Sink tip line for Salmon

[sjpresley]

I am looking into putting together a setup to fish for Atlantic Salmon this fall. Would sink tip line be preferable?

[The Patriot]

I wanna go for the first time this fall too. From what I can gather, it's either a sink tip line, or beadhead/weighted flies. You can't add split shot or otherwise add weight to the line.

I have sink tips and plan to use them. Good way to swing streamers in front of them.......

[Todd K]

Im going for Atlantic Salmon in Norway and my sink tip line is what I will be using. I use it for steelhead also and preferr it. If its wrong or not I have added weight to my line and caught fish.

[Redwings1]

I am partial to using a 300 or 400 grain full sink line when going after Salmon.

Not to start a 'if you are going to do that then just use a spinning rod' debate, but if you find yourself in a pinch there is actually a way that I saw this year to add weight to the line if you are stuck with a floating line and the water is too fast to get weighted flies in the feeding lanes by themselves. It isn't pretty, but I saw a guy using it as a 'chuck and duck' setup for steelies in Northern Michigan; no good for streamers but serviceable for nymphs and egg patterns. Instead of tying your tippet directly to your leader use a two ended ball swivel between the two. Tie in the tippet and leave a long tag hanging off the swivel to which you can clamp on as many pieces of lead as it takes to get the fly down without negatively impacting the integrity of the line. Ugly looking setup and not fancy cast, but the setup will allow you to get the flies down in to the feeding lanes and get into fish.

[The Patriot]

Guys,

What I meant was, according to CT regs, it is prohibited to add any weight to your line. It is not a matter of ethics or tactics, but a matter of regulations.

Other states may vary. I fished for steelhead, once in Pulaski and once in the Buffalo area, and you could add lead to your line. But in CT, adding lead is forbidden. According to the regs, that is.......

Wether or not one chooses to fish within the regs is a matter of personal choice. I choose to fish within the regs......

Respectfully,

Jim

[Redwings1]

ahhhh...I was not aware of that. Obviously the tactic I described would be irrelevant in places like the Gaspe Penninsula as well where all lead is banned. I suppose I'll just have to stick to the full sinking line :D

[sjpresley]

Thanks for the input. I was able to snag some brand new WF-8-FS (2.5 ips) fenwick line on e-bay for $9.99 + $3.00 shipping.

Now I have a rod, flies, and line....I just need a reel, some neoprene, and heavier leader/tippet material and I'll be ready to go after some salmon.

[lar42]

3weight,

You must be talking about the Naugatuck and the Shetucket Rivers in CT. My understanding is those are the only two rivers where they stock Atlantic Broodstock Salmon and you are quite right about the "no extra weight" part. However, I believe there is a time period when that doesn't apply like right now. Right now, you can add extra weight. I pulled this from the new reg guide.

From October 31 - March 31 all angling in salmon broodstock areas is restricted to fishing methods that are legal for Atlantoc Salmon (A single fly or single lure with a single free-swinging hook only). Additional weight may not be added to the line. The season is closed from March 1 - third Saturday in April for all other species other than Salmon except in the Naugatuck TMA.

There is also a chart showing dates for when fishing is open and closed on these areas. Now, one would assume from looking at the chart that additional weight may be added when fishing during other periods. It seems to be up to interpretation.

What is your take on that? Interested to know.

btw - A friend of mine caught a 26" Salmon when we were fishing there a couple of weeks ago. Very nice fish! Of course, we released it to fight again one day! :)


Guys,

What I meant was, according to CT regs, it is prohibited to add any weight to your line. It is not a matter of ethics or tactics, but a matter of regulations.

Other states may vary. I fished for steelhead, once in Pulaski and once in the Buffalo area, and you could add lead to your line. But in CT, adding lead is forbidden. According to the regs, that is.......

Wether or not one chooses to fish within the regs is a matter of personal choice. I choose to fish within the regs......

Respectfully,

Jim

[Todd K]

well if you are talking about CT rivers than you are correct...no weight on the line. It's good to be a little more specific. :)

[The Patriot]

My bad, I just assumed from SJ's initial post that he was talking about the CT Broodstock fishery, cuz he said it was for this fall, and didn't say he was going elsewhere. :D

The no weight added topic is an interesting loophole. I see exactly what you are saying. What if I am out on the Naugatuck fishing for trout during the season, with lead on the line and I "accidentally" get a salmon? Very fair question....

My personal view on this, and I may very well be incorrect, this is purely speculation, is that if you are out with a 5 weight rod nymphing or using lead with a streamer, and are specifically targeting trout, well there is absolutely nothing anyone can do or say about that.

However, I think, I THINK, that if you are out there with a 7, 8, or 9 weight rod, and standing over a salmon, with lead on your line....... LUCY! JU GOT SUM SPLAININ' TO DO!!!! :wink: :D

Seriously, I think you may have a problem using lead if you are obviously targeting salmon. By catches of salmon while trout fishing are not that terribly common, I don't think, and obviously you can use weight on your line for targeting trout. Obviously, the reason for this regulation is to reduce snagging.

I'd be interested to see if anyone else has any knowlegde on this subject, and what the DEP has to say.....


P.S. Another interesting loophole.... the regs say:

From October 31 - March 31 all angling in salmon broodstock areas is restricted to fishing methods that are legal for Atlantoc Salmon (A single fly or single lure with a single free-swinging hook only). Additional weight may not be added to the line. The season is closed from March 1 - third Saturday in April for all other species other than Salmon except in the Naugatuck TMA.


So what are the regs from March 31 to the third Saturday in April?

Up until Mar 31, you have to be in compliance with Salmon regs. From Mar 1 to the 3rd Sat in April, the only thing you CAN fish for, except in the Naugy TMA, is Salmon, so you obviously have to be in compliance with Salmon regs. So from Mar 31 to the third Sat in April, what are the regs? Obviously, they are salmon regs, except for the Naugy TMA. So why don't they just say that in the first line? "From October 31 to THE THIRD SATURDAY IN APRIL......" The regs are poorly worded, and are confusing. You have to be a Harvard law school professor, to sift through them and figure them out. Too many dates, too many special seasons with special regs...... or maybe I'm just slow..... :oops: :wink:

I have seen other parts of the regs that are like this too. Confusing and unclear. At least to me.....

[lar42]

3weight,

I think you are absolutely right and that's what I was trying to highlight. There is some latitude for interpretation in there. But you're statement about whether you are targeting trout with a 5 wt rod or standing there with a 7,8 or 9 wt, I think, will be the telling point. Hopefully, the DEP Officers recognize that as well. I don't know any of them personally so I can't say but I have to assume that they are reasonably intelligent. :)

Hopefully, if we are ever in that position the regs will be interpreted fairly. :wink: