Fresh from the sea… caught on a hitch fly in shallow water in early July. Salmon fly fishermen must adapt to the new challenges and fishing methods if they want to be effective throughout the season.

The climate is changing, and so is fishing for salmon. The last decade has been unusual with radical weather changes, and dry and hot summer weather has been dominant in large parts of the north – 2022 was no exception and rivers in the north saw weeks without rain – and again the season brought new challenges – or opportunities.

What must be the most oversized salmon fly hooks I have yet seen?

Photo kindly supplied to us by fishing friend Mr Aaron Day. 

The hook is right out of the salmon hook scale and is probably size 11/0 – The hook below it is a 9/0 salmon fly hook.

6000 – 7000-year-old fishing hook found a few kilometres from where I live near the town Paarup, by a lucky archaeologist from Museum Nordsjælland

You know this could also be a fly fishing hook (:

On that note… we would like to share this magnificent image of one of them, TDF sea run brown trout (sea trout ) caught by experienced sea trout angler Mr Robert Holt from the US …Smoke and Flies Robert Holt.

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Frisk fra havet… fanget på en hitch flue på lavt vand i begyndelsen af ​​juli. Laksefluefiskerne skal tilpasse sig de nye udfordringer og fangstmetoder for at være effektive gennem hele sæsonen.

Klimaet ændrer sig, og det samme gør fiskeriet efter laks. Det sidste årti har været usædvanligt med radikale vejrændringer, og tørt og varmt sommervejr har været dominerende i store dele af norden – 2022 var ingen undtagelse og elve i nord oplevede uger uden regn – og igen bragte sæsonen nye udfordringer – eller muligheder.

Hvad må være de største laksefluekroge, jeg endnu har set? – Dateres til 1910 – 1925

Foto venligt leveret til os af fiskeven Mr Aaron Day.

Krogen falder ud af laksekrogsskalaen og er formentlig størrelse 11/0 – Krogen under er en 9/0 laksekrog.

6000 – 7000 år gammel fiskekrog fundet få kilometer fra hvor jeg bor ved byen Pårup, af en heldig arkæolog fra Museum Nordsjælland

Du ved,  dette kunne faktisk også være en fluefiskekrog (:

Med den beretning… vil vi gerne dele dette storslåede billede af en af de, TDF havørred fanget af den skrappe havørredfisker Robert Holt fra USA. Smoke & Flies Robert Holt.

The material quickly became immensely popular among big-game and commercial fishermen mainly because of the light refractive index of fluorocarbon line so close to that of water making it less visible underwater, something quite significant, e.g. fishing for giant bluefin tuna with 200 lb mono – The fluorocarbon line also has other noteworthy features a.o lack of water absorbency, abrasion resistance and knot strength last but not least the speed fluorocarbon sinks through the water (it sinks faster than nylon) * something Ron Gray benefits from in his fishing with trailing micro flies.

Fluorocarbon is becoming more and more popular among fly fishermen.

Fluorocarbon has become distinctly popular over the last couple of decades. Many anglers I know do not think twice when buying a spool of fluorocarbon tippet material  6 – 7 times more expensive than a spool of quality nylon tippet material.

Fluorocarbon for trout and Atlantic salmon

As an avid trout and salmon angler, I would say no… save your money and buy nylon for your fly attachment – doing so, I will probably have fellow anglers raising their eyebrows – but my experience with fluorocarbon has shown me that the material has few properties that would help me get more bites, saying so I acknowledge that fluorocarbon has so many abilities that could aid anglers in specific and special ways not know to me, making my advise a bit bias.

Fluorocarbon is stiffer than conventional nylon.

Generally speaking, fluorocarbon is stiffer than conventional tippet material, and it is also a lesser elastic material than nylon, which is not something I would benefit greatly from in my fishing for trout and salmon; on the contrary, I try to avoid stiff tippet material as I find that rigid leaders take away some of the life that small and medium fly patterns need to perform well.

