanga, Strelna river, salmon fishing in Russia, peche au saumon Russie, pesca de salmon Rusia, pesca del salmon in Russia, fiske lax, lov lososu v Rusku, fang von lachs in Russland

Another way to fish salmon. Russian recepture.

                         Another way to fish salmon. Russian recepture.


We already said earlier that very large fishes to 12 kg every year come across. The record has been put some years ago in 2008. Fish in weight in 18 kg has been caught. Local fisherman has caught it in a river mouth . It is a pity that such beauty has been caught not on a fly. Local residents in general seldom use afly as a bait for fish. Usually they use a spinning or networks in the sea on the resolved distance from a river mouth.

But in the north there are also other ways of fishing of a salmon.

Allow me to tell about one amusing way of fishing of a salmon. My cousin who has come back from a trip on the White sea, to the Arkhangelsk region (Russia) has told to me about it Russia. In these deaf places Local residents do not fish on a fly, spinn lure is a problem too. Here always caught a salmon on a worm, threw a sinker and held a nylon in a hand. But technical progress knows no limit. The novelty of last years consists in fishing of a salmon that the hook with worms is located now in a condom. Such vibrating bait on fast waters provokes a salmon on attack. Remains not clear, what role is played now by worm? Whether it is necessary to save and watch tightness of a condom?

How often it is necessary for changing?

In a photo the local resident who throws a bait. He uses an ordinary can as spinning reel. The nylon easily comes off it at cast. The fisher keeps a bait on a current, and then, retreive a bait, reeling up nylon on bank.

Chavanga, Czawanga, Strelna river, salmon fishing in Russia, peche au saumon Russie, pesca de salmon Rusia, pesca del salmon in Russia, fiske lax, lov lososu v Rusku, fang von lachs in Russland