Subtlety is rarely needed when fishing early in the season for spring salmon. River levels are usually high in January and February, and the water is cold. Fish are few and far between, often lying close to the riverbed due to the low water temperatures. In high, cold water, the fish are not as easily spooked as they are in the summer months when the water is often low and clear. If anything, at this time of year, you want to be bold in your approach. This can involve using big, bright, highly visible flies coupled with a leader of heavier breaking strain. The spring salmon is one of the most challenging fighting freshwater fish in the UK, so using a lighter leader can often spell disaster. The idea is to comb the water, searching for a fresh salmon, as usually springers are excellent takers of the fly. This is often regardless of the size and colour of the fly itself. It is, therefore, better to be bold in your fly selection, making it highly visible to any fresh fish in the pool. Many anglers believe that a fresh springer is one of the easiest fish to catch but one of the most challenging fish to find. Because of this, you don’t need to be too subtle and stealthy in your approach; often, a bolder approach gets you one step closer to landing that ultimate bar of early season silver.
Once we enter the summer months, the swollen, cold rivers encountered during the early season are a distant memory. Despite the ever changing seasons, the water is often low and clear in the summer. Rivers have shrunk away to their bare bones, often accompanied by high water temperatures. Overhead, the sky is cloudless, and the intense summer sun beats down the pool. In such conditions, the bold tactics of spring have to be cast aside, and a more stealthy approach has to be adopted.
In low water conditions, a stealthy approach can be the key between success and failure. As the water is low and clear, the fish feel less secure and confident in their environment and become more easily spooked. A stealthy approach not only encompasses the tackle you are using but also when and how you fish. I use an ABC approach in such difficult conditions. “A” stands for Approach. This is the time you decide to approach the river or pool. “B” stands for bank side awareness. This is about being aware of your bank side surroundings when approaching the pool and making minimal noise and disturbance whilst fishing.
Last but not least, “C” stands for the cast. This is when we fine down our tackle to cast the fly with minimal disturbance. Nothing is more frustrating than getting to the head of a salmon pool in low water to find you have already spooked the fish with multiple surface wakes tearing off downstream. Often it will take hours before the fish have the confidence to re establish themselves in their original lies. Following the ABC approach to stealth fishing can undoubtedly help minimise this.
Choosing your fishing times carefully during midsummer when the water is low and the overhead conditions are bright is essential. This is why the time you approach a river can be the fine line between success and failure. When overhead conditions are bright and river levels low, fish often move upstream at night. There is very little darkness in midsummer, but salmon feel more confident running in low-light conditions. Any fresh fish that have run hard through the night and just entered the pool may be more receptive to taking a fly early in the morning. Salmon are also more likely to be confident about moving into shallower water in low light conditions. This is why fish often lie in the head of a pool, in more oxygenated water, early in the morning and last thing at night, thus making them more susceptible to being caught. As the sun rises, these fish may return to the safety and security of the main pool. Another reason it is well worth considering fishing early and late is because there is also less chance of spooking the fish. When the sun is high up in the sky, often unwittingly, the anglers themselves cast a shadow across the pool, scaring the fish. In addition, the shadow of a big fly rod across the river certainly does not help. If you persist in fishing in such bright conditions, the fish can become spooked for the day, and the chances of catching become minimal. So, in sunny conditions in midsummer, it is better to fish smarter, not harder. Often approaching the river early in the morning and late at night can pay dividends, especially if pools are rested and left undisturbed through the course of a bright day.
So far, we have looked at the best time to approach the river and fish in bright, low water conditions. Bank side awareness is just as essential to ensure a successful stealthy approach. Bank side awareness entails looking at the river bank itself and trying to decipher how to be less conspicuous when approaching as well as fishing the pool. For example, if you have to walk along a high bank to reach the head of the pool, it is always best to stay well away from the river, if possible, as a shadow cast across the water could spook the fish.
In the summer, fish often lie very high up in a shallow run. This is where the water has the most oxygen, so it can naturally appeal to the fish. If you are fishing a small river and this is the case, positioning yourself at the tail of the pool above can often be worthwhile. You can then use a short line (often only a few feet) to cover the head of the run in the pool immediately below. By using this tactic, there is less chance of spooking a fish lying in shallow water by either casting a shadow over it or spooking it by the fly line itself. Obviously, this technique can only be used if the pools are in very close proximity to each other. This is often the case on small highland rivers.
It is also worthwhile looking at the thorny issue of wading when considering bank side awareness and a stealthy approach. It is evident that when possible, you should avoid deep wading at all costs, as this can easily spook fish in low, clear water. However, if wading is necessary, trying to keep this to a minimum is always worthwhile. It can be worthwhile fishing down the pool twice if time allows. The first time down the pool, the wading should be kept to a minimum (ankle or shin deep) so you are covering any fish closest to your bank without spooking them. After you have finished fishing the pool, you can go back to the head and start again, but this time, wade a bit further to cover any fish lying towards the far bank. Doing this, you can fish safely, knowing you have already covered any fish lying close to your bank without spooking them.
Finally, we come to the cast. The cast encompasses all the equipment involved in casting the fly. This includes the rod, line and also the leader material. It is essential in low water conditions to use the appropriate length of rod and the corresponding matching line. It can be pretty difficult to generalise but it is usually better to use a shorter rod as it can produce less of a shadow on the water. Also, a smaller rod coupled with a lighter line can be beneficial. A more delicate line will not only cause less disturbance on the water when cast but will also be more mobile when there is limited flow. I often use a long trout rod when there is limited flow, and stealth is key. The shorter rod coupled with the lighter line allows the fly to move more freely and naturally as the line is more mobile. Fishing a heavy spey or double taper line almost renders the fly stagnant and lifeless.
The leader is also essential to consider in such circumstances. Using fluorocarbon or a lighter breaking strain of nylon limits the chances of spooking fish. Heavy nylon, like a heavy fly line, can often appear as a silhouette above the fish. This certainly does not help towards achieving a stealthy approach. It is also worth remembering that usually, in low clear water, the majority of flies that you are likely to be using will be small. So, the flies would be less mobile and appear unnatural in the water if coupled with a heavy material.
Summer fishing requires a much stealthier approach than traditional spring salmon fishing. With the water often being low and clear, your approach and tackle must encompass a more subtle approach. Nothing is more frustrating than arriving at a pool to realise that you have already spooked the fish, before wetting a line. By following the ABC approach, hopefully, this can be avoided, and your success rate using stealth tactics will soar, producing rich and well deserved dividends.
