I get frequent questions on targeting introduced Pacific salmon in the Great Lakes region, so I invited an expert [interview starts at 33:13] to give us guidance on where and when to fish for them, tackle to use, and recommended flies. Trent Jackson, fishing manager of Orvis Grand Rapids, is a lifelong Michigan resident and has been fishing for Great Lakes salmon and steelhead his entire life. He gives us a great overview of this fishery, and is a great example of the rich talent we offer in our retail stores.
In the Fly Box this week, we have a number of perceptive questions and suggestions from listeners, including:
Why do I have trouble hooking trout with a 10-foot, 3-weight rod when using unweighted flies? Can I use the Hydros Salmon/Steelhead line for tightline fishing with a 20-foot leader? If I have both smallmouth and stocked trout in my river this fall, how can I fish for both of them? A listener takes me to task for killing fish for the table by "bashing them in the head with a rock", and gives us the preferred way to kill fish for the table, using a Japanese method called ikejime.
If I have a limited budget, should I spend more money on my waders or wading shoes?
Why did brook trout inhale my streamer one day and only chase it the next?
Once a running fish is on the reel, should I take my fingers off the line?
When you talk about a 9-foot leader, is the tippet included in that length? And should I tie a new tippet directly to my leader without modification?
Related - Episodes
This week I interview Greg Vincent of Grand Bahama Island and co-owner of H2O Bonefishing [40:13]. Greg shares his tips for what distinguishes a great bonefisher from someone who just goes fishing for bonefish and permit. There's a big difference.…
My guest this week, Sarah Baker [35:40] is a woman who has a job most of us would envy—she studies and manages the populations of wild, native brook trout in the mountains of northern Georgia. Learn more about these southernmost…
The Montana Supreme Court recently reversed a decision that would have blocked a copper mine on the headwaters of the Smith River. Where we thought we had a win in preventing a mine in the wrong place, we now may…