I do also prefer a cushy and elastic nylon tippet to a stiff and less so flexible tippet material. Since I often fish for bigger fish with small hooks and light tackle in a sport where elastic tippet material comes in handy ….Read more on this hard fighting topic on our blog at Fishmadman (You have to lose salmon and steelhead on small flies)

Flue skubber !

Sjældent fanget på film: Hugget af en laks på tørflue – Jeg var heldig at få denne oplevelse i kassen i sommer, og er glade for at vise dig denne særlige video i forbindelse med vores Nyhedsbrev om Snell `s Vindue …

laks på filmen bide slet ikke over fluen – men skubber den blot. Hvis du ser godt efter, kan du rent faktisk se fluen surfe foran fisken. Mange af de tørflue laks, jeg fangede denne sommer blev kroget på næsen eller på panden etc. – som det ses på flere fotos i filmen. Hvorfor? – Det kan jeg ikke fortælle dig … nogle år, fungere tingene blot sådan.

Hvordan ser og opdager laks og ørred tingene under vandet ? Som almindelige sportsfiskere ved vi rent faktisk ganske lidt om dette, og vi kikker ofte på den brusende elv, og spekulerer på om fiskene, vil have nogen som helst chance for at, se en lille flue på overflade.

Laks og ørred har absolut ingen problemer med at finde insekter der befinder sig i, eller på overfladen. De har trænet disse færdigheder i 200 millioner år, og er selvsagt blevet eksperter.
Ting som: kontrast, lys og farver vil formentlig afsløre insektet for fisken, der vil indsamle disse oplysninger i sin lille hjerne, for siden at, beslutte om den skal stige til fluen.

Når insektet kommer ind i området af Snell `s Vindue – så vil fisken automatisk vide, hvor meget -eller hvor lidt – den skal dreje sine finner, for helt præcist at ramme insektet… Men fiskene ville ofte have bemærket insekt eller din flue, længe før den ankommer til Snell `s Vindue – og man må antage at, disse oplysninger også bliver en del af beslutningen om; hvorvidt der skal bruges dyrebar energi på at stige til fluen.

Laks og ørred har absolut ingen problemer med at finde insekter i overfladen, de har trænet disse færdigheder i 100 millioner år. Her absurd små tørfluer og flymfs. Fluer bundet til selektive ørreder i Montana elv system

Tips og triks af guide Bill Bryden

Man kan sige, at tørflue fiskeri efter atlanterhavslaks er højdepunktet af fluefiskeri i ferskvand. Næppe vil du finde en anden sport der i samme grad pumper adrenalin rundt i kroppen på dig. At dyrke denne fiskeform kræver dygtighed og tålmodighed.

Det er mit håb, at nogle af disse tricks og ideer, vil opmuntre dig der ikke har prøvet det før til at; gøre et forsøg denne sommer –

De som er mere erfarende kan måske genkende nogle af mine metoder fra deres eget fiskeri.

Forfanget er en del af præsentationen af fluen, og du må forsøge at, præsentere fluen med præcision og forsigtighed særligt i nærheden af Snell`s Vindue – Et forfang, der kan overføre bevægelsen fra fluelinen til fluen er vigtigt

Korriger et kast

Justering af vådefluens rejse tværs over elven, kan nemt opnås ved at mende eller på anden vis trække i linen. Ligeledes kan du korrigere en unøjagtigt placeret tørflue, ved blot slæbt fluen til den nøjagtige spot, hvorfra det korrekt drev ind i Snell`s Vindue bliver muligt. Denne omplacering (trække i line) af fluen skal helst ske meget langsomt, og helst uden for Snell`s Vindue. Når fluen er nær Snell`s Vindue er det ikke nogen god ide at bevæge fluen hurtigt – Laksen du ønsker at fange, bør helst ikke få den opfattelse at; fluen nemt kan slippe bort… Det vil sikkert ikke virke befordrende på laksens intentioner.

