Anyone ever catch Chinook on a flyrod??

[snakeriver]

Just wondering what my chances are of catching a springer on the Fly over between Salmon and Ellis ??? How long will it take for the fish to get that far upstream?? This is all new to me Just hoping to catck a salmon next month. Will the same type of setup zI used on steelhead work for the Chinook?
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[osprey02]

I've gotten about 12-15 Springers to the bank on a fly rod,
You'll most likely need a 10wt although use what you have if it has a warranty! I've broken 2 ~ 8wts and a 9 wt on salmon and trying to get loose from a snag with 17lb tippet. A switch or spey rod,12-15 ft long really helps get the fly to the back side of the rocks were a lot of the salmon hide and hang out when they've had a rack full of hardware thrown at then by other chunkers on the bank. Find the 1st slow water above a bunch of rapids and the Nooks will hang and rest in the tail of that whole! I'm always amazed just how close they are to the head of those rapids !

On the Lochsa were I caught most of my salmon, they seem to like anything chartreuse over everything else!

Fly fishing and drift fishing is pretty much the same technique other than the cast and the weight. I use a sink tip wt dependent on water flow, to get down to the fish. I pretty much think that 50% of the fish hooked were flossed. Just like in Drift fishing?

Good Luck The Lochsa should be hopping in a week or two! I'm heading to Clear creek in the morning and working my way back up stream all weekend! I have rigs set up to mooch, drift, bobber and Fly!
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[riverdog]

I've caught 2 on an 8wt fly rod but in Alaska. Haven't fished for them on the Salmon River. I imagine a big issue might be casting far enough to reach holes containing them on a big river like that. Both of mine where caught while fishing for other salmon- sockeye and silvers on much smaller wadable rivers. I was using size 6-8 streamers each time. The fish were about 25 and 40 lbs and took 10-20 minutes to land. Maybe someone will chime in about catching them with a flyrod there but I imagine the catch rates are many times greater with other methods.

[osprey02]

I think the catch rate therory is dead on! In 2001 when the big run was on in the Lochsa, I didn't even look at my fly rod as an option until I had a punch card almost filled and that was early July when the River flow was more condusive to Fly rods and the clearity forced us sight fish and hunt them like Elk.
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[riverdog]

Osprey has good advise and I would go with the 10 wt rod if you have it. I was targeting smaller fish on a smaller river when I caught them with the 8 wt. I was using 12 lb leaders both times. That is the strongest line I will use with an 8 wt rod. I'd rather break my line than the rod.
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[snakeriver]

I hear my temple fork 8 wt has a good warranty so I'll give it a go. I will probably also pick up a regular pole but have no clue on what to get. I need some pretty economical options any suggestions on a rod reel combo that will be up to the task?
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[riverdog]

Many inexpensive spinning rods can handle salmon. I fly fish 95+ % of the time so I don't spend a lot of money on spinning gear. My 12 yo son and my brother-in-law both caught king salmon on a 6' 6" medium action Shakespeare Excursion rod that came with a reel ( don't remember exactly which one) from Cabela's for about $70. We have caught 3-5 ft sharks as well with this model and we've never broke one yet.
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[DocEsox]

I posted this entry in the Introductions section a few weeks ago after MacFly asked me about my avatar pic:

MacFly....since you asked......that was a gorgeous, fresh king salmon caught 2 years ago. I was shore fishing for rainbows at the mouth of the Kashwitna River at the Susitna River (huge, old nasty colored river) with a large olive, wooly headed sculpin. Was using my favorite 5 wt flyrod (old Loomis GL4) with 10 lbs fluoro tippet. Although this is at a state campground there was not another soul in sight....just me and the Alaskan WhiteCrested Fishpeckers (called bald eagles elsewhere []). Landed one small rainbow about 15 inches and a few casts later I hooked into what I thought was a great bow. Well about halfway through my backing I knew this is no rainbow but had to be an early chinook. Couldn't chase her down river cause there was no where to go......also didn't think I had a chance in heck of getting her so that made me relax. After 30 or so minutes I was able to slowly start working her upstream through a couple of downed logs and then caught my first glimpse of her in shallow water about 10 yards downstream.....that's when the adrenaline kicked in as it was the first time landing her actually seemed like a possibility. Another 10 minutes and her back was breaking water in the shallows...I walked back not wanting to reel her in too tight and as she layed sideways in a few inches of water, I dropped my rod (gently) and sprinted down to tail her on shore. What a toad....light rod and line....she was 43" and I like to say about 40 lbs (she hit 38 lbs on the scales).

Sidebar here, I had shoulder surgery 3 months before this and wasn't supposed to be working it out all that hard. After this fight I couldn't cast a flyrod for nearly 6 weeks....but the pain was worth it.

Anyway....it was one of my pride and joy catches.

Brian
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