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[fly fisher]

i have a spey rod that i jsut started using for steel and im hooked. i was wondering what flies to use for fishing fall salmon on the vedder river.
thanks FF

[HOOK]

same flies you would use on your single hander. I do tie a couple patterns a bit different just so they are more durable to the extra power given from the two hander.

for example - beadhead rolled muddlers, instead of tying a deer hair wing i use a rabbit strip wing but make sure its got a fairly stiff hide otherwise it just wraps the hook constantly. I am however experimenting on ways to toughen up the more flimsy stuff so it still has some action to it. so far mono, briad and thin wire are no go's

another suggestion is if you can take any pattern and tie it "clouser" style so it rides hook point UP because swinging flies through fish can cause more foul hook ups until you figure out how to swing just above the schools of fish.

[fly fisher]

i dont fish my single hander for salmon only steelhead i did pull it out for chum last year. i was won dering what types oif designs can be used and if their is a limit to size etc.

[HOOK]

most of the time i find anything a size 4 or smaller is what you want. 6 and 8 being the best sizes. I will tie a couple patterns specifically for springs and chum on larger hooks though because they tend to straighten out the smaller hooks. sometimes i will tie the entire fly bigger and sometimes i will only use a portion of the hook length to keep the fly dressing the same size as on the smaller hooks.

my largest fly that has effectively caught chum was a 1/0 pink/purple wooly bugger type thing. I have also tied large size 1 beadhead muddlers for springs and they have worked for the big boys but the small ones still work better for some reason.

single hander is alot more effective when fishing for coho, pinks, and jack springs because they love to chase and attack their food. they can be caught with a swung fly but a retrieved fly will always work better


best way to show some designs would be with pics but then there is also tying directions if your new to tying. this would need to be done by email because it would be large and timely, in person is the best way

[Carich980]

I was tying up rabbit strip flies in a wooly bugger style pattern on #2 hooks and catching a bunch of coho and chum on Pink/Purple.

I've heard lots of arguments about single handers being better for coho but I found that if you are using a skagit head let it swing then retrieved fast with 4 qucik hard strips to 1 pause the coho would smash it on the retrieve. I caught as many coho on the retrieve as on the swing this year using my spey rod. And since I can effectivly cover more water with my spey rod then my single hander found that I caught more coho using my spey rod.

I think if you were using a long belly line where you aren't doing much retrieving if any at all is where you would catch less Coho compared to a single hand rod. I believe a true switch rod would likely shine for coho, however I personally do not like the feel of a switch rod. Im going with a Sage One 7 wt / 13'6 for my new Vedder Coho/Chum/Steelhead Rod.

[Stickleback]

A single hander for coho is better because you should always strip in as much line as you can.  Coho will follow it right in.  Its a pain to get the shooting head back out of the guides say on a spey rod compared to two false casts on a single hand.  Coho respond much better to stripped flies. They also hangout in spots that are conducive to cast and strip, not swinging.  But for Chum and Chinook, a heavy spey is what you want ideally.
  For coho, comets, clousers, woolley buggers (heavier hook than trout buggers), egg sucking leech etc.  Chinook and Chum will take anything from #10 comets to the biggest intruder you got.  Chartreuse works like magic on fresh fish.  Have a good selection of popsicle type flies for swinging.  Colours combos like black and red (for low and clear), blue and chartreuse, pink and purple, black and purple (coloured water) etc. 
When fall rolls around and its choked with fish,  FISH LIGHT TIPS.  This avoids fowl hooking fish, and trust me it happens. 

[Stickleback]

"Fall salmon spey flies".  A spey fly is a traditional scottish style of atlantic salmon fly that utilizes bronze mallard as a wing.  Just because I fish an intruder or a marabou popsicle on a spey rod, does not make it a spey fly.  Just thought I would clear that up.

[Carich980]

I completely disagree with you. Its easy to get the shooting head back out that's weak argument. It takes as long to get the head back out and make the cast as it does with a single hand rod. If your casting skagit your always stripping your running line back in.

Regardless its a matter of opinion and preference. I prefer to cover all the water and with a spey rod its easy to do all day long. Most areas on the river don't allow a large back cast and your hardly ever alone to cast down the river bank for the extra distance.

I've tried both ways and catch more coho on my Spey rod over my single hand rod. However I will say that I dont usually fish anywhere else than the Vedder as I can drive to a sweet spot from my place in about 10-15 mins. A single hander is likely better in a slough given you have room to cast it. I'm going to have to test it out for myself though.

For the tip I use a 15' clear intermediate sink and tie my flies with hook point up. A lot less foul hooking that way.

Just use whatever you have more confidence in and don't be afraid to go against popular opinion. Just cause your going after Coho doesn't justify needing to bring a single hand rod.

If you see some nut on the Vedder slaying coho with a spey that'll be me. Come say Hi 

[Stickleback]

I completely disagree with you. Its easy to get the shooting head back out that's weak argument. It takes as long to get the head back out and make the cast as it does with a single hand rod. If your casting skagit your always stripping your running line back in.

Regardless its a matter of opinion and preference. I prefer to cover all the water and with a spey rod its easy to do all day long. Most areas on the river don't allow a large back cast and your hardly ever alone to cast down the river bank for the extra distance.

I've tried both ways and catch more coho on my Spey rod over my single hand rod. However I will say that I dont usually fish anywhere else than the Vedder as I can drive to a sweet spot from my place in about 10-15 mins. A single hander is likely better in a slough given you have room to cast it. I'm going to have to test it out for myself though.

For the tip I use a 15' clear intermediate sink and tie my flies with hook point up. A lot less foul hooking that way.

Just use whatever you have more confidence in and don't be afraid to go against popular opinion. Just cause your going after Coho doesn't justify needing to bring a single hand rod.

If you see some nut on the Vedder slaying coho with a spey that'll be me. Come say Hi 

I'm not saying at if you are going to target coho you HAVE to bring a single hand rod.  Obviously it can be done with a spey rod.  A few perry poke motions and the head is back out the guides.  A 10' 8wt with an intermediate line will likely out fish a 13' spey rod with say a 550 skagit head + tip in the sloughs near my house.  A 13' spey rod and skagit head were not designed for a cast and strip presentation, they were designed to SWING and we all know coho respond better to a stripped fly.  Just my 2 cents