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FALL SALMON AND CHAR IN THE NORTH SOUND

By Scott Willison & the Confluence Fly Shop

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THE COHO FORECAST

  • Puget Sound total = 897,190
  • Stillaguamish = 37,941
  • Nooksack/Samish = 122,653
  • Skagit = 203,112

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BUT FIRST….VAMOS EN LA PLAYA!!!

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WHIDBEY BEACHES THROUGH THE END OF THE MONTH

  • Ebey’s landing
  • Fort Casey
  • South Whidbey State Park
  • Possession County Park
  • Hoypus Point
  • Ala spit
  • Bush point
  • Lagoon point

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WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 7-8 weight rod 9-10’
  • Decent reel with intermediate shooting taper
  • Stripping basket
  • 12-15 pound fluorocarbon leader material
  • Clousers, herring & sandlance patterns, the ”Hoochie” fly

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THE IMPORTANCE OF TIDES

  • https://tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov/
  • Moving water
  • 2 hours +/- Tide change

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READING A BEACH

  • look for jumpers
  • Look for rips/current seams
  • Be observant/adapt to changing conditions
  • Fish early/late or when you can

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BEACH TACTICS

  • Look for jumpers
  • Look for rips/current seams
  • Be observant/adapt to changing conditions
  • Cast, cast, cast
  • Two-handed strip
  • Don’t trout set!!!
  • Pace yourself…but not too much

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THE RIVER SEASON AND WHAT’S AVAILABLE

  • October through December
  • River ebbs and flow
  • Rain, cold and solitude
  • Coho, chum and bull trout

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COHO

  • Extremely diverse run timing
  • A run vs. b Run
  • Love frog water
  • Inherently aggressive
  • Will chase flies

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CHUM SALMON

  • Variable run size
  • Late October through early December
  • Tenacious fighters
  • Like the seams
  • Respond to a variety of presentations

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BULL TROUT

  • Late October through January
  • Voracious feeders
  • Tailouts and current convergences
  • Steak and eggs with a side of fish

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EQUIPMENT CONSIDERATIONS: TO SPEY OR NOT TO SPEY?

Single hand

  • 9-10’ Single Hand 7-8 weight
  • Floating, intermediate and sink tip lines
  • Short integrated Skagit line
  • Reel with a solid drag and minimum 100 yards of backing

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Two Hand

  • 11-11’6” 6-8 weight Switch rods
  • Integrated Skagit line
  • Reel with a solid drag and minimum 100 yards of backing
  • Variety of interchangeable Tips (intermediate, 5/5 T-11, 10’ T-11)
  • 4-5 weight trout spey (bull trout)

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OTHER NECESSITIES

  • Waterproof pack
  • Flies (variety of weights)
  • Proper rain gear
  • Warm clothing
  • 10 through 15 lb. Seaguar sts fluoro or maxima ultragreen

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COHO & CHUM FLIES

  • SPARKLE BUGGER
  • FLASH FLIES
  • STRUTTER
  • STARLIGHT LEECH
  • COLORS: OLIVE, CHARTREUSE, PINK, PURPLE, ORANGE, COPPER, SILVER
  • HOOKS: GAMAKATSU L11S-3H OR S11-4L2H #4-8

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TOP COHO & CHUM PATTERNS

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BULL TROUT FLIES

  • EGG SUCKING LEECH
  • RIO’S POCKET ROCKET
  • DALI LLAMA
  • FLESH FLIES
  • SLUSH EGG/GLO BUG/TROUT BEAD

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TOP LATE SEASON BULL TROUT PATTERNS

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SALMON STRATEGIES

  • SLOUGHS
  • STRUCTURE
  • INSIDE BENDS
  • CURRENT SEAMS
  • PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE

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UNDERSTANDING THE RIVER FLOWS

  • USGS STREAM FLOW SITE
  • SKAGIT @ CONCRETE < 14000 CFS
  • SKAGIT @ MARBLEMOUNT < 9000 CFS
  • SAUK RIVER @ SAUK < 4500 CFS

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FISHING TECHNIQUES

  • STRIPPING FLIES CROSS CURRENT
  • VARIED RETRIEVE
  • HOP AND DROP
  • FRONT HEAVY (JIG) FLIES
  • SUSPENDED FLY

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BULL TROUT STRATEGIES

  • WHERE DOES THE CONVEYER BELT END?
  • TAILOUTS
  • SOFT WATER NEAR CURRENT
  • WHERE ARE OR WERE THE SPAWNING SALMON?
  • WHERE ARE THE EAGLES?

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BULL TROUT TECHNIQUES

  • DEAD DRIFTING EGG OR FLESH PATTERNS
  • STRIP RETRIEVE
  • SWUNG FLY
  • EGG SUCKING THINGS

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QUESTIONS?

EMAIL: SCOTT@THECONFLUENCEFLYSHOP.COM