Help with river salmon.

[Northdogboy]

So last year i tried sevral times on the Big Qualicum river to catch a salmon.
And no luck.
This year i tried all morning today with nothing to show for it.

Id love to actually catch a salmon with my son
What is the trick. Iv tried twitch jig. Float a egg, spoons and spinners. And iv only managed to snag a few.

Is someone abel to show my son and i how to be successful.

 

[Deepaaaar]

Honestly, most people aren't hooking them fairly in low water (all flossed/snagged). Sometimes you can get them to bite if you're the first one to the pool in the morning (spinners, spoons, and twitch jigs will work). Otherwise, the key is to go after or during a rain. Fresh fish will be moving in with the rain and they'll be much more willing to bite. I've had some success fly fishing in low water, but not if there are a bunch of other people bombing lead into the pool.

 

[M1SF1T]

First off, you've got to be casting to where the fish are holding, after that I'll second the fly fishing comment. Been fishing Campbell and Oyster with my son and I'm catching all the fish on fly. But you've got to get down to them.

 

[eroyd]

Yarn and a hook, 2' leader, swivel, weight, under a float. Adjust float length so your not snagging bottom. For the most part the fish are not biting but do have there mouths open. A fly line with a sink tip swung through them is very effective. That is the reality. No fun hauling in foul hooked fish.

 

[chille51]

I've always had most success by surprising them - or to put it like others already have, be there early. Like, headlamp in the dark early. First one there. The freshest nicest fish I have caught in rivers over the last few years have all been within the first 5 casts. Of course I've caught fish in broad daylight too, but its harder. Even more so if there is a crowd and people flossing or snagging all around you.

 

[chille51]

And yeah, the low water levels aren't going to help. Last year they shut down fishing entirely in most rivers by October. Unless we get some sustained rain I wouldn't be surprised if it's the same this year.