Fisk er rigtigt gode til at være fisk

Fisk misser sjældent noget de virkelig ønsker at spise, men Ofte inspicerer de tørflue flere gange, før de bidder over – lukke munden om fluen – for så til sidst at ufortrødent at, holde byttet i munden og glide tilbage til deres standplads. Faktisk er det meget ofte ved fjerde eller femte forsøg at tingene falder på plads… hvilket også passer meget godt med at sportsfiskeren på dette tidspunkt er klar…som en spændt klapper slange med solstik.

Nødvendigheden af præcision

Vinklen på omkring 45º fra fisk til ​​Snell`s Vindue gør det relativt let at finde ud af hvor kanten er. Eks. vis er kanten af Snell`s Vindue, på en vanddybde på (6 fod) 1.8 meter = 1.8 m. opstrøms fra hvor fisken står.

Man bør altid sikre sig at ens forfangs længde, er så tilpas langt – at du kan holde enden af ​​fluelinen ud af Snell`s Vindue. Så fiskeri på dybere vand kræver længere forfang.

Når du først har fået noget præcision i din kasteteknik, er det værd at arbejde med fluen tæt over vandet.

I kanten af Snell`s Vindue vil fisken nemt se tørfluen i luften, noget mange fluefiskere fra Newfoundland vil udnytte progressivt, ved at kaste fluen med langsomme bevægelser og flade kast sådan at fisken når at, opfatte fluen før den lander tæt på Snell`s Vindue.

Præcision & Stabilitet

Hvis præcise kast er alfa omega så er stabilitet nr. 2 på listen

I dybere pool`s med variabel vandhastighed ned igennem vandsøjlen – vil fisken ofte begynde sin stigning til fluen før denne rammer overfladen, og som beskrevet kan en fluefiskeren igennem præcise og tilrettelagte kast fremkalde en illusion af en klækning af insekter – og herved starte en naturlig spise adfærd – men det kræver stabilitet og vedholdenhed at få fisken med på legen. På samme vis vil fluefiskeren der kan opretholde kontinuerlig række af præcise kast have mulighed for at fange flere fisk i pools med hurtigt overflade vand. I sådanne pools kan laksen ikke nøjes med at bruge sine pectoral finner til at stige til overfladen, og laksen må gør et af to ting: Holde sig svævende tæt på overfladen, afventende på fluen…eller bruge sin hale til at sætte fart og skyde op mod fluen der driver hurtigt forbi snell`s Vindue.  Begge ting kræver en række af præcist placerede fluer… og sportsfiskeren der mestre dette vil fange betydeligt flere fisk end den utrænede sportsfisker

Levering til døren

Sløve fisk såsom; standfisk, store fisk, og dem du finder i en varm elv, vil have fluen leveret helt præcist i Sneels Vindue. Fisk som disse vil helst ikke flytte sig noget særligt fra deres plads, for at stige til din flue. De vil helst bobbe dovent op ved fluen, som en stor nedsunket træstamme. Med præcision og denne specielle kasteform hvor vi viser fluen tæt over vandet, vil vi prøve at skabe en illusion om en igangværende klækning af insekter, og på så vis måske fremkalde en naturlig afslappet fodrings respons…

Tålmodighed er en dyd

Dette var så beskrivelser af bekendte metoder til tørflue fiskeri efter laks – Du kan bruge dem ved de fleste elve og fiskesituationer, men tålmodighed er grundsten i denne sport, og 20 minutter er ikke lang tid når du skal arbejde med en fisk – Det er nu også nok de færreste sportsfiskere der forestiller sig at kroge en laks hvert 20énde minut –

Knæk & Bræk Bill Bryden 2013

Endelig fik vi dem: Den store nål til vores Riffling Hitch rør – Køb én, mens vi har nogen tilbage …. Gå til vores butik 

Simi Seal: Vi er stolte over at kunne meddele, at vi nu sælger Simi Seal fra John Rohmer … Hvis du ikke har prøvet dette dubbing … Da har du noget rart at se frem til ...Gå til vores butik 

