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[Zackattack]

Hey guys!
Had a great time on sat at the vedder for the first time ever!
I landed and kept one nice female pink over the span of the day as well as having 5 other fish on BUT they ALL GOT AWAY! haha
Now.. one of them was soo heavy, ive never had a fish on this big, it didnt even surface before it snapped my line (def not snag.. had many of those too haha)
So my question is:
Most people I talked to after hearing my story kept mentioning that its harder to pull in big fish in faster water. I've read it here too. I'm just trying to understand why?
Are the fish more agressive and have more energy while moving?
I'm hoping to see at least one chinook this year and I dont want to risk losing it when the time comes!
 I was using brass spoons btw

[Damien]

It is comonly referred to as gravity.

[matrix111]

weight of the fish+river current+fish trying to run away = xx lbs. So it was like pulling a 15lb weight over a 10lb fish.

[Zackattack]

Ya it makes sense for the fish than snapped my line..
 just I was noticing a lot of fish from me and others around that were being unsuccessfully landed without snapping line or anything. it didnt seam to do with current but I just remembered hearing how faster current it was harder to land fish. makes sense i guess
maybe just me the others around were all river newbs and werent setting the hook right..

[Gooey]

the first question I have is what rating is your line?  second is where where you fishing?  my biggest salmon is on the vedder...big ole stinky white all of 42 lbs on 12 lb leader.  30 minute fight on a 10.5 foot rod and a reel that was well maintained (ie smooth drag).

After a long battle like that even you knot quality is critical so there are lots of areas that can lead to disaster on a trophy fish. 

Generally speaking though I float fish 8lb when targeting coho  and up size to 10lb or 12lb for springs.  Not knowing your gear and the area, hard to say why you broke off that big fish.  If your drag isnt smooth and a fish runs then that burst may be enough to snap your line. 

PS - Fishing spinners and spoons I usually fish 12 or straight 15.  unlike float fishing, hardware provokes a reactionary, aggressive strike.  in times like that, I dont think leader size is as critical.

[Zackattack]

Hey Gooey,
My line is 12 or 15 lb on a shitty old spinning rod. Was fishing just up from the crossing. Water was moving fast, alot of people catching pinks. It could have just been a bad knot.. just never had so many salmon get off my spoons before like that (mind you Ive only been fishing salmon for a year) but did catch a good share on the fraser + squamish and never had so many get off.
My rod was so heavy too at the end of the day couldnt move.

Thanks for the insight guys

[Sandman]

Certainly fight a fish in fast current on the Vedder is going to be harder than fighting the same fish with the same gear on the lower Fraser, but some runs on the Fraser are going to be harder than some slower currents on the Vedder.  Now "just above the crossing" the river is dropping quite fast so the current is very strong and you are going to have a battle with even a small pink.  The problem there is that the pink have such soft mouths that the current alone can be enough to rip the hook from the mouth.  Try seeking slower moving water, they are more likely to chase your offering and you do not have the current to battle too. Also, the fish that snapped your line could have been a small spring or a foul hooked fish that would be VERY hard to pull in and often those do not surface either.

[Sterling C]

My line is 12 or 15 lb on a shitty old spinning rod.

Fishing line degrades over time, you'll probably need to replace it.

My mainline is changed at least once every six months.

[Zackattack]

Certainly fight a fish in fast current on the Vedder is going to be harder than fighting the same fish with the same gear on the lower Fraser, but some runs on the Fraser are going to be harder than some slower currents on the Vedder.  Now "just above the crossing" the river is dropping quite fast so the current is very strong and you are going to have a battle with even a small pink.  The problem there is that the pink have such soft mouths that the current alone can be enough to rip the hook from the mouth.  Try seeking slower moving water, they are more likely to chase your offering and you do not have the current to battle too. Also, the fish that snapped your line could have been a small spring or a foul hooked fish that would be VERY hard to pull in and often those do not surface either.

Ya that makes a lot of sense now. The current was definitly strong there so I'll try to find something with less moving water. I think your spot on with the issue of their soft mouths too cuz I saw many of the fish I had on, and they were def hooked in the mouth but after jumping splashing in the current they were off, I recall people at the squamish complaining about that though I never had a problem with it there. Ill definitly seek out some slower water now and report back when I have the chance to go back up.
Thanks again everyone for there advice!

Certainly fight a fish in fast current on the Vedder is going to be harder than fighting the same fish with the same gear on the lower Fraser, but some runs on the Fraser are going to be harder than some slower currents on the Vedder.  Now "just above the crossing" the river is dropping quite fast so the current is very strong and you are going to have a battle with even a small pink.  The problem there is that the pink have such soft mouths that the current alone can be enough to rip the hook from the mouth.  Try seeking slower moving water, they are more likely to chase your offering and you do not have the current to battle too. Also, the fish that snapped your line could have been a small spring or a foul hooked fish that would be VERY hard to pull in and often those do not surface either.

Will do!

[Blackgivesway2blue]

another tip, dont panic, 99% of the time, if you panic, you will lose the fish 

[Zackattack]

another tip, dont panic, 99% of the time, if you panic, you will lose the fish 

I dont panic i become ecstatic 

[BwiBwi]

When fishing fast water section, try not to pull the fish to you instead reel in slow and walk down river and slowly guide it to shore. 

[Zackattack]

When fishing fast water section, try not to pull the fish to you instead reel in slow and walk down river and slowly guide it to shore. 

sounds good, ya I was prolly reeling in way to quick as I was hungry. lots of people fishing beside me too but will try to walk down river next time haha

[Zackattack]

Haha so after a 2nd on the river as well as some great advice by a gentleman around the lickman road area I realised it was the brake or whatever you call it on the rod. it was set wayyyy too tight. It wasnt allowing me to play the fish properly!
Too bad I couldnt figure this out last week as all I was getting into was humped out pinks..
With some heavier line hopefully I'll get something else now that its Oct