I do most of my Salmon fishing towards the back end of the season, targeting spates on my local river and a lot of it with the spinning rod but, in terms of UK angling the ever-elusive spring salmon is something of a Holy Grail – particularly one caught on the fly!
I’ve had a bit of much-needed practice on the grass with the double hander this year and it’s back on my hitlist.
The shape and condition of these fish are second to none, they have to be in order to remain so long in the river systems, sometimes up to a year, and all of this without eating a single thing. Due to the fact they enter fresh water and fast for so long means they have to feed heavily and aggressively at sea to get to the required size.
This aggression might well mean if you’re lucky enough to find a Springer you’ve got a chance of getting a reaction from them.
This week’s winner of the Daiwa Fish of the Week is Tommy Fraser, above, with a possible record-breaking 9lb Tusk.
He was fishing a local shore mark on the Shetland Isles last Saturday.
Tommy is hoping to claim the British and Scottish record.
Send your entry to: Fish of the Week, Glasgow Angling Centre, Unit 1, Point Retail Park, 29 Saracen Street, Glasgow G22 5HT, or email with a photo and your full address to fotw@fishingmegastore.com
Springtime always brings mixed weather. One thing you can usually guarantee is cold and higher water, putting the fish down deep and hugging the bottom. Having a sinking fly line or multi-tip line system is a must.
You will need the time, patience and river craft to decode their behaviour. I stick to some basic tips when the water temps are cold. Don’t be too keen to start at the head of the pool as salmon will not be running fast and punching through the system.
Concentrate on the middle to tail of the pools and present your fly as deep as you can without snagging the bottom, allowing your line to swing unhindered across those most likely spots.
There are thousands of salmon flies on the market for different rivers, heights, and water-colour, the most
important thing is to make sure that the fish can actually see the fly, get it in front of them and make them make a decision.
A simple rule of thumb suggests: when the water is high and has some colour go bigger and brighter, as the water and colour drops do the same with the fly, go smaller and tone down the colour.
The popular spring patterns tend to be tied in yellow, orange, red and paired with black wings. Fishing them on tubes allows you to adapt the depth you fish at by varying the weight to suit the conditions.
Try These early season favourites: Classic Dee Monkey Tube, Willie Gunn Tube, Cascade Tube, Flame Thrower Tube, Calvin Shrimp and Super Snaelda.
We all know that wild salmon stocks have taken an absolute battering in recent years, mainly down to man, all is not lost though, Scottish rivers still give the willing angler a good chance of catching one of these special fish and at affordable prices.
Check the catch reports over on FishPal and you’ll see how the rivers like the Tay, Dee, North Esk, Leven, Tweed and their tributaries are fishing.
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