How to Fly Fish for Salmon: A Complete Guide for Beginners

Salmon fishing is a dream for many anglers. These large, powerful fish put up an incredible fight and make for a thrilling experience on the water. Fly fishing for salmon adds an extra layer of challenge and excitement. With the right gear, timing, and techniques, fly fishing for salmon can lead to the catch of a lifetime.

In this complete guide I’ll cover everything you need to know as a beginner to successfully fly fish for salmon.

Gear You’ll Need

To hook and land a big salmon on a fly rod you’ll need the right specialized gear and tackle. Here are the essentials

Fly Rod

• 9-10 wt single-handed rod, 9-10 feet long
• Fast action for lifting and fighting large fish
• Fighting butt for extra leverage

Fly Reel

• Large arbor reel designed for 8-10 wt lines
• Sealed drag system with high startup inertia
• High line capacity (200+ yards of 20 lb backing)

Fly Line

• WF floating line designed for the rod weight
• Allows drifting flies through currents

Leader & Tippet

• 10-15 lb monofilament or fluorocarbon tapered leader
• 12-15 lb tippet

Flies

• Streamers, egg patterns, flesh flies, in size 2/0 to 6/0
  -Weighted patterns get down in the current

Accessories

• Split shot or slinkies
• Strike indicators
• Long handled net

Having a properly balanced outfit designed for big fish is key to success and enjoyment. Don’t skimp on buying quality gear.

Best Times to Target Salmon

Salmon make predictable migrations from the ocean into coastal rivers and streams to spawn. Timing your trips to coincide with these seasonal runs is crucial.

Pacific Salmon (Chinook, Coho, Pink, Sockeye):

• Early summer run – May/June
• Late summer run – August/September
• Fall run – September/October

Atlantic Salmon:

• Spring run – May/June
• Fall run – Late August/September

Within a specific river, salmon runs can last 2-6 weeks. Track fishing reports to pinpoint when fish enter your local river. The most intense part of the run often lasts just 1-2 weeks.

Locating Salmon Lies

Salmon hold in predictable lies as they stage and move upriver. Focus your efforts fishing these high-percentage spots:

• Pools – Deeper slower water where salmon can rest out of the current. Target the head, tailout, and seams.

• Riffles – Shallow rocky or gravelly areas. Drift flies along edges and lanes with softer flows.

• Runs – Fast straight sections. Salmon hold in breaks along the banks and behind boulders.

• Bends – Inside gravel bars and current edges on the inside of river bends.

Also target structure like boulders, logs, undercut banks, and drop-offs. Salmon orient facing into the current, waiting to ambush prey.

Rigging Tips

Add Weight: Getting flies down to salmon requires using split shot or weighted fly patterns. Space split shot 12-18 inches above the fly. Adjust weight based on depth and flow.

Go Big: Large profile streamers, flesh flies, and eggs get salmon’s attention. Use 2/0 hooks and larger. Popular patterns are Woolly Buggers, Intruders, Egg Sucking Leeches.

Tippet: 10-12 lb fluorocarbon or monofilament tippet balances strength with turnover. Heavier for very big flies. Use 15 lb for fresh fish.

Set the Hook: Strip strike or use the rod tip to drive the hook point home. Heavy tippet requires an aggressive hook set.

Play Fish: Use the reel drag, keep the rod low, and be patient. Salmon can make blistering runs. Don’t horse them too hard.

Presentation Techniques

Swing: Cast quartering upstream, let the fly swing through the drift, and strip line to animate it. As the fly straightens out, let it swing across broad seams.

Dead Drift: Drifting flies on a tight line with the current is effective for less aggressive fish. Feed line through guides to avoid unnatural drag.

Jigging: Bounce flies along the bottom by lifting and dropping the rod tip. Impart action using the rod not the line. Works well in riffles and runs.

Stripping: Aggressively strip in line to move the fly and provoke reaction strikes. Vary retrieve speed. Works for streamers and leech patterns.

Skating: Dry flies can skate and wake across the surface. Target fish holding in foam lines and riffles.

Vary techniques until you see how salmon respond. Aggressive fish will chase swung and stripped flies. Less active fish take dead drifted or lightly twitched flies.

5 Tips for Landing More Salmon

1. Fish early and late when salmon are most active and feeding.

2. Pay attention to subtle takes – tippet twitch, flash, sudden weight – and set the hook on anything suspicious.

3. Change flies and techniques every 20 minutes until you start getting strikes.

4. Cover the water methodically. Don’t miss prime lies behind rocks and in corners.

5. Have patience and persistence. Some days you have to put in work to find willing fish.

A basic salmon fishing line setup typically involves a strong mainline, a leader, and various components like swivels, split shot, and hooks or lures.