Fly Fishing for River Kings
by Don McChristian Jr 10-16-01
I recently went Fly Fishing for Kings and Splitshot and Shoeman from the site gave me the opportunity to learn from them and I am going to take this time to share with you what I learned from them. Together we hooked into over 200 Salmon among the 5 of us , the other two being Splitshot's friends from the state of Alabama. I personally fought over 30 of these Monsters and landed 3 of them!
Equipment Needed:
Many may think this to be an "expensive" type of fishing...but compared to catching these Kings in the "Big Water" it is relatively inexpensive! I will go though the equipment I bought and used and that should give you the information you need to get started!
First and foremost, you will need a Fly Rod of some sort. Mine is a 8 Weight Pflueger Purist. I purchased it for around $40 at a local Sporting goods store. For
starting out this rod did the job and then some!
Next is a decent Fly Reel, mine is a Pflueger "Medalist" Model Number 1598RC. it too was around $40. There are many other types available, so shop around and look for a good deal! Just remember that you need one with a bigger spool that is rated for 8 wt line!
Fly Line is the next thing needed. I chose Running Line, .0031 Dia. It worked great for me but Amnesia is preferred by many also.
The leader is the next thing we will discuss. Proper Rigging will be discussed later in the article. I used 14lb test Berkley Vanish. This line has doubled the number of fish I catch overall and it did the job on the Kings too!
Flies...there are many that will work. The Idea is to use a Fly that will attract attention and cause the King to strike it out of anger. I used Wooly Buggers, Spey Flies, and Egg Sucking Leeches. Black seemed to work the best, followed by White and Pink with a close Second!
Besides the basic equipment above you will also need a few other things to be successful. You will need a "generous" supply of Barrel Swivels and Split Shot sinkers. I like the removable ones because it lets you change weight easier for different speeds of river current. A pair of chest Waders are a must also. They don't have to be the expensive Neoprene type, the cheap "rubber" or "canvas" work fine for the beginner!
Rigging:
We are on our way to Big Kings! Now how to rig. First you attach a barrel swivel to your Fly Line with any of the good knots that are out there. The reason I do this is to make it easier to tie on new leaders when these
Monsters break them off, and they will break MANY! Next you tie a 3 to 4 foot length of the leader material to the other end of the barrel swivel. When you tie this knot, leave about 2-3 inches of the Tag end hanging out. This will allow you to attach the Split Shot needed without harming your main leader line. To the end of this leader you then attach the Fly of your choice, and you are ready to hit the water!
Fishing Techniques and Presentation:
Now, how to you fish this rig? First find yourself a River where Kings are (Duh!). Start by looking for Gravel Runs, and also the Deeper Holes in the River. You may also actually see the Kings! Chances are if you see them holding on the gravel, there is a Female preparing to or laying
eggs (or on the Redd) The males will be lined up behind her to protect her and waiting to "Do their Job!" This is where you come in and try to ruin the party!
Try to get yourself a little upstream of the Redd without "spooking" the fish. Now carefully cast your Fly so it will drift right in front of the MALES!!! You want to keep the females there because she is the main attraction! If you keep repeating this, one of the males will eventually take your Fly out of anger and territorial rights...and when he does, set that hook and let him run against the drag, and "Palm" the reel to slow him down if need be! Keep the rod tip up and the line tight, and use your rod to "Steer" the fish away from possible Log Jams that may break the fish off! When the fish tires, it is time to "Apply the Heat!" and get him to the net! Be careful, they can fool ya and run again!
Now the Deeper Holes. Once you locate a hole that is deeper and hopefully snag free, you begin this technique: Cast your Fly upstream at a 45 degree angle. Let it hit bottom, and keep that rod tip low to the water. If you have the right amount of weight, you should feel it just "Ticking" the bottom . With you rod tip low, follow the Fly downstream until the Fly is not drifting with the current anymore. You then strip in the line and repeat. After a few casts you will get a feel for this "Bottom Ticking". Now if you notice any change in this "Feel", set that hook! It means a fish has taken your Fly! Then hang on and hopefully in 10 minutes or so you will have your King!
I hope this article is helpful to others! It is exactly what I was taught to hook into 30+ Kings and Land 3 of them! Don't forget your camera, and hopefully, THIS WILL BE
YOU!!!
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"I hope this article is helpful to others! It is exactly what I was taught to hook into 30+ Kings and Land 3 of them! Don't forget your camera, and hopefully, THIS WILL BE
YOU!!!"
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