River salmon/trout fishing -- first experience a success

[frozenfire]

So finally decided to invest in river fishing. Having never tried it before, had help from a few members. Thanks!

Got to the river at about 9-9:30 and it was pretty packed already.
Decided to find myself a nice quiet pool and started hitting small trout steadily. These are really beautiful fish... crazy how I never got into this earlier. Colours are spectacular in person.

Salmon were literally everywhere...and lots were being landed...illegally
I had several fish come inspect my offering, but always turn and swim away last second.

I finally decided to go try some fast moving water....saw two fish...casted ahead of them and let my presentation drift quickly towards them...see the fish move up and my float stops and sinks. Set the hook and game on. Was quite a fight... not as fun as free running salmon from a pier i think, but it's a different experience.

My new river rod held up well and it was great to see the 12'6" of length bend like that!

excuse the mud...i had to beach the fish and forgot to give it a wash before the pic...

I need waders now :lol:

 

[MikeyMikey]

Excellent.

Longer fishing season per year for you now.

Did you get yourself a new reel too?
I guess your 2500 with lighter line spool is good enough in river?

Maybe you should take me out sometime and get it started too :lol:

 

[diggyj]

Great job, well done indeed, looks like a monster.

DIRK

 

[tangledline]

congrats....excellent start to river fishing!
sweet photos...

 

[efka]

good job man. wait till you hook into steelhead on that rod... :lol:
btw the earlier in the season you hook the fish the stronger it fights.

 

[frozenfire]

Thanks guys!

Can't wait to get my first real chromer!

 

[ec1]

wow, those small trout look very very nice with their colours!

 

[halleb]

Good job frozenfire, I told you you will love it once you try. :lol:

Keep it up !

 

[SalesforceCRM]

Nice post frozenfire! Now's chromer time!! U should head out!

 

[disspatcher]

Beautiful Colors on the trout!! WTG!

 

[frozenfire]

nice to hear from you disspatcher!

 

[Mykester]

Nice. Btw where is this?

 

[frozenfire]

the dirty shwa

 

[openfire]

Congrats on the river success... I see that it didn't take you long since this outing to go out and acquire yourself a float reel. :evil:

It's awesome to see proof that our wild rainbow trout population are naturally reproducing and thriving in the L.O. tribs.

 

[frozenfire]

I know...crazy huh?
I've been on the rivers about 3-4 times, and of those times, I would observe anglers with centerpins and watch their presentation... needless to say, I definitely saw the big advantage with the free spool going along with the current, whereas my spinning lacked big time haha.

I guess it's all about how natural your presentation is. Getting it just right to flow with the speed of the current is the learning part.
I now have to spend a lot of time out on the water experimenting with different sized floats and shot patterns for different sections of the river.

Openfire, you do any river fishing yet?
Apparently now's the time, huge runs of steel are pushing their way up.

 

[openfire]

No, I haven't done any river fishing yet this fall, been too busy :evil: ... I'm looking forward to March/April to start hitting the tribs again.

I now have to spend a lot of time out on the water experimenting with different sized floats and shot patterns for different sections of the river.

I'm no expert (YET lol) but I've found that generally what works is a small float/less shot for slower moving clear water, larger floats/more shot for faster dirtier water. And if possible, I tend to attach as much shot below the float as possible without sinking the float... this ensures that the slightest pickup sinks the float, alerting you for a fast hook-set (crucial).

I still consider myself a noob in this type of fishing, but man I love it! I will hopefully be experimenting with a pin in the spring.

Keep the reports coming!

 

[efka]

:evil: trout are not crappie, when they hit you know it, it doesn't matter its a 7g float or 2g.
in clear water people use small floats because they don't want to spook trout with 5-7 sinkers on their line.