Salmon gear - recommendations
 

Last fall was my first season salmon fishing on the rivers here in the
Lower Mainland (Vancouver BC), drift fishing with my old surf rod and
penn reel, landing chinook of up to 30 lbs.

This year I'd like to try fly fishing for pink salmon, but fear that my
5/6 weight trout kit isn't up to the job. So I need some heavier-duty
fly kit for the bigger fish (10-25 lbs). But I have no clear idea how
much heavier its got to be...

Would an 9ft 8-weight be ridiculously inadequate? Or do I have to be
looking at a double-handed rod?

Quite a general question, I know, but all advice and experience is
appreciated.

/S

it really depends where you are fishing. A #6 rod will serve for Pinks
particularly in the Harrison and backwaters of the Fraser. For the big
whites in the Vedder etc you should have a #9 - an #8 will do but don't
expect to land many fish. No you don't need a double hand style rod. Single
hand rods are better for the strip retrieve presentation typically used for
coho.
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"Scarlet Pimpernel" wrote in message
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Last fall was my first season salmon fishing on the rivers here in the
Lower Mainland (Vancouver BC), drift fishing with my old surf rod and
penn reel, landing chinook of up to 30 lbs.

This year I'd like to try fly fishing for pink salmon, but fear that my
5/6 weight trout kit isn't up to the job. So I need some heavier-duty
fly kit for the bigger fish (10-25 lbs). But I have no clear idea how
much heavier its got to be...

Would an 9ft 8-weight be ridiculously inadequate? Or do I have to be
looking at a double-handed rod?

Quite a general question, I know, but all advice and experience is
appreciated.

/S

Scarlet Pimpernel wrote:

Last fall was my first season salmon fishing on the rivers here in the
Lower Mainland (Vancouver BC), drift fishing with my old surf rod and
penn reel, landing chinook of up to 30 lbs.

This year I'd like to try fly fishing for pink salmon, but fear that my
5/6 weight trout kit isn't up to the job. So I need some heavier-duty
fly kit for the bigger fish (10-25 lbs). But I have no clear idea how
much heavier its got to be...

Would an 9ft 8-weight be ridiculously inadequate? Or do I have to be
looking at a double-handed rod?

Quite a general question, I know, but all advice and experience is
appreciated.

/S


You can do OK with a 5-6 for pinks. But if there is a possibility of
getting into chums (often running around the same time as pinks) or
other species, then you should use at least a 7wt with a preference for
heavier equipment. A 9' 8wt is OK. My preference is for a rod with a
very stiff butt, regardless of whether its a 5-6 or 8 wt. To me, that
is more important. 8wt is OK for chinook if it has a stiff butt.

As a suggestion, consider a reel with a good drag. If you're fishing
large or swift water, have plenty of backing. If you're in smaller creeks.

I've never met a leader-shy salmon. You can use a heavier leader with a
stiff-butt rod to land the fish a little more quickly. For leader, we
use 13 - 18# Maxima mono.

On 4 Jul 2005 08:17:16 -0700, "Scarlet Pimpernel"
wrote:

This year I'd like to try fly fishing for pink salmon, but fear that my
5/6 weight trout kit isn't up to the job. So I need some heavier-duty
fly kit for the bigger fish (10-25 lbs). But I have no clear idea how
much heavier its got to be...

Would an 9ft 8-weight be ridiculously inadequate? Or do I have to be
looking at a double-handed rod?

I have fished for Chinooks (Kings) in Ontario (Saugeen River) and have
landed more than a few using my Sage XP7100-4 (four piece 10 foot 7
weight). I use a Lamson V3.5 large arbor reel with steelhead tapered
floating line. Great reel with a good drag. I used this same rig in
Alaska last year and landed 30 inch rainbows, 15 pound Silvers
(Cohos), and lots of big Chum (Dog Fish) and little pinks (humpies).

I wouldn't hesitate to use a 6 weight on the pinks, but if there are
other bigger species (chums, silvers) in the river, you might have
more than you can handle if you hook into one.

FWIW, I don't think an 8 weight would be overkill. However if the
pinks are smallish, it *would* be overkill.

See:
http://hometown.aol.com/davplac/Alaska18-Aug04.html


Dave

FWIW, I don't think an 8 weight would be overkill. However if the
pinks are smallish, it *would* be overkill.

See:
http://hometown.aol.com/davplac/Alaska18-Aug04.html

I regularly use a #8. These fish average 4 to 6lbs and 7 & 8lbs are common
plus the rivers are strong and wide. Often it's not a matter of the size of
the fish but the line and the fly.

"Scarlet Pimpernel" wrote in message
This year I'd like to try fly fishing for pink salmon, but fear that my
5/6 weight trout kit isn't up to the job. So I need some heavier-duty
fly kit for the bigger fish (10-25 lbs). But I have no clear idea how
much heavier its got to be...

Many thanks for the pointers, looks like I'm right in the ballpark with a 9'
7/8wt.

Appreciate all the input ...

/S