I thought I'd open a thread to see if anyone is willing to talk shop about fishing for Springers on the Spey rod. What size skagit do you need to turn over a bait diver or 1oz cluster of eggs? I've been trying to get one of these guys on the swing this year and have come up short. I had one on with a black/blue intruder but it came unbuttoned just as I got a look at it. Eh, it was probably a steelhead. Any tips on what makes these lock jawed fish bite a swung fly?
I prefer small, brighter comet style flies for lower portions of the river or near-salt. Once they get in their tribs, I have the most luck using high-contrast bulky patterns, like Black Moal leeches or bigger marabou patterns, especially once it gets dark. So, what Evan said. Know your water and fish it at night!
iv'e been hitting the river near my house with the spey every morning/night for springers about a week now. never caught anything on the spey yet but had one on a minute or two just the other night around 8:30 with a big coneheaded blue prom dress with a black rabbit collar. that was enough to keep me tryin
Springs are funny animals, In some rivers like our Dean, lilooet, and Kalum rivers they are extremely aggressive, grabbing flies swung on relatively light tips and flies that are 6in or longer. On other rivers around here they are near impossible to catch. Somebody once told me a theory that Springs that are very aggressive rear in freshwater longer than those in watersheds where they are less aggressive. I know very little about Chinook life cycles but found it to be an interesting idea.
Springers are extremely sensitive to smell. So far I've decided they prefer camel lights, ranier and occasionally Copenhagen. Hope that helps!
Heavy sink tip (assuming water flow(s) here) and odd as it may seem a 4-6 foot leader with a weighted fly off the end. Close to salt, small and red like a Atlantic Salmon pattern called a Flamethrower or Cascade (double hook, if legal works a treat). Further up stream I go to UV chartruse with a black collar. All that said, you're odds on fav to actually floss the fish ... as are the Gear Guys. Well, there large plugs and back bounced eggs do work quite well.
Don't know to much about them but hooked up a 40 pounder on a bottom swung muddler minnow once. Shattered an 8 weight single.
Knew I was doing something wrong. I've been spitting grizzly this whole time. Should have known better than to listen to Jason
Try a different method than swinging.. Mostly you will snag them swinging. Fish without tension on your line, stripping it hard, back to you as your line falls downstream towards you, and using a weighted fly that falls rapidly head first...
Why not just go steelheading with your worm weight/skagi setup and a big blue/chartreuse Intruder, bunny leech, or marajabou? That seems to work as well as anything over here where I'm at.
Chinook are very hard to catch on the fly here in Washington. They are very picky eaters and are not as aggressive as summer run steelhead... You have to put it right in front of their face. Good luck!
Ditto to what Achilles notes above as far as our Spring Kings go on the Rogue. To hook one (save for plug fishing out of a boat) the odds of you hooking one, without 'flossing' it is slim. Fall Kings, here or the Chetco? WHOLE DIFFERENT BALL GAME. Those fellows will readily take a fly. On the Rogue you can't 'legally' fish for them above the "Hog Creek" boat launch (about 5 miles down stream from Grants Pass) but even above that they seem not to have read the fishing regulations. Their free spawn areas are well known and summer runs will collect below to chase the 'extra eggs' that float down stream as they fill up the Redds. Bugger's are very protective of their spawning bed(s) and a fly moving through (even if you're not fishing for them) will frequently get a huge grab. To keep yourself 'legal' limit the leader to 8#, which is more than enough for Steelhead. Hook one, just 'straight line' him and he'll blow off the fly.
