April Winni Weekend Salmon Pics - Alton Bay

[The Hairy Beast]

Some fish porn from Saturday and Sunday:













More Here

[Parker21]

That's a great early-season salmon. I assume the smelt are running already?

[The Hairy Beast]

Originally Posted by Parker21

That's a great early-season salmon. I assume the smelt are running already?

There are loads of smelt out around the ice, which is why the Salmon are all out by the ends of the docks. We have rain for the next few days and warmer weather, smelt run to the lunar cycle and I am sure they'll be on their way into the river now. By next weekend we can put on the waders!

[Grant]

So, around the time of ice-out, where would the majority of smelt be found? Interesting.

[The Hairy Beast]

Originally Posted by Grant

So, around the time of ice-out, where would the majority of smelt be found? Interesting.

The trollers know that the salmon lurk under the edge of the ice, next to the open water. That's why they work it so hard, dragging lines behind their boats all along the ice line. What's unusual is that ice being within reaching distance of a guy with a fly rod, which is what we enjoyed this weekend (it's over now, though - the ice has receded and the salmon appear to have moved back as well, according to reports from my buddies who were in Alton today) The smelts are staging up in the bays to get ready for their spring breeding run. They'll move into the river when the water warms enough and the Salmon will follow close behind. The late thaw this year allowed us a glimpse into what fishing conditions might be like if the lake were open in March instead of April, and now we're moving back into more conventional conditions.

[trfour]

Originally Posted by The Hairy Beast

The trollers know that the salmon lurk under the edge of the ice, next to the open water. That's why they work it so hard, dragging lines behind their boats all along the ice line. What's unusual is that ice being within reaching distance of a guy with a fly rod, which is what we enjoyed this weekend (it's over now, though - the ice has receded and the salmon appear to have moved back as well, according to reports from my buddies who were in Alton today) The smelts are staging up in the bays to get ready for their spring breeding run. They'll move into the river when the water warms enough and the Salmon will follow close behind. The late thaw this year allowed us a glimpse into what fishing conditions might be like if the lake were open in March instead of April, and now we're moving back into more conventional conditions.

Hay, I hear you Hairy! Not to dance on anyones parade. Mother Nature has a way of informing us that She has, and will adjust all of our well intended beliefs. She, and will always control ( What, and where ). However, this gives us an and the opportunity to learn. I have so enjoyed your fishing adventures and videos this year. Yes we try to take advantage of any open waters what we can after a long winter! Yes, and I too am enjoying your early fishing adventures from Alton Bay NH!
Terry
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[The Hairy Beast]

Originally Posted by trfour

Hay, I hear you Hairy! Not to dance on anyones parade. Mother Nature has a way of informing us that She has, and will adjust all of our well intended beliefs. She, and will always control ( What, and where ). However, this gives us an and the opportunity to learn. I have so enjoyed your fishing adventures and videos this year. Yes we try to take advantage of any open waters what we can after a long winter! Yes, and I too am enjoying your early fishing adventures from Alton Bay NH!
Terry
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Thanks, loads! I'm glad it doesn't come across as relentless self-promotion.

Speaking of "adventures", funny story from last Sunday - just as I left Alton I guess a bunch of young guys with spinning rods came over to the spot we were fishing and tried to crowd in on Trav and the others. They had no luck fishing from shore next to the dock and after a while got grumbly. Now the thing about those fish that day was that they were only hitting ONE fly pattern and only if retrieved a certain way - fast strip across the surface on a floating line. Anybody who tried it with anything else got skunked. Trav and I both handed out samples of the hot fly and a few others managed to get fish, but again ONLY on the fly. So at one point one of the young guys barks "You oughta let somebody else on that dock, give us a chance!"

Trav and I had been sharing the dock, but only with other fly fishermen. One of the others, a young guy himself said "They'd have to be crazy to give up a spot that's producing fish just so you four can go out there and get skunked!"

So the guy takes umbrage and says "I got live smelt - that's better than flies! The only reason they're getting fish is they got that dock!"

My buddy Trav goes "Oh yeah? let's see.." and casts his fly right next to the guy's bobber. A salmon races up and nails it. Trav says "You got plenty of Salmon down there swimming around your smelt. Don't ask me why they won't eat it!"
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[The Hairy Beast]

BTW - I am going to be in Alton tomorrow morning (ten-ish), Saturday Morning, late Sunday afternoon and Monday morning. Anybody wants to come by, I'll be in a brown Cabela's cap, blue columbia sportswear coat, khaki pants and tan fly vest. I don't know what the fishing will be like, but you'll likely get a salmon fly out of it.

[ishoot308]

Sounds like a "wood duck heron fly" to me. That fly would produce on those docks when all others wouldn't!! Still my favorite fly for early season salmon.

Come on ice out!

Dan

[The Hairy Beast]

Originally Posted by ishoot308

Sounds like a "wood duck heron fly" to me. That fly would produce on those docks when all others wouldn't!! Still my favorite fly for early season salmon.

Come on ice out!

Dan

DAMN you're good! That's #2 in the flybook. The winner last weekend was the Bead Head Olive Leech. Here's a pic of one Travis tied, from Eldredge Brother's Fly Shop in Maine (scroll down to see Trav):



Quoth Eldredge:

Mar 06, 2010

Local angler Travis Johnson taught today's class how to tie four of his favorite flies for catching trout and salmon in his favorite early season haunts. We hear many reports of Travis' activities in the shop from other customers, which usually start off with, "This guy was hooking fish left and right…" During the class, Travis gave away a box of flies to a lucky student whose name got drawn from a hat. Everyone agreed that the class was a lot of fun and that these flies were sure to get them some fish. The patterns Travis tied were the merrymeeting midge, olive leech, yellow marabou and wood duck heron.




I make Olive Leeches a bit different, but the one thing both his and mine have in common is that it was developed by my dad back in the 80's.

[natureboy79]

did you go today hairy? wondering if there is enough open water to put a small boat in yet? North end is still locked up pretty good except for wolfeboro.

[The Hairy Beast]

Originally Posted by natureboy79

did you go today hairy? wondering if there is enough open water to put a small boat in yet? North end is still locked up pretty good except for wolfeboro.

Yep I went:


There's still not much open water, but there's fish! Details to follow...

[trfour]

Originally Posted by The Hairy Beast

Yep I went:


There's still not much open water, but there's fish! Details to follow...

Leave some for the rest of us, " Will Ya "?...
Terry
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[trfour]

[QUOTE=The Hairy Beast;154115]Thanks, loads! I'm glad it doesn't come across as relentless self-promotion. [ Quote ].

Yes, and we all know that our names 'Doo not have the RG or dude twang to'em!
Don't forget to leave them some fish when ever they decide to get back up to the Lake, after Iceout!
T
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[Piston]

Nice pics! Looks like you've been having some fun getting some early season fishing in!

Thanks for the pics, your makin me jealous