Salmon Fly Prep

[Muddyboots]

The fishery here is a lot more complicated than most realize. Its really difficult to balance the forage to the population which is based upon stocking and wild card fudge factor of naturally produced salmon. Look closely and see there is a adipose fin. The stocked fish are removed. Seems the naturals grow bigger. Recent new record is a natural. No one really knows how many fish are being naturally produced every year which is a major problem to try to manage the stocking numbers to manage the forage base. I would not be surprised to see record broken again this year. I had one king in last year that almost dumped my reel which has never remotely come close to that.! I have caught quite a few 30+ fish (on scale) and this one had power that I never felt before! Yeah, I know! Big one got away! The last few years has produced few high 30's and no doubt this fish was more than that. Of course buddy with me was wondering if I foul hooked a sturgeon!

 

[Muddyboots]

We troll Spoons, Herring, spinners, k14-15 flatfish, and a plastic bait called a Super Bait. Super bait freaking works super good and easy to rig and fish. Run them behind flashers and dodgers off riggers or droppers as a lot of time we are only 30-50' not 200' deep.

We run similar with spoons, cut herring, J-Plugs, Meat Plugs (type of J with meat), flies, flashers and dodgers. Never tried Brads but will look at them. Their Thinfish is absolute killer on cohos in spring.

 

[Muddyboots]

So I stumbled onto a new fly head that I turned into cool salmon trolling fly with large bug eye which should be great attractor.

 

[Muddyboots]

Also found a UV head I tied up with glow body that can't wait to try in high sun.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Also found a UV head I tied up with glow body that can't wait to try in high sun.
View attachment 339612

When we going fishing?????
My bags are packed!

 

[Muddyboots]

Unfortunately my boat is not an icebreaker!! I usually wait until May 1st to get past most hard freezes to protect the outdrive. I sometimes run RV antifreeze through it with homemade container hooked up to hose muffs so I can pump it through in launch parking lot.