NÆSTE GANG I NYHEDSBREVET

Læs historien om den ekstraordinære Skate & wake flue: Surffilauta (Surfbrættet) fra den finske fluebinder og forfatter: Pertti Kanerva

Vi har bygge en ny serie af steelhead mønstre på vores hitch rør

Vi binder nye hotte Bomber tørfluer til dig

Kunne du tænke dig at få vores nyhedsbrev – Men du har ikke meldt dig til endnu ? Klik her..så kan du ordne det

Sudden appearance

We, as anglers, can benefit from the knowledge of Snell`s Widow and place the fly as close to the window as possible. The sudden appearance of the fly in the area of decision may often be followed by an immediate strike… The edge or rim of Snell`s Window seems to be a hot area to put a fly – something worth calling to mind next time you see a salmon or trout on the river bed or visit a place where you usually would expect to find them.

Fishmadman angler Per Fischer precisely positioned the dry fly in Snell`s Window – on Atlantic salmon lying in shallow water. At this spot, the cone of Snell`s Window is tiny

Get into the groove!

Salmon dry fly pioneer: George M.L. La Branche wrote in his book The Salmon And The Dry Fly (1924) about his observations and thoughts on where in the river to hook up with dry fly salmon.

La Branche saw the salmon pools with the eye of a trout fisherman and advocated that the angler should seek out places in the river that would be similar to the area where the resident trout would take a position to intercept the flow of food. He named these places where the current would deliver the insects: grooves and was sure that one would only connect with salmon if one could accurately cast the fly in these grooves.

Years of fishing have shown me and other anglers that it is not merely down to a perfect cast to Snell’s Window ... to hook up with salmon on a dry fly – The salmon is not online all the time – as I would like to explain it.

Sometimes he will rise to a well-presented dry fly within a few casts – another day, he might rise unexpectedly to the fly presented in Snell`s Window the 50`th times…with the attitude of a starved trout rushing for the only meal of the day.

_{Read more about La Branche and his ideas and fishing here}

Pushing the fly in Snell`s Window

Rarely caught on film – The take of an Atlantic salmon on a dry fly – I was lucky to get it in the box last season and am happy to show you this particular video concerning our newsletter on Snell`s Window… The salmon in the film does not bite over the fly – it merely pushes the fly. You will see the fly surfing in front of the fish. Many of the dry fly caught I had this summer was hooked on the nose or forehead, as seen on some of the pictures in the slide section: Why? – Can`t tell you…some years, they work like that .. the spot I film: 3-foot leader out of guides…Wham!

What do fish see?

How do salmon and trout detect and see things underwater and in Snell`s Window? As regular anglers, we know very little about this. We often look at the roaring river and wonder if the fish will have any chance of seeing a tiny fly on the surface – Salmon and trout have no problems detecting prey sitting or moving on the surface; they have trained these skills for 100 million years and have become true experts.

Things like: contrast, light and colours will probably reveal the insect to the fish, and it will gather this information in its tiny brain and decide if it wants to move for the prey.

When the insect enters the Area of Snell`s Window, the fish will automatically know how much, or how little, it has to turn its fins to eclipse with the drifting insect… But the fish would often have noticed the insect or fly before it entered Snell`s Window – and one must assume that this information also will be part of the decisions on whether it should use precious energy to rise to the fly.

Salmon and trout have no problems detecting prey on the surface; they have trained these skills for 100 ↑ million years. Here absurdly small dry flies and flymf’s tied for selective trout in the Montana River system

Back to Basics with guide Bill Bryden

It has been said that dry fly Atlantic salmon fishing is the pinnacle of freshwater fly fishing. The shocks and warm rushes of adrenaline it provides are not easily had in any other form of fishing. The skill and patience required often prove too much for even seasoned fly anglers, but the rewards are truly breathtaking for those who persevere. I hope that some of this discourse will encourage those who have not tried this pursuit to pick up the torch while also helping to enlighten the way for those stumbling on the first hurdles. Perhaps even the most advanced dry fly salmon angling masters may find a morsel in these pages, as may the trout purist.

