Upstream fishing

[sinkingtip]

So ..... back to upstream fly fishing for salmon.

Like I said earlier, no reason why it shouldn't work, its just not been that successfully a method for me (had a few but only a few and mainly on smaller waters) ...... or maybe its just that I have never afforded it - or needed to afford it - adequate shelf space as a serious contender to more conventional tactics.

Czech Nymphing (In The USA) ? - need some of the forum 'yoot' to come in on this one otherwise its "Bubble Float & Flee" as the next logical stage - and then whaur would wi be ? ;D

C'mon neeb's - upstream (or at least squarely cast) thoughts please.
STip

[conwyrod]

Andy - what's the ruling on daytime salmon fishing on the Esks in low water, during the sea trout season?

Salmon fishing is supposed to stop at 6.00pm on the Conwy in low water, but in practice nobody fishes in the daytime when it's low.

[Tyne Andrew]

May 27, 2008 18:33:02 GMT conwyrod said:

May 24, 2008 20:44:46 GMT spruce said:

Hope this question does not seem too ridiculous, here goes! During low water conditions would it not be feasible to adopt the upstream method, as per trout fishing, for salmon? As well as using large nymph types of flies would it not also work with the more traditional type patterns? Longer casts than those usually associated with the "Czech nymph" method could probably be used and the fly stripped back. After all a lot of spinning is conducted in this way! Just thought that by fishing upstream it could avoid spooking wary fish or is it just a total no no!?

Spruce, it's a fact that many trout and grayling anglers hook salmon while employing traditional upstream nymph or dry fly tactics, so the answer to your question has to be yes.

I would speculate that such tactics are probably more successful on bigger rivers like Tweed and Dee, as in low water conditions on small spate rivers the salmon will have their heads down in the deep holding pools. Chances of success will be better at first light & dusk, as a few fish will move into the heads and tails of pools.

Having said that, Tyne Andrew has recently shown that a big stripped collie works very well in low water as well!!

Story to follow!

[sinkingtip]

John - normally the period of let on the Esk's is 6am - 6am regardless of whether or not you are fishing for salmon or seatrout.
The Esk's don't employ a two tier ticket system differentiating between the species or hunter.
Your permission to fish allows you both species, dependent on the time of year, and carte blanche to utilise your 24 hr period of let however you, your party and the ghillie see fit.
For obvious reasons early (Feb - May) and late (Sept - Oct) season fishing for salmon will be conducted during daylight hours - first to last light if you wish.

Once we get into June, and for most of July, we would normally fish ONLY the failing light for salmon (but concentrating on the fast streamy neck's leaving the pool tails until the light has fully faded) and the 'dark' hours (11.30pm - 3am) for sea trout.
At 3am with the light coming up fast, its back to the necks and streams with the hope of an early morning fish or grilse - aff the watter by 6am (latest) - especially if you are a 'day rod'.

In "low water" the following day rods can, if they wish, start at 6am but this would, IMO, be as close to a waste of time as you could get.

By the end of July and into August the sea trout are well past their prime and best left alone - if nothing else, in the space of a few short weeks we have leaped from having light balmy 3hr nights to nut numbing 6hr abysses.
However, at this time of year the grilse run should be at its peak and my particular M.O. is to fish from first light (4am) until approx 8am then again from 7pm til dark 'o clock (10.30pm).

Sorry John - never meant to get as 'wordy' as that, hope this answers your question.
best regards
STip