 |
Fly Fishing the Tide Rips for Coho Salmon off the Northwest Tip of Washington State
Tide rips are one of the most common areas to fly fish for salmon at Neah Bay. I'm addicted to fly fishing tide rips for coho salmon in the saltwater. The stronger the current and the rougher the water, the more I love it. Tide rips are a general term used by many people but not always meaning the same thing. Many people define tide rips as where two opposing currents meet. Others define rips as any ripple caused by current on a glassy sea. Both are correct, but I think of tide rips as where huge amounts of water are moving causing the ocean to resemble a river. This can be caused by current crossing a shallow bar or reef (the northern tip of Waadah Island is an example of this) or where a large volume of water is constricted and/or crosses a shallow (or not so shallow) reef. A prime example of the latter is where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the Pacific Ocean north of Cape Flattery. The water in these areas can go from glass calm to rough in a very short time. The rough water is where I spend most of my time fly fishing the rips. The movement of water is also moving large amounts of feed (mostly baitfish like herring and anchovies) into the tide rips. The fast, turbulent water disorients the bait, making them easy prey for aggressively feeding coho salmon. The salmon use the current as a massive marine conveyer belt that brings them an easy supply of food. The chop on the water also seems to make the salmon less spooky and they will hold in the upper part of the water column, which puts them well within the fly fisherman's reach. All of these factors combined make fly fishing tide rips one of the best experiences in northwest saltwater fly fishing. We've found the conditions that concentrate salmon within reach of our flies. Now we have to enter the prime water. This is where things become interesting. I mentioned the rough water previously, and I must add even more caution to those attempting this type of fishing for the first or even the one hundredth time. Many times, the top end of the tide rip will contain breaking waves, much like rapids in a river. In the beginning start fishing rips that are not as strong. Look for days with less tidal movement to get used to the way your boat drifts and how to cast flies while being tossed around before casting flies in stronger tide rips. A sound boat is necessary. You need a boat that's a minimum of 18' long to deal with the strongest rips. Make sure you have all the safety equipment required and more. Life jackets, VHF radio, and a GPS are absolutely required. Make sure your engine is tuned up and operating properly. This is no place to have a breakdown. Okay, you are now in the rip holding the cork of a fly rod with a baitfish fly pattern in your other hand. What now? It depends a bit on how your boat drifts through the current. My boat drifts straight with the current, but others drift sideways. For me, I cast straight across to up-current a bit. Usually the boat is drifting slower than the current underneath, so casting a fly up current will give the fly more time to sink and still allow you to strip the fly back to the boat across the current. I usually strip the fly back at varying speeds. Often, I'll start the retrieve very fast and then slow it down as the fly gets closer to the boat. I think the initial fast burst gets the coho salmon's attention and the slower strips with pauses is what triggers the coho salmon to strike the fly. The tide rips can also be a great place to try casting poppers for saltwater salmon. Bringing salmon to the surface is a thrill. Of course, an article can only get you so far. Time on the water is the key to being confident fly fishing the saltwater for salmon in Washington State. I hope you will give the Olympic Peninsula a shot for your saltwater fly fishing adventures. Chris Bellows, owner of Topwater Charters, Inc, which runs fly fishing charters off the Washington Coast. His websites offer more information about Saltwater Fly Fishing and Neah Bay Halibut
MORE RESOURCES: |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Truth About Night Fishing Why Night Fishing Beats Day Fishing Any Day of the WeekWithout a doubt, night fishing is better than day fishing for many reasons.One of the biggest reasons is the size of the fish you can catch at night. Trout Species - Brook Trout Brook Trout: Frequently gullible, yet extremely tasty, Brook Trout are wonderful trout to fish for - especially since they frequently inhabit the most beautiful stream settings in the U.S. Are You Holding Your Mouth Right To Catch More Fish? My young stepson and I was fishing at Rush Creek in Ohio and using the same rod and reel, line and lure. Everything was exactly the same, the problem was I had caught about a dozen bass and he hadn't caught any and we were only standing about 10 feet apart. Butterfly Jigs Create Buzz with American Fishermen A big buzz within the fishing community that is spreading like wildfire is deep jigging with the new "butterfly" jig. Deep jigging has always been a very productive way of catching fish at all levels up and down the water column. Fishing The Henrys Fork - Box Canyon It is easy to get intimidated by world class rivers.I guess the Henry's Fork was a little intimidating to me. Do Fish See in Color Fish do indeed perceive color. Every fly fisher knows that or ought to know that. Night Boat Fishing Checklist Boat Fishing At Night ChecklistHere is an easy checklist of items you will need before you head out for a night fishing trip.** Two Flashlights with new batteries in each. The Way Of A Bass Fisherman With a Fly Rod And The Way Of A Bass With A Fly -----SIDEBAR------------------------------------------Older fly fishing classics contain a wealth of knowledge for the beginner fly fisher as well as the experienced angler.The following is an excerpt from Practical Fly Fishing, by Larry St. A Guide to Non-Typical Catfish Fishing Techniques Part III Method 2The second method that works really well for me is drift fishing. Lets start by explaining how drifting works. Saltwater Fishing Tips Get Rid Of SharksSharks buggin' you? To get rid of them pour some fish blood on a paper towel or newspaper and roll it into a ball. Toss it overboard and the sharks will follow it with the current. A Big Fish Story Ketchikan, located in southeast Alaska, is a good place to fish for halibut. Sally and John Balch live in Ketchikan and have a favorite spot nearby to halibut fish. Why Do You Need a Tacklebox? A tacklebox or a tackle bag is a necessity to store your fishing lures, bobbers, and hooks. A tacklebox is a necessity to store your expensive lures. The Joys of Trout Fishing The thrill of trout fishing! It is the best, isn't it? No matter where you plan to go trout fishing, you know you are more than likely going to enjoy your trip. The sport is a sport of its own, set aside from other types of fishing. The Old Man And His Bluegills I started fishing a little lake just south of Somerset, Ohio, called Clouse Lake about 35 years ago. Matter of fact, when I first started fishing it, I fished with a fly rod. From Personal Belly Boats to High Performance Racers - An Overview of Inflatable Boats Inflatable boats, also called rubber boats or dinghies, have been around in one form or another for thousands of years. They now come in many different sizes and models and include inflatable kayaks, sport boats, and inflatable catamarans. Fishing for Salmon? Do You Know the Different Salmon Species? Did you know that there are five species of Pacific salmon and one species of Atlantic salmon? Further, did you know that all 5 species of Pacific salmon run wild in Alaska?We're proud of our wild salmon here in Alaska, and rightly so. On the one hand the wild salmon are great sport fish and we Alaskans love to spend gorgeous summer weekends challenging them. The Frugal Fisherman: Part II For those of you that don't know this, fishermen by nature are a frugal lot.Being penny wise and pound foolish is standard fare, and I am no different. What You Need To Know Before You Sell Your Boat As the owner/operator of a full service boat detailing-yacht maintenance business I can't help but chuckle sometimes at seeing the extremes that otherwise bright, intelligent, successful, people will go to in a misguided attempt to save a few dollars.One of the biggest mistakes that we see is that people will decide to sell their boat without first having her completely detailed. General Overview About Trout Senses When fly fishing for trout, it is of crucial importance to understand their senses. Trout are fish, after all, and make different use of their senses than we do. How to Fish Spring Trout Streams Fishing spring creeks isn't easy. Don't expect large quantities of catches, but do expect a challenging experience which has a certain mystique about it.
|