Stealth & Accuracy

We could summon it up this way: Leaders are part of the presentation, and one wants to present the fly with stealth and accuracy, especially near Snell`s Window – A leader that can transform the movement from the fly line to the fly is important.

Correcting the fly – and Snell’s Window.

Novice anglers can accomplish fundamental wet fly presentations by correcting a presentation after the fly lands. Similarly, correcting an inaccurately positioned dry fly can be done by dragging it to the exact inch it needs to be on to allow for the correct drift into Snell`s Window. However, this dragging of the fly must be done very slowly and ideally outside of Snell’s Window except in particular circumstances. Once the fly is near Snell’s Window, no quick movements should be done when attempting to coax a salmon from its lair. We d not want to convince our quarry that the fly could move quickly and thus escape any attempt it may make to capture it. We want to make a nice easy target.

Fish are experts at being fish.

Fish rarely “miss” anything they genuinely want to eat. Often they inspect a dry fly several times before committing to taking it into their mouth, engage further by closing their mouth completely, and finally abandon all worry while holding it for submersion to their lay. This bodes well for the dry fly neophyte as the most solid take is often the second to fourth rise when the adrenaline has the angler cocked and ready like a rattlesnake.

Accuracy required

The roughly 45-degree angle from the fish to the edge of Snell’s Window makes it relatively easy to work out where the edge of Snell’s Window is situated. For example, at a water depth of 6 feet, the edge is 6 feet upstream of where the fish is lying. One always wants to ensure one’s leader is long enough to keep the end of the fly line out of Snell`s Window, so fishing deep lays requires longer leaders.

Once some skill in casting accuracy is acquired, the first target is the edge of Snell’s window. Even in the rippled water, many salmon hide under, the fish will see larger dry flies travelling through the air and land precisely in their drift line for feeding. This is why many Newfoundland dry fly anglers make lazy, gentle casts. The fly is cast to have it flying along very close to the surface once in Snell’s window. Most Newfoundland dry fly anglers use an underpowered, slightly sidearm cast, with the fly within a foot or two or the surface for its entire travel within Snell’s window.

Keep Pushing the button.

This is the bog-standard approach for dry fly angling and has the best chance of working on all fish in any condition. Patience is the name of the game, and 20 minutes is not too long to work a fish. Imagine regularly catching a salmon every 20 minutes. The dry fly salmon angler often catches more salmon than a wet fly angler (by far).

Consistency

If casting accurately is the most critical part of dry fly fishing for Atlantic salmon, then consistency is the second.

Often, in deep water with variable current speeds between the river bottom and the surface, a lazy relaxed salmon will rise towards Snell’s Window before the fly even touches the surface. Consistently timed presentations accomplish this. If an angler convinces a salmon that a hatch has started by repeated casting, they have a much better chance of inducing a feeding response. Timing the presentations consistently will allow fish to get excited about anticipating the next offering. Those inlays with faster surface currents must rise up closer to the surface and stay suspended or use their tail power to reach the fast-moving target in Snell`s Window. This is because the water speed they are lying in is not enough to naturally lift them to the surface by using only their pectoral fins. An angle that presents their dry fly consistently will take more of these fish than one that makes inconsistently timed casts. This can be observed in clear rivers with fish laying in the slack water behind ledges, rocks, and quickly deepening pools.

Often, these two reasons, accuracy and consistency, hamper the beginner’s effort.

Low water on the Majestic Repparfjord River in the far North of Norway, 1000’s of opportunity on Snell’s Window waits below.

Delivery to the door

Lazy fish such as stale fish, large fish, and those in warm water will want the fly to drift to where the current will naturally lift them without any sideways body movement or trusting from their tail. They will want to bob up like a waterlogged deadhead to take the fly with a lazy head and tail rise in Snell’s Window. With this approach of super-accurate casting and perfectly lined-up dead drifting, the angler tries to induce a natural, relaxed feeding response.

Tight lines Bill Bryden: To contact Bill Bryden, Click here.