How To Fish For Salmon
If you want to learn how to fish for salmon, you need to know when and where the best time to find them is. Salmon leave the oceans and make their way up the rivers of northern climates, back to where they started life from, around March or April. They stay in the shallow rivers until around the end of July, reproducing the next salmon generation, and then they make their way back down the rivers to the sea again.
It is on these river runs that you can learn how to fish for salmon. Late spring or early summer is an excellent time for salmon fishing. It is then that the salmon runs are normally at their peak. Even the complete novice can hardly fail to catch a fish or two. Just being there with the right equipment and going through the right motions is often all it takes.
For the seasoned salmon fisherman or fisherwoman, standing in the relative shallows of a large river in hip waders wielding a salmon rod is nothing short of paradise. For the novice it can be a daunting experience, fraught with all kinds of difficulties. With time, though, it all comes together to provide an exciting yet leisurely sport that can be enjoyed by almost anyone of any age.
Learning how to fish for salmon means getting the right equipment from the start. Salmon fishing equipment tends to quite robust and strong. This is necessary as salmon are generally big strong fish that will put up a good fight when caught. A flimsy rod won't last long with salmon. You will need a good strong line on a good strong rod.
Salmon can be fished for in both freshwater and saltwater environments as they inhabit both at different times of their life cycle. For the beginner it is probably best to start off in a freshwater environment as salmon tend to fight harder and more aggressively in saltwater than in freshwater. Having said that however, most anglers agree that fishing salmon in saltwater is a highly popular, thrilling and unique experience that is hard to beat.
When fishing salmon in freshwater, carry what you need with you. It's a lot easier that having to go back to the river bank to get what you need every time. Choose a river location that is clear with a current that is fairly fast flowing, and don't fish in the direct sunlight. You should weight the line so that it can bounce close to the bottom, but just off it. As a general rule of thumb, the slower the current, the lighter the weight needed, and vice versa.
For landing your salmon, assuming you hook one, use a standard net. If the salmon is a large one, use a gaff as the net won't be enough. However, don't try to land your salmon while it's still in prime fighting mode. Make sure it has been played out in the water first.
Learning how to fish salmon can be great fun. You don't have to be an expert on day one. Just enjoy the sport and learn the finer points as you go along. You'll be an expert before you know it.
