Monday, September 19, 2011

Salmon River Update

Been on the river a few times since last post.  Not a lot of movement mid river but that is changing as I type.  Has been a good movement of salmon into the river in the last day or two.  The cooler temperatures at night with some cold rain we had last Thursday have sparked this movement.  These fish should be in Pineville area by tonight or tomorrow.  We will be getting more rain tomorrow, Tuesday and should see more fish entering the river.  The fishing off shore in the lake has been good and these fish will be entering the river SOON.  

The water flow at Pineville gauge is just under 400cfs, about normal for this time of the year.  Don't expect it to increase anytime soon as no major rain fall is in the foreseeable future. Still plenty of water for good fish movement and enough to float a drift boat.  Some have asked about floating with 3 clients plus the guide, unfortunately with this water flow 2 clients is the limit.  If the flows push above 750cfs 3 clients is no problem in the boat.

As usual I will be fishing the Pineville to 2A bridge section this fall for both salmon and steelhead.  Even during the peak of the salmon run the crowds are minimal and there is plenty of both open water and fish.  Actually some of the best salmon and steehead water is in this stretch.  I have a few excellent dates for salmon open in early October and plenty of good steelhead dates from October 20 to the end of December.

Well worn foot path along the Salmon River
 
Walking along the river this time of year is very enjoyable.  The fall season is taking hold and the leaves are starting to change colors now.  The smell of fish is in the air (sometimes not a pleasant smell). The fishing is quiet right now but seeing fishermen standing in the river fishing is like a notice that something is about to happen. 

One feature of the Salmon River is the foot paths that run up and down both sides of most of it's length.  These are well wore after 40 years of use, some as deep as a foot and if this fishery vanished tomorrow you could still walk these path 50 years from now.  I always think of the thousands of anglers who walked these paths and left their own impression in the banks here.  Some of these paths look almost cathedral like.

I'll be fishing regularly now and will post as the run progresses.  Keep your line tight.


Sunday, September 11, 2011

Salmon River Fishing and Misc.

Made it to the Salmon River this evening to spend some time at one of my favorite walk in places.  This is the kind of spot that is going to have a predictable movement of fish, especially in the first light of morning and the evening.  What you need to have is a section of fast water between two larger holding areas, like between Frasier's Run and the Wires or the Compactor and the Upper Compactor.  These larger, deeper runs hold fish during the daytime and  since salmon trend to move readily at night, the runs between see good movement at first and last light of day. 

I didn't expect to find alot of moving fish but I knew I'd find a few and that's the way it turned out.  Saw three salmon edging up out of the deeper runs to head up stream.  Was able to connect with one, briefly.  The other two were on the move and had no intentions of giving my fly a chance to provoke them. 


New bridge looking from north to south

Was a nice evening though and I was glad to get back to the river.  I stopped by Pineville bridge to check on the progress there.  They're putting the concrete deck down now and the main floor of the bridge is done.  All that is basically left is the approaches to the main bridge. 


Fall is coming to the river.  A few trees starting to change colors and with the cooler temperatures in the evenings now the dew forms fast and heavy.  I love this time of year.  Here are a couple of pictures of the new bridge.  Should be able to use it before too long.

New concrete deck looking towards RT 13


I'll be on the river again later this week and then almost daily till the end of October as my schedule stands right now.  I will be posting updates from here on out as often as I can. 

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Keeping Track of Time

This evening there is a full moon.  For many this is nothing more than a monthly astronomical happening.  It makes the tides ebb and flow.  It signals another month behind us.  But for me, ever since the salmon runs have been an event in my life, the full moon has been my time keeper.  For example, this past July we were in Victor, Idaho when one evening I watched the full moon rise over the Tetons.  Beautiful yes but in my mind I am counting "August, September, October, 3 more moons till the salmon run is at it's peak".  That's the way it is now, for me.  Every full moon I am counting how many more till the peak of the salmon run here on the Salmon River.

Full moon rising over the Tetons

The run has actually started.  This past week we received the remnants of hurricane Lee and the added push of water down the river seemed to get them moving.  Sure, right now they will enter the river in spurts, nothing steady yet.  But the peak of the run will come when the moon is full during October.  Everyone has their own idea as to when the salmon run peaks. When I began guiding here I met and worked with a guide, Tommy Cornell, who said the run doesn't peak till the leaves are floating in the river.  This also has been a reliable tell for the peak of the run.  But you can't see the leaves as you float down the river in the dark of early morning.  The leaves don't illuminate the river like a street light the way the full moon does in October.  And for time keeping purposes, the leaves don't fall every month.

For me, once the full moon of October begins to disappear, as October heads towards November, I will look at the next full moon and the one after that and the one after that, and I'll count the months off till the salmon run peaks again.