The world is home to seven accepted species of salmon, found across various regions. The five Pacific salmon species Chinook, Coho, Chum, Pink, and Sockeye along with the Atlantic salmon, are especially popular among North American anglers. If you’re learning how to catch salmon fish, you’ll need to head to colder regions, as these fish thrive in cold water environments.
They can sometimes be spotted swimming alone in freshwater or schooling in the ocean. They also enjoy swimming upstream, where they can be seen searching for food. They threaten to fight if you hook them, but they are not very afraid of fishers. Be warned that you need to prepare for an intense battle. Let’s explore how to catch Salmon Fish:
Where to Find Salmon?
Let’s look at some of the most common salmon habitats before discussing where to find them. The majority of salmon species have the unique ability to be born in freshwater, spend the remainder of their lives in the ocean, and then return to freshwater to breed. Therefore, you have a double chance of finding some salmon if you live near the water. Finding the salmon will be simpler if you are aware of their habitats.
Lakes, rivers, and streams are among the most critical freshwater salmon habitats. Do not worry, I am going to give you a few salmon locations. There are numerous chances for fishermen for how do you catch salmon because they can be found all over the globe. Here are just a few well-known places for salmon fishing around the globe:
Top Freshwater Salmon Fishing Spots:
Willamette River, OR: The Willamette is a beautiful natural feature and one of Oregon’s favorite places to visit. This is a great place to go salmon fishing, especially in the winter.
Lake Shasta, CA: The best salmon fishing in California may be found in the 30,000-acre Lake Shasta. When spring arrives, the King Salmon action will be the main focus.
Salmon River, NY: It should come as no surprise that the Salmon River is a great place to target these highly valued fish, given the species’ name. In addition to a fantastic supporting cast of Coho and Atlantic salmon, King Salmon visit the waterways here each fall.
Skeena River, BC: The more than 360-mile-long Skeena River is one of the salmon locations in the Great White North. The cold weather in this isolated spot attracts hungry fish.
Top Saltwater Salmon Fishing Spots:
Bristol Bay, AK: When fishing in Alaska, you must visit Bristol Bay, which is considered to be one of the best places in the world to catch salmon. This location is home to all five Pacific Salmon species, making fishing here unmatched.
Puget Sound, WA: Puget Sound is the place for you if you want beautiful scenery and a convenient escape from a busy city. The bulk of the Pacific Salmon species pass by, depending on the season.
Zhupanova, Russia: What the Zhupanova River has in store will blow your mind if you thought Alaska and British Columbia were wild. Many of the same species are found in our Pacific Northwest, which is situated near the far eastern edge of Russia.
Shiretoko Peninsula, Japan: When it comes to salmon fishing, there is no escaping the beautiful surroundings, which are one of the reasons this peninsula is a recognized national park. At the end of the day, the abundance of Chum Salmon promises to be a delicious treat.
Step 01: Best Ways How to Catch Salmon Fish
Even if you are aware of where to go and what to expect, a catch is not always guaranteed. Luckily, catching a salmon can be done in many different ways. Everyone who fishes has a favorite. You can select the one that best suits your needs once I’ve given you a few. Here are the best tips on how to catch river salmon:
1. Drift Fishing
One of the most popular ways to catch salmon is drifting, which involves dragging your line and letting it float in a current or flowing water. Adding a sinker is a very useful way to help your bait sink below the surface. Using a technique known as plunking, you can do the same thing without water flow. Just throw, then hang the fish you caught.
2. Trolling
This is another drifting method where you troll your bait behind a small boat or boat to cover greater distance. A fishing charter captain can assist you in getting on the water if you don’t have a boat. Artificial and live bait can both be used for trolling and all other methods. On open lakes or larger rivers, it is most typical.
3. Fly Fishing
Fly fishing, a more unusual method, provides a thrilling but difficult fishing experience. Although it requires a lot of work and space to whip your line back and forth, experienced fly fishermen confirm it. You’ll love watching aggressive salmon jump on your bait once you have it perfected.
