Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Fishing in British Columbia => Fishing Reports => Members' Fishing Reports => Topic started by: newsman on September 25, 2006, 07:53:11 PM

Title: Socks on the fly
Post by: newsman on September 25, 2006, 07:53:11 PM
Spent last weekend at the Inn At The Bridge and since the Thom is full of Socks I decieded to try my hand at catching them on the fly. The water was clear, and no-one on the river but Kim and I, so we were able to come up behind some good sized pods within 6 feet of shore. Using stealth we were able to present and drift our flies right through the zone and observe how those Socks reacted. Just like winter Steelhead, they didn't move their heads anymore than an 3 inches, but they did snap at the flies when we persisted. Once we had them dialed in we averaged a solid hookup with the fly set in the jaw inside the mouth " NOT OUTSIDE" 15 to 20 minets. Contrary to popular belief we found Socks do bite but you have to be dead acuate in your presentation. All the Socks we did get on the fly were played out and brought to had "No Nets" and released in the water. One male was lifted for a photo but that was it. The fly that worked was my "Flat Black", I chose this pattern because we were fishing bright sunlight and I felt that anything bright or with flash would spook our opponents.
Title: Re: Socks on the fly
Post by: Steelhawk on September 25, 2006, 09:04:27 PM
I agree with you. They should bite like other systems in clearer water, including the Fraser.  :)  Just slow down the presentation.
Title: Re: Socks on the fly
Post by: newsman on September 25, 2006, 10:03:31 PM
coloured.
Title: Re: Socks on the fly
Post by: Gooey on September 26, 2006, 07:46:21 AM
I watched a show once of a steelhead sitting over her nest...any little thing in the river which bounced towards the nest was picked up and spit out to the side.  The narator suggested this is a way of protecting the nest and ensuring the eggs are contaminated.  Wasn't a feeding stimuli or a strike based on aggression...it was quite meet to watch.

Any how, you said "they didn't move their heads anymore than an 3 inches, but they did snap at the flies when we persisted."

Ever consider that this is a totally different strike stimuli than what would be needed in the fraser to have success catching sockeye?  If you have a fish staging for spawning  or one that is relatively stationary then you can certainly keep on presenting to it until its agrivated enuff to strike....I don't think this disproves the thought that sockeye are very very hard to get a strike out of in most fishing conditions.  Nor does it prove that on average, sockeye bite presentations.