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3. Atlantics...

I am sure a few of you have read this already, or saw it on some fly fishing related, social media. But, I thought I would share it anyway. I wish they had more studies readily available, or maybe some blogs from biologists. I find this stuff fascinating. Anyway... enjoy.
http://www.mlive.com/outdoors/index.ssf/2014/11/atlantic_salmon_great_lakes_re.html

Wow, very cool! I'd love to have a wild Atlantic Salmon fishery not too far away (relatively). Haven't seen you around here much. How was your fall season? I still need to make it back up your way again, time just keeps getting away from me.

Kyle,

You can't go chasing those stately Atlantics with your articulated streamers. Atlantics have a lot of romantic history and angling lore surrounding them. The appropriate way to pursue them would be swinging a fly to them on a floating line, across and down. Or if you must we'll let you use a sink tip line with classic Atlantic salmon wets like a Black Bear Green Butt, a Blue Charm, or a Mickey Finn.

I used to fish for Atlantics up on the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec on the Matane River. It was, and still is, illegal to use split shot or weight on your fly.

Hey Kyle,

Sorry, been crazy busy. I had an incredible Fall so far. You're welcome to come up anytime.

Matt,

SO jealous. I have watched too many videos on Gaspe. Thanks for the info up there! I will make it there sometime. Always wanted to land one of those.

It is an experience worth doing. It was exciting to see 15# - 20# Atlantics in a river no more than 60' wide in many places. I don't know what it costs now but back in the 1980's I paid about $40 a day to fish any where on the river. That is very cheap because the Matane does not have the runs like some of the more famous rivers on the Gaspe like the Bonaventure, Matapedia, or Restigouche.

Someday I'll scan some pics of Atlantics and post them up here. All the pools, and there were at seventy-nine of them, have names and there is a plaque on the road with the name and number of the pool. My best friend landed a 32# male on a #10 Blue Charm. It is also a pretty good dry fly stream.

Here is a nice link;

Thanks sooooo much, Matt!

Thanks for the info Matt. I would never dream of fishing Atlantics anyway but a swung fly on a floater (or a swung dry). I have watched a lot of videos from Gaspe and that is on my bucket list for sure.

Kyle,



A swung, or waking, dry fly is an excellent way to induce a strike from an Atlantic salmon or a steelhead. I saw a fellow on Elk Creek skate a #10 dry fly over a steelhead and the fish came up behind the fly, boiled on it, and ate it. It was awesome.

A Riffling Hitch is often employed to aid in the waking of the fly.

http://www.netknots.com/fishing_knots/riffle-hitch