Step 02: When to Fish for Salmon
The fishing season for salmon in the British Isles is typically divided into three main segments by fishers: spring, summer, and fall. This is because there are numerous salmon rivers with distinct season dates. Each season demands a different approach, different fishing circumstances, and different fishing challenges. We will provide a summary of what each season segment typically involves here.
1. Spring Salmon Fishing
This time of year is typically defined as January to the end of May. The ultimate goal for anglers fishing in the spring is how to catch spring salmon. The biggest, fattest salmon, which are loaded with muscle for their cold-water trip and frequently swim well into the upper reaches of a river system.
Its tributaries typically join our rivers during this time of year. In the cold, snowy early months of the year, many fishermen flock to the riverside for the challenge of catching a big, silver spring salmon. There are frequently few fish running at this time of year.
So finding a springer can be like trying to find a needle in a haystack, even though the potential prize is huge. In the early spring, fishing is not for the weak of heart. Wintery winds, high water levels, and cold weather can make this a very difficult experience.
2. Summer Salmon Fishing
This is the time that many salmon fishermen initially picked up a salmon rod and continue to do the majority of their fishing. Generally speaking, this is the main portion of the salmon fishing season, which runs from June to the end of August. When the early-running spring salmon have established themselves as “resident fish” in the pools and streams.
Fresh summer salmon are regularly entering the river from the sea, and this is usually the most beneficial time of year. Fishing is typically easiest during this time of year, when low river levels only require small flies and floating, easily thrown fly lines.
Long fishing days and colorful meals on the riverbank make the entire experience delightful, regardless of whether you catch a salmon that day. Good salmon fishing is not possible when there is low water, bright sun, and high air and water temperatures. The perfect summer day has a cloudy sky, a gentle wind, and a comfortable water level.
3. Autumn Salmon Fishing
Another great time to fish for salmon on many rivers is in the fall, often called “back-end” fishing. This season typically runs from September until the final rivers close for the year. Rivers like the Spey have a shorter autumn window, closing on September 30th.
However, the Tweed one of the best back-end fisheries remains open through November and is famous for its fall salmon runs.These salmon, once bright silver before entering the river, change their appearance to blend into freshwater habitats and prepare for spawning.
Their colors shift to red and brown, often described as “tartan.” For those learning how to catch salmon fish effectively, understanding their seasonal behavior is key. As temperatures drop after summer, these fish become more active and aggressive, offering better chances for a successful catch.
Step 03: Salmon Fishing Tips and Tricks
We’ve explained the many seasons when fishing is feasible and what to anticipate, but how to catch a king salmon? Although there are many different approaches to success in fishing, experimentation frequently yields excellent results. There are some well-known technical principles that are helpful for Atlantic salmon almost everywhere. Let’s explore it:
1. Fish Location
Fish are usually caught in “pools,” which are deeper areas of a river that are often surrounded by a fast flow or set of rapids at the “head” and another run or rapid section at the “tail.” Either because they feel comfortable making this place their river home, or to recover for a little while before taking on the next task. You might see salmon swimming up and then pausing in pools due to the swift-moving water.
Maybe the pool has the appropriate gravelly substrate for spawning, or maybe they have located the ideal position behind a boulder that provides protection. In either case, it’s time to take the location. In any event, it is usually more successful to fish for salmon that are resting in pools rather than attempting to catch a passing fish in swift-moving water.
2. Salmon Behavior
Atlantic salmon stop feeding as soon as they enter freshwater, often for several months. This makes it challenging for those learning how to catch salmon fish, as it’s not about attracting a hungry bite. Instead, anglers rely on specific, suggestive fly patterns designed to trigger an aggressive or curious reaction from the fish.
These patterns aim to spark instinct rather than appetite possibly even reawakening their feeding drive. Many of the most effective salmon flies today are tied to resemble shrimp or sandeels, which salmon commonly eat during their marine life stage.
