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Post by Roobarb on Aug 1, 2008 17:41:20 GMT
…that wasn’t attached to an anglers line? In nearly twenty years of fishing small Westcountry rivers, which lend themselves to fish watching, I’ve seen one salmon take an 8” brown trout and that’s it, nothing else. If salmon are happy (at times) to take all manner of flies and spinners/spoons why do they so rarely go for natural flies, parr and minnows? Minnows in particular often have “head fits” and go twisting and flashing across the river bed or skittering about on the surface and the salmon ignore them yet a spun natural minnow or even the drop/diving minnow will interest them. Big sedges and moths skate about on the surface and are ignored but a dibbled dropper works Do they take our offerings because they are so un-natural and out of place? Any thoughts or observations? Andy
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Post by G Ritchie on Aug 1, 2008 18:01:46 GMT
I have had one grab a parr I was hauling in. I am sure that the salmon will occasionally take a snap at small fish which 'invade their space'. I think that you have a good point there also about the fish taking our lures because they look un-natural and out of place. It makes you wonder about the modern trend to try and make salmon flies which closely replicate the natural movements of small fish. Surely a fly acting un-naturally will stand out more. If it is a predatory response you are trying to generate, then predators will often select a prey which is wounded and so easier to catch. The brighter un-natural colours found in many flies may also trigger an aggressive response from the fish.
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conwyrod
Advisory Board
Autumn on the Conwy
Posts: 4,659
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Post by conwyrod on Aug 1, 2008 22:25:10 GMT
I haven't seen a salmon rising to natural flies, but I'm sure I've read about it. Perhaps they see all the parr rising and join in to see what all the fuss is.
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salmo
Advisory Board
Posts: 1,814
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Post by salmo on Aug 2, 2008 9:26:09 GMT
I have seen film of salmon in Norway with their guts stuffed with natural flies and I have seen film of the Kola when salmon are caught on nymphs. Most people find it remarkable because it is rare.
salmo
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tweedsider
Active Member
Quietness is best
Posts: 993
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Post by tweedsider on Aug 2, 2008 22:39:50 GMT
According to a friend in the commercial salmon trade, he has handled thousands of fish taken from the Tweed estuary very few of these have had anything in the way of stomach contents. I have seen seatrout feeding freely on surface flies, caught them on a dry fly and found only a vaugue representation of fly life in their stomachs. This when their observed feeding habits suggested that they should in fact have been full to bursting point. I am sure I have read an account of someone observing salmon taking minnows, chewing them to pulp then spitting the remains out. It was some time ago and most likely would be in T & S Tweedsider
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