Cast Off on Some Lake Michigan Salmon Fishing
You pack up your fly fishing gear
and head out for a day of solitude at your favorite cold
water fishing spot. You arrive, pack your gear to the
bank, slip on your thigh waders, add a selection of
flies to your fishing vest and walk into the stream. You
cast and work your fly rod and line, enjoying the sights
and sounds of nature. Suddenly, a fish strikes. You
fight it for all you are worth until it tires. You land
it and see you've caught a medium sized salmon.
Salmon is a name that's shared by several freshwater and
saltwater fish species. They are all members of the
Salmonidae family. Salmon are born in rivers, lakes and
streams from which they migrate to the sea. When it is
time, they return to their place of birth to spawn.
Salmon migrate to both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
and are a species that are fished by anglers all over
the world.
There are several salmon species found in both the
Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Atlantic salmon is the main
salmon species that all other salmon have been named
after. Lakes in eastern North America are home to
land-locked salmon. These fish never migrate to the sea,
even if they have access. They prefer to remain in
freshwater for their entire life cycle. They are known
as non-migratory salmon species.
Another member of the Atlantic salmon family is the
Brown Trout. Though most people refer to it as a trout,
it is technically a salmon and is very closely related
to the Atlantic salmon family. Essentially, brown trout
is a closer relative of the Atlantic salmon than the
Pacific salmon is.
The salmon species known as red salmon is Sockeye
salmon. Sockeye salmon are fished off the shores of
California, in the eastern Pacific, the western Pacific
off the shores of Japan's Hokkaide Island and in the
Anadyr River of Siberia. In the Canadian Arctic, Sockeye
salmon are fished in Bathurst Inlet. Pink salmon, also
known as Humpback salmon, can be fished in California,
Korea, Canada's Mackenzie River and in the Lena River of
Siberia.
Chinook salmon is also known as Spring salmon, Tule,
Blackmouth salmon and King salmon. Chinook can be fished
as far south as California and as far north as the
Bering Strait. In North America, Chinook covers the
entire Pacific coast. Chinook salmon can also be fished
in Russia, Alaska and Canada's Yukon Territory.
There are a variety of baits that will help you land
different species of salmon. Freshwater bait consists of
flies, lures, prawns, crustaceans, plugs and worms. In
saltwater use flies, streamers, lures, crustaceans and
egg sacs.
If you are fly fishing for salmon in freshwater, you
will need a 12 to 16 foot (3.7 to 4.9 meter) graphite or
fiberglass rod, as well as a fly reel and a fly line.
For bait fishing or spinning, use a 10 foot (3 meter)
spinning rod and a baitcaster reel with 15 to 20 (6.8 to
9.1 kilogram) pound-test line.
If you are fishing for Chinook or Coho salmon, you will
need a boat or trolling rod that has a star-drag
baitcaster reel equipped with 20 to 45 (9.1 to 20.4
kilogram) pound-test line. Chinook and Coho are the
largest and most sought after Pacific salmon species.
The most fished freshwater salmon is the Atlantic
salmon. Most anglers fly fish for these species, but
they can also be caught on spoons, plugs and natural
baits. Pacific salmon are usually fished by trolling
just offshore and in estuaries. They can also be caught
with fly fishing equipment and spinning (landlocked
varieties) when they move up rivers and streams to
spawn.
If you need assistance with salmon fishing techniques or
choosing salmon fishing equipment, seek out an
experienced salmon fishing angler. This could be a
family member, a friend, a neighbor, a salmon fishing
guide or a staff member of any bait and tackle shop that
specializes in salmon fishing equipment.
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