I have fished the dry bug for many years now and always find that if I present the fly on a clear , sheet of water I get more action. As well, I usually move my rod upstream just before the fly drops to the water to get the float line above the fly---this gives me a better, longer, ripple free presentation. Float it dead. Nice video with a nice fish. Tight lines.
I read the comments below and they were dead on. You will catch more salmon and sooner by doing what these fellow fishermen or fisherladies wrote in their comments. Please don't take offence by any of our comments.
Entertaining. A few thoughts. A cast further ahead of the fish, with a good mend in the line or an aggressive wiggle cast to throw more slack in your line would have probably taken this fish in a cast or two. If I could see the drag on your video, the fish would most certainly have seen it as well. The fly you mentioned Is basically a very large version of the irresistible, a famous trout fly. Given this pattern, a simple bomber pattern might have worked as well, though this water appeared to be pretty slow and these are usually stripped in water that is a bit faster. In any event, you managed to piss him off enough to take the fly, and you waited long enough to give him a chance to take it. Regarding that, the rule of saying "Gotcha" before setting the hook can help minimize premature hook sets. Looks like you had fun and that's the most important part of angling!
Hey David, thanks for your input. My 2 bits...this is the kind of salmon fishing I enjoy where it is a game of chess between the angler and the salmon. You are spot on, I had fun! I hear what you say about cast mending/avoidance of drag etc. Here on the Restigouche River, the salmon don't seem too interested in long drifts to them. The optimal presentation is 2-3 feet ahead of the snout. Totally agree with avoiding drag as it will sour the fish you are trying to get a response out of...Tight Lines! Mike
What a thrilling movie! And I agree with many of your thoughts. A cast further upstream could have made it possible to create a longer "ripple free" float of the Bomber by mending the line.. Also, possibly, setting the hook with a horisontal movement of the rod to the right, downstream, would have given a better hook setting. Hope my english writing is understandable, I am a swedish fly fisher. I have long experience of dry fly fishing although not from salmon on dries. But I have caught some big trout on dry flies, and lost many of course...
Well..... I'm totally amazed! There are a few lessons learned here 1. PERSISTENCE 2. CHANGE THE FLY & 3. PATIENCE I can't believe how many times that fish had a go. Another thing noticed when it took....... I thought that's not a big fish........ but it was very deceiving until I saw the amount of water it moved at the 5.20 mark and then showed itself as it spat dropped the fly. What an awesome fish! Brilliant experience! What a superb lesson in salmon fishing! Expect the unexpected! Also, I was very impressed that there was cursing at the end!!!~ :) Tight lines to you guys and keep 'em comin'!
@FinLineFly Many thanks for your kind comments Paul. I will remember this angling session forever. As you can see, we don't get too worked up about losing them, although it would make for a better story...
Hey @itiswhatitis9068 I most likely did not do a bow of the rod...over the years, since adopting a barbless fly approach, I found that I would lose more fish on the jump with this configuration than barbed. The value of bowing ones rod to a jumping salmon is for that fish not to snap the leader. In this case, the salmon simply threw the fly as can be seen on the video and not breaking the leader. Mike.