Finally, a salmon (sort of)

[rfb700]

As some of you might know(although probably not) I have been trying to catch a Chinook Salmon on a Lake Huron tributary in Ontario for a number of years now without success. This occurs during my annual vacation to a resort on the Lake Huron coast. I bring my significant other, so mostly it’s sight seeing and dining out and drinking. I get to fish maybe once for a morning if I’m lucky. I don’t like sharing the water so I go off peak during the middle of the week sorta at the tail end of the run. I have seen Salmon, lots and lots of salmon, but never hooked up. Although I did hook the front part of a dead carcass one time, does that count? I have tried every pattern known to mankind. I’ve gone at the crack of dawn. I’ve tried pools, runs, every portion of a river I can cast to. I’ve tried the tank at the local hatchery and nothing (the staff objected to this).

So I basically gave up. I went back to fishing for Browns and Brookies and Smallies. It’s basically a lot of private property but if you know where to go, there are a few accessible spots. Mostly I fish a short three weight as it’s bushy in parts and the fish are small. There is one deeper pool and run that I fish where the biggest fish I’ve ever caught was 11 inches. Respectable for the stream but not earth shattering. So I was fishing it this past weekend when I get a hit, my rod bends, and this massive fish boils on the surface annnnnd…… that was it. My tippet promptly broke and off the fish went never to be seen again. Is there a world record for shortest fight? And how the heck did that thing get that far upstream. There are sections that I’d think a creek chub would find impassable.

But anyways, I have now hooked a salmon even if it wasn’t what I was fishing for. Maybe fish for Brookies with a 9 weight next time?

 

[Ard]

Sounds like you ran into a bycatch situation buddy, I've caught quite a few while trout fishing so I get what happened. When you finally get one you'll be happier out on a flow where the fish has some space to run. I thought you were going to tell me that you caught a smolt. That happens to me almost every year while trout fishing, you catch this fish about 9 to 11 inches long and when you look at it you don't know what you're seeing. About the size of a decent trout but definitely not a trout...………… Once you figure out that it's a salmon then the question becomes 'what kind'

Keep at it, you'll get some

 

[rodneyshishido]

I had a friend whose property was not far from the Green River in Washington State. He had a ditch in his back yard. It was pretty cool to watch the salmon spawning in his ditch. Ditch was 3 ft wide and maybe and the deepest pool a foot deep.

 

[Ard]

Hi Rodney,

First time I've spotted you here, welcome to the forum

 

[rfb700]

Sounds like you ran into a bycatch situation buddy, I've caught quite a few while trout fishing so I get what happened. When you finally get one you'll be happier out on a flow where the fish has some space to run. I thought you were going to tell me that you caught a smolt. That happens to me almost every year while trout fishing, you catch this fish about 9 to 11 inches long and when you look at it you don't know what you're seeing. About the size of a decent trout but definitely not a trout...………… Once you figure out that it's a salmon then the question becomes 'what kind'

Keep at it, you'll get some

I've caught Atlantic Salmon Parr in Lake Ontario tribs while fishing for Browns but never a Chinook of any growth stage off of Huron. I've caught Steelhead in the same river during the spring run but when the fall Chinny run happens I get squat.

Might be because I'm usually late in the run and the waters been flogged to death by the centerpin drift guys and I only get a half day to actually fish during our annual September vacation. At least that's what I tell myself.



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[huronfly]

I have also been swinging flies in the same area you were at the last couple weeks, I've fished there for over 8 years now and only ever hooked up with a king once! One single time. Like you said, salmon can be seen all over the place. I witnessed one king last week beach himself just above a small riffle, I looked around and saw 4 other bait fisherman looking my way, those goons likely wanted to keep the damn thing but I quickly grabbed him and sent him back on his way before it made too much of a scene. Don't be hard on yourself with the Huron salmon, they are a different breed, not too interested in hitting anything once in the river. Congrats on the hookup at least! There are plenty of steelhead around now tho!

That's funny about your breakoff on the tiny stream(sorry). I witnessed HUGE fish up in tiny creeks twice this year. First one was trout opener, came up to a deep pool in a small brookie creek, gave a few drifts and the line came tight, I set the hook to see a massive 36"+ pike boil up and break me off! Second time was during summer drought, on an even smaller creek, I am walking up the creek and see a huge shadow up at the next bend. I started walking closer, by the time I was able to identify it from a good 30' away, it must have seen me and spooked and shot upstream. This time was a 15lb or so carp basically in a tiny trickle! lol I don't know how they get up there either!