5 Tips - Swinging for Kings

Jeff with a Big October Salmon River King

  Salmon Season is just right around the corner for us here in the Northeast. Every Fishing Forum is seeing a lot of traffic along with Face book pages for that first King to be caught. If you plan on swinging flies for kings this season here are 5 tips to help you.

• Cast down and across - With lower flows, a shallow river and heavy flies you don't need to straight across and mend the heck out of it to get it down to King level.
• Keep the fly line in a straight line - Kings like the fly slow and in their face. Cast, mend and hang on.
• Don't set to quick - A king take is head shake, head shake, pull and turn. Wait for the pull before you set the hook. Remember to set low and hard to the bank.
• Put the boots to them - Kings are big, strong fish. The longer the fight lasts, the longer the hook has to work itself free. After the first run or two, Walk backwards and get yourself near the bank. This will help get the fish into shallow water and make it easier to land.
•  Revive the fish - Water temperatures are pretty warm in early September, take the time to revive the fish and make sure they swim off on their own.