| Subject: 9/18 Salmon River Report and Article |
Author:
Randy Jones
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Date Posted: 15:43:24 09/18/01 Tue
Salmon River - Pulaski, NY. Reports and Ramblings:
I hope you find my reports and articles entertainingly informative and mildly educational
The relationship between transitional fish and structure during low light periods and bright sun.
I prefer to fish just above the estuary for several reasons. Fresh fish, less people, fish tend to stay more concentrated, not as educated and harder fighting fish. I prefer to fish to the A.M. run and not concern myself with what came in the day before. With fewer anglers, the alternative option to fish several holes or more is always present with the added bonus of less fishing pressure. We all know that wherever you fish in the world, fresh or Salt, the most crowded areas are the places most easily accessible. I feel fishing in a relaxed, uncrowded area enhances the quality of the experience for myself as well as my clients. Even if it means a few less fish.
Where to fish? --This covers all species of fish that are in a transitional stage that are entering the river. Most fish use the contour of the bottom and current to navigate. They travel virtually the same route, day after day taking a lot of the guesswork out of it. (Where I sight fish for Stripers, Monomoy Island-Cape Cod on the flats, this is also true.) Normally the deepest part of the river is where they will travel. Once you've made this determination, the next step is to search out their holding, resting points. The length of time they will hold in any particular type of structure is determined by the size of the hole, pocket, depth, speed of water and what they had to travel through to get to that point. Also fishing pressure and weather is a consideration. To narrow your search down for the best spots, consider any deep water just above a long stretch of rapids. These normally are the tails of pools were there is rippled water and depth to offer security, and a break from stronger currents. These are the areas were they will be for the longest period of time allowing you the most shots. To improve your odds even further, look for channels or areas where the majority of fish travel and hold in a small area of the tail end of the hole.
Now you know where I fish. Not only will you have 90% of the fish passing by in a narrow area offering you the opportunity to present your fly to almost every fish, but you'll also have them sitting in front of you for the longest period of time, allowing the best odds in the house for hooking up! I call these areas funnels. Other areas to look for are heads of pools, white water on a sunny day or when the water temperature is so high the oxygen level is low. Depressions on the river bottom were they could hide underneath the faster current. Pocket water, surrounded by rapids. Outside bends in the river combined with a depression.
Remember to fish the resting, holding area's during the run, which is normally during low light periods. Look (fish) for them in the shade, deep rippled water, white pocket water during the high noon sun. If heavy fishing pressure is present, fish for them in the white water.
If you remember that 90% of the fish swim in 10% of the river, you will do just fine.
My newest endorsed guide is Heather! She wore something very special for my first official report for all of you! She can be seen at http://www.yankeeangler.com/ - Fishing Reports
Daily Photos with Reports are also included.
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Randy
No hard feelings, but where does one stand to count (with +/-5 accuracy) the number of salmons that swim into the river? Is there a specific time where they all enter at once and swim past the person counting them? How many were males? females? Jacks? I'm truly intrigued by this! Vince
Vince,
Are you ribbing me? ( he-he) I think so, but in any case I get this question every year and am more than happy to answer it again for you and others who are curious.
The kings tend to run the main channels and depressions that make up their road map in the river. When running the shallow ledge or rapids they are easy to see and count. I normally count the Kings by the # of rooster tails (splashes) I see coming up the shallow rapids below me.
Because the Cohoes tend to run at the same time as the kings they sometimes get pushed out of these same channels and pockets and run shallower. They also are not as big so they need less water to navigate. This basically puts them at your feet and you can see them shooting up all around you. These fish are a little harder to count as sometimes they sneak up with out rooster tailing like the King.
Another simple way to determine approx. numbers of fish are by when the run end's. If it ends early then it's fewer fish that ran than if the run lasts all day. Simple.
Species is also determined by what I see most other anglers catching.
Sample:
Mid-Sept. 2 years ago
From the minute their lines touched the water this early AM. until late morning, we were into Coho heaven.
Very good # of Cohos moving today. 80 % were Cohos with the balance mostly Kings. I would guess 500 or more Cohos with 100 or so Kings were running up the lower end today. Action was almost non-stop. I looked in the rapids below the hole at 9:30 and saw a line of fish working their way up. Hardly a splash was made with the higher water.
Several people thought they had hooked Steelhead but as it turned out they were Coho. It's very common at this time of the year for anglers who normally do not see such fresh Cohos to think they have a Steelhead. They are dime bright and fight just like a Steelhead. The easiest way I know of how to tell a Salmon from a Steelhead is to look at the color of the inside of the mouth. Cohos will have a grayish, blackness on the gums or inside of mouth. Steelies will not.
Please wear your corkers. Watched the same person fall in 3 times up to his chin! Its understandable as my friend had put him in a real good spot and he was hooking up almost every cast. He was excited to say the least. Each time he fell he had a fish on. He was only wearing felts. It truly is a battle to fight these fish. Not only do you have a 10-40 lb. fish on screaming in every other direction in a blink of an eye, but you also have to fight the river and its many slippery rocks. If anybody can find me just 1 flat rock in this river Id like to know.
Watched a 14 year old hook up a bit. Some of the grown men could not believe he actually released a 20 lb. Steelhead. Id like to shake his fathers hand for instilling something other than, kill everything!
This report comes from me personally studying fish movement and species while guiding my guests in the D.S.R. area. Anglers and guides who fish below and above me from sun -up until sun- down. Past years observations and a host of other factors. Please keep in mind that some do come in during the evening and at night, so my estimates are only what I see during the day's run.
How many came in at night? I guess you'd have to ask the night watchman, that's not my shift.
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Forecast:
Presently approx. 100-150 Salmon are entering the Salmon River in every 24 hour period. Soon you will start to see 150-250 each day. Then ---look out! (1,000's)
Few fish are scattered through out the river in small #'s in my opinion. You have to work for them and cover water in most area's.
Very few structural changes in the river bottom this year. Its all pretty much the same as last year.
Please take some extra time reviving these monsters. Typically, it is not uncommon to see several half dead fish float by that was released by well-meaning sportsman up river. Several times I have been able to grab and work with them until they were able to swim off strongly. They need a lot of extra time, maybe 5-10 minutes or more to regain their strength.
Please keep in mind that when you read other reports and they say the "www.Yankee hole" was good or the "angler.com spot" produced fish that these are some of the more popular (crowded) areas on the river. Normally the more hooks in the water, the more hook-ups. Some folks I know get turned off by the crowds when visiting these spots and rightly so. Please don't think that you HAVE to fish shoulder to shoulder. I rarely if ever do it and even on the busiest day during Salmon season you shouldn't either. If you are unfamiliar with the river, think about taking a walk down stream of these famous holes during the busy Salmon season. Normally below these spots there are rapids. Look for the pockets and slots that create the deepest road map for the fish to follow. Find a nice pocket during the A.M. run and you will be surprised by the # of fresh fish you will see, hook and have all to yourself. Spend a little time scouting and I'm sure you will be rewarded.
I sincerely hope that this information will help you in planning your trip to the Salmon River and make it a safe, fun and most importantly, a memorable experience!
Fish long & prosper!
Randy Jones
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