How To Find Salmon In A River

Fishing for salmon is both an art form and a science. Understanding where salmon are likely to rest and how to approach these spots can make a significant difference in your success as an angler. Hopefully, this article provides you with valuable insights into how to locate salmon.

The Importance of Productive Rivers

All rivers are not created equally. When we think of productive salmon rivers, names like the Tay, Spey, or Tweed come to mind. The first step to success is distinguishing between productive and unproductive rivers. Salmon are energy-conscious species, seeking areas that allow them to rest while minimising energy expenditure. Key signs of productive areas include places where fish can find a break from the current.

Key Structures Where Fish Hold

• Hydro Cushions: These are the areas directly in front of large rocks or boulders. The force of the water hitting these rocks creates a cushion of slower water, where fish can rest without exerting too much energy. It’s also an ideal ambush point for hungry fish.
• Seams and Eddies: The edges where fast-moving water meets slower currents (called seams) are prime locations. Fish use these boundaries to wait for conditions to change in their favour.
• Pools and Tail-outs: The ends of pools or runs are where salmon often rest after navigating fast water. These areas serve as natural rest stops for fish, making them ideal spots to cast.
• Snags/Sunken Trees: Just like the aforementioned structures, snags or sunken trees offer protection from predators and serve as ambush points for prey.
• Wiers/Waterfalls: Targeting the bottom of these features can prove very productive, especially after a river has been in spate or there has been a change in water temperature.

Pro Tip: Fish to the side, top, and back of these structures. As fish can hold anywhere around these structures.

The Role of Energy Efficiency

Salmon aim to conserve energy for their long travels upriver. This is why they hold in places like the edges of rocks or behind large structures where the current is weaker. For us as anglers, it's important to focus our efforts on these areas rather than wasting time in stretches of water where fish are unlikely to be or are in very few numbers.

Effective Casting Techniques

It is essential to ensure your casting is accurate and efficient. You need the fly or lure to land effectively in a targeted area so it is visible to the fish and looks somewhat natural when it starts to fish. Salmon, when they come into our river systems, are not actively feeding; their mind is elsewhere. Multiple casts (up to ten) to the same spot may be required to agitate a fish enough to strike. This method highlights the importance of persistence and understanding fish behaviour

• Approach with Stealth: On smaller rivers, fish can be easily spooked. Approaching quietly and carefully is essential to avoid alerting the fish to your presence.
• Precision Casting: Cast to the seams, behind rocks, or in front of boulders. It may take several tries, but self-confidence and persistence will pay off.
• Presentation Matters: How your fly/lure is presented can determine your success. Watch how your fly line and fly/lure lands and fishes. Subtle variations in presentation can make the difference.

Understanding High Water Conditions

High water situations, often caused by heavy rain, can make for challenging fishing conditions. However, they can also simplify the search for salmon in some ways. As rivers swell, salmon will start to run in numbers, but it also pushes resting salmon into fewer, more predictable holding areas. Understanding these dynamics is crucial.

• Seek Out Sheltered Structure: Salmon may move to the riverbanks or areas with reduced current speed. These spots are often near submerged logs, rocks, or other debris, as highlighted earlier in the article.

Pro tip: When fishing high water conditions, use shorter casts and focus on the edges.