Step 04: How to Fish a Salmon Pool
To maintain their position in a current without much effort, salmon fishers typically fish a pool from top to bottom, making their way downstream, because the fish will be facing upstream with water running over their fingertips. We can successfully cover how catch salmon in an effortless way.
Casting across towards the opposite bank, allowing our fly or lure to swing back across towards our side. Hopefully, we will swing a fly attractively in front of a salmon by gradually covering the entire pool from top to bottom by repeating this approach and moving downstream after each cast. Let’s find out the different ways:
1. Hooking a Salmon
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations exciting salmon fishing is about to begin, and you’re close to truly experiencing how to catch salmon fish at its most thrilling. When an Atlantic salmon pulls on the line, it’s the moment we’ve all been waiting for a rush of pure excitement. If all has gone to plan, your fly has been swinging perfectly over the river. Suddenly, your reel begins to pull off your line, and you’re in.
There’s just one important thing to remember when fishing downstream: don’t rush. Give the salmon time to take the fly and turn away before slowly lifting your rod. This timing is key and often results in a clean, side-hooked fish an essential part of mastering how to catch salmon fish successfully.
2. Fighting a Salmon
The real fight starts when the fish is hooked. Maintain pressure on the fish while letting your rod’s flex act as a shock absorber. Should the fish desire to run, let it accept the line from your reel.
Choose a drag setting that is just right, not too tight to avoid breaking the line, but not too weak either. We want to apply the fish a little bit to bring it under control. To release a healthy fish back into the river, the goal is to beat the fish rapidly without overloading it.
3. Catching a Salmon
After battling your salmon for some time, you begin to sense that it is growing weary. You are beginning to master the fish. Now is the time to have confidence in your gear, apply some pressure on the fish, and use your rod to guide it away from strong currents and toward the beach. A friend with a landing net just below the water’s surface should be prepared and waiting a little downstream of you.
4. Unhook a Salmon
Now that the fish in the net is in the water, it’s time to admire your well-earned prize, possibly take a quick picture, and then unhook the fish to send it on its way. Make sure you only handle the fish with wet hands and limit air exposure as you drop into the water.
Grab your hook with a set of strong forceps and take it off the fish. Turning your fish upside down in the net is a useful tip if it’s getting hard to manage. A fish is frequently immediately frightened by this confusing effect.
5. Releasing a Salmon
You can now keep your fish in the water at all times since you were able to unhook it. Now is the perfect moment to take a quick picture of the fish being held gently in the water or slightly above it for a few seconds, if you want to keep it.
With your salmon facing upstream, hold it gently in the current and let the water flow over its gills until it swims away with assurance. If your motions have disturbed the water, try to avoid releasing fish in the shallows instead, choose a clear section of water where the fish may swim away.
Conclusion
Fishing for salmon combines planning skills, outdoor excitement, and adventure. Use the appropriate equipment, attempt techniques such as drifting bait, trolling, casting, or fly fishing, and find out when salmon are running through rivers or oceans to catch them.
Overall, the most ideal times how to catch salmon fish are spring through October, based on the salmon type and region. You can fish from the beach or a boat with artificial baits in several colors of water or fresh bait such as salmon eggs. Healthy salmon populations depend on observing the rules and taking good care of the fish.
FAQs
When’s the best time to catch salmon?
The type of salmon and the fishing location will determine this. Coho and Sockeye salmon appear in late summer or fall, whereas Chinook and Pink salmon are best found in the spring and summer. In the summer or fall, Atlantic salmon are frequently captured.
Is a fishing license required?
Yes, a fishing license is typically required. Certain salmon may also need specific tags in some locations, such as Alaska. Before you begin, make sure you review the local regulations.
From the shore, is it possible to catch salmon?
Yes, particularly during salmon runs, you can cast or drift bait from shorelines or riverbanks. Seek out areas where salmon relax, such as above rapids or close to banks.
Can I use my hands to catch salmon?
Try “tickling,” which involves lightly touching a salmon that is resting close to the bank to catch it. It’s difficult, less effective than using a rod, and may not be allowed in some locations.
