Six Tips for Fly Fishing for Silver Salmon in September

Whether you have enjoyed many Alaskan fishing trips or you are planning your very first fishing trip in Alaska, learning or refreshing your mind about a few fishing tips can never hurt.

September is a great time for fly fishing for silver salmon in Alaska, and of course you will want to get the most out of your fishing trip. With that in mind, here are six tips to help you catch plenty of silver salmon during your next fishing trip in Alaska:

• Point your rod toward the fly: When fly fishing for other fish, you may be in the habit of keeping your rod tip pointed or raised to one side, to make for a smoother retrieve. But silver salmon actually like when the retrieve is a bit jerky, and you can achieve this by pointing your rod directly at the fly. It may seem counterintuitive, but it works!
• Try different skipping patterns: If you’ve been using the same skipping pattern and speed for each retrieve with little luck, then it might be a good idea to vary your pattern and speed. After all, you don’t want to become so predictable that silver salmon know to avoid you. Long and steady, jerky and unsteady—mix it up to see what works!
• Try lead-eye flies: Different types of flies are better for different fish, but when it comes to attracting silver salmon, lead-eyes tend to be the best. That’s because a lead-eye fly will create a particular shaky motion that attracts those elusive silver salmon. Try switching to a lead-eye, and see how many more salmon you attract!
• Keep it colorful: Some fish are attracted to different patterns on flies, but for silver salmon, it’s all about the color. Pink is a tried-and-true shade for attracting silver salmon. If that doesn’t work as well as you would like it too, you may want to switch to purple or black. One of these colors should do the trick in helping you catch those beautiful silver salmon.
• When the sun goes down: It is possible to catch silver salmon at any time of day. That being said, fly fishing for silver salmon will be particularly effective in the early morning and at night, as the sun goes down. Early morning is hands-down the best time for fly fishing silver salmon—and it gives you the rest of the day to enjoy other activities in Alaska, or just catch up on sleep!
• Strip the line tightly: When you catch a trout when fly fishing, you probably pull your rod back and hook the line. But this method isn’t the best for catching silver salmon. Strip the line tightly and then raise your rod—this will give you a much better chance at keeping the fish.

Now that you know the tricks of the trade, it’s time to enjoy your own Alaskan fishing trips. If you have any questions, or need help planning your fishing excursion, feel free to get in touch with the experts at Phantom Tri-River Charters.