walshie 2,804 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 I'm not a game fisherman but there is a salmon river near me and people seem to be catching quite a bit. I've read about the life cycle of a salmon. Born in the river and a couple of years later, they go to sea and spend a few years there. Makes sense so far. Then they come back to the river they were born in to spawn. Every article I've read said that when salmon are spawning, or on their way to spawn they don't eat. So how does anyone catch one on a worm/fly/spinner if they don't eat? Quote Link to post
RossM 8,121 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 Coz they like you..... An opportunist greedy b*****d!!!! Quote Link to post
Tiercel 6,986 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 Walshie, they do not eat because they cannot, their stomachs atrophy so it is impossible for them to eat. What does happen though is that the memory of feeding is still there and they will go through the motions of eating (taking a bunch of worms, snapping at a fly drifting past their noses etc;) Most Salmon fishermen will tell you that the longer they have been in the river the harder they are to catch, as if that feeding instinct recedes with the time they are in the river. They will also tell you you sometimes have to goad a Salmon into taking the bait, you may put a fly / spinner / bunch of worms past it's nose twenty or thirty times and it will not take, and then as if it has had enough the next pass and it will grab the bait. TC 10 Quote Link to post
walshie 2,804 Posted September 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 Thanks TC. Invaluable advice as per usual. Quote Link to post
jok 3,299 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 Never had that kind of problem. A gaff. aluminium tray and torch seems to work. Quote Link to post
IshotRogerRabbit 46 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 (edited) Gd post above. It's very true that salmon don't eat when coming back into fresh water from the salt. It's not so much that they don't eat, they can't, or to be more specific, they can't digest food because of the physiological changes they went through as smolts going to sea. Food has been found in the stomach of adult salmon when back in fresh water but it is usually undigested. There are many theories as to why salmon will take our flies and lures. They are quite aggressive creatures, even more so come mating time, usually around late Nov through Dec and into Jan. Running fish are widely accepted as not particularly good takers. It's when they stop, that's when they are most likely to have a go at something that's come into their territory. When they stop, whether it's for 10 mins or 10 hours then they may well have a go at something that swims by close to them. Being aggressive in nature, they regard their "lie" as their own territory and will also chase smaller salmon away though bigger salmon will come in and chase him out if he fancies the lie. Another theory is that they are being playful which has been observed many times. Water/air temperatures and many other factors come into also but that's another story ;-) Edited September 7, 2015 by IshotRogerRabbit 4 Quote Link to post
air gun ant 1,666 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 Never had that kind of problem. A gaff. aluminium tray and torch seems to work. what would the tray be for? Quote Link to post
socks 32,253 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 The townie twat strikes again ffs .......... Quote Link to post
air gun ant 1,666 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 Never had that kind of problem. A gaff. aluminium tray and torch seems to work. what would the tray be for?Serving the salmon on of course lolsuppose I was asking for that lol 1 Quote Link to post
walshie 2,804 Posted September 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 The townie twat strikes again ffs .......... I noticed you stayed out of it till someone answered because you didn't know. Now we both know. Quote Link to post
socks 32,253 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 The townie twat strikes again ffs .......... I noticed you stayed out of it till someone answered because you didn't know. Now we both know. Lol I was brought up 100 meters from the river Tawe one of the best salmon rivers in Wales I've caught them with nets snare hands and rod, there's been lots of times where I had to have a shower in my old girls house because the bath was full of ice and salmon lol ... Salmon paste is the killer for salmon ... and not the stuff you spread on your sandwiches walshie lol ...... Quote Link to post
jonah. 775 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 The townie twat strikes again ffs .......... I noticed you stayed out of it till someone answered because you didn't know. Now we both know. Lol I was brought up 100 meters from the river Tawe one of the best salmon rivers in Wales I've caught them with nets snare hands and rod, there's been lots of times where I had to have a shower in my old girls house because the bath was full of ice and salmon lol ... Salmon paste is the killer for salmon ... and not the stuff you spread on your sandwiches walshie lol ...... What would the tray be for then Ken in the post above? I'm intrigued... Genuine question, pm if you can be arsed ! Lol 1 Quote Link to post
air gun ant 1,666 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 The townie twat strikes again ffs .......... I noticed you stayed out of it till someone answered because you didn't know. Now we both know. Lol I was brought up 100 meters from the river Tawe one of the best salmon rivers in Wales I've caught them with nets snare hands and rod, there's been lots of times where I had to have a shower in my old girls house because the bath was full of ice and salmon lol ... Salmon paste is the killer for salmon ... and not the stuff you spread on your sandwiches walshie lol ......What would the tray be for then Ken in the post above? I'm intrigued...Genuine question, pm if you can be arsed ! Lol no don't pm! Lol I want to no too 1 Quote Link to post
socks 32,253 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 It's al about the moon lads all about the moon ....... 3 Quote Link to post
jonah. 775 Posted September 7, 2015 Report Share Posted September 7, 2015 It's al about the moon lads all about the moon ....... Would 3 hands be needed? Quote Link to post
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