Snake flies for Salmon?

[sewinangler]

Around about 2003 there was an article in Flyfishing and Flytying regarding Snake flies for Salmon.

It was written by a Scandinavian chap who regularly fished the Norwegian Rivers and had some success whilst using snakes.

A good friend of mine has been kind enough to provide me with a set of his snake patterns to showcase on a website I administer.

The snake flies can be seen at :

www.ogmoreanglingassociation.com/htmfiles/Flies/Andrew%20Roynon/Andrew%20Roynon.html

Some of the patterns are very 'Salmony' in their make up.

Has anyone used them with any success when after Salmon? Are there any reasons that the might or might not be successful?

I know there's an opinion about size of fly versus water temperature. Does this really make a difference?

I'd be interested in your thoughts.

ATB

[ibm59]

Check out pages 25/26/27 in Bill Currie's Days and Nights of Gamefishing for a guid wee bit about fishing this style of fly for salmon , particularly in cold early season water . The letter that he quotes from was written in 1968. Nothing new in snake flies for salmon , then??
Seriously guys, check it out . It's a wee gem on depth, fly style and retrieve.

[sewinangler]

I haven't read the book but will probably get one if it's a good read and it's still available?

As to nothing new in snake flies for Salmon.......I don't know?

I don't have much experience as a Salmon angler and I'm trying to piece together a picture that will possibly bring me a bit more knowledge and understanding. A recent book I was recommended was Grant's Salmon: The Dynamics Approach which I found to be very informative.

Living in South Wales, we don't generally have that many Salmon and I can't therefore experiment sufficiently to see what might work and what might not.

Thanks for the pointer to the book.

[ibm59]

I'm sure that grand bookdealer with the unpronounceable name in your part of the world will be able to help. Anything by Currie is worth reading and then reading again. There were progressive thinkers back then . That's really what I was meaning when I said " nothing new".
Regards. B.

[Sloggi]

Hugh Falkus used his "sunk-lure" for salmon which is a similar concept. I've had salmon at night on the sunk-lure. The snake patterns look good. I like slim bodies for UK salmon/sea-trout flies.

[clydebuilt]

Lo all,

I posed a similar question regarding snakes on another forum some time ago and for more info check it out.

seatrout.proboards21.com/index.cgi?board=Fly&action=display&thread=1154777939

There is some excellent info on various tyings and a few alternative methods too.

Is this same sewinangler who kindly posted me a few snakes and mono mounts??

I really like the snakes and have had some great success in the estuary with them.

Just need more time on the river to find out if Mr Salar also likes them!

Clydebuilt

[Sloggi]

Excellent link. Don't see why they shouldn't be a good "all-round" fly which would be good when fishing pools that may hold salmon and sea-trout at the same time.

The slim and flexible body looks good - tie on some Willie Gunn combo bucktail and off you go for salmon

[speycaster]

hi guys heres a few slim snakes for the salmon tight lines billy p

[sewinangler]

clydebuilt said:

Is this same sewinangler who kindly posted me a few snakes and mono mounts??

Just need more time on the river to find out if Mr Salar also likes them!

Clydebuilt

Hi Clydebuilt,

Yes, that's the one! ;D

I'm always trying to add to the knowledge tool box!

As I said in my original post, a friend posted me some that had been tied in Salmony colours (if there is such a thing?) and I was curious as to whether any dedicated Salmon anglers had had any experience of fishing them?

We shall see ;D

[clydebuilt]

Hi sewinangler, You'll certainly get some more knowldge on this board I'm sure.

This thread made me think and i just tied up a gold bodied Willie Gunn for a trial.


Fingers crossed!!
CB

[Sloggi]

clydebuilt said:

Hi sewinangler, You'll certainly get some more knowldge on this board I'm sure.

This thread made me think and i just tied up a gold bodied Willie Gunn for a trial.


Fingers crossed!!
CB

That's the one

What size of tubing are you using for the body - small?

[clydebuilt]

Sloggi, small it is.

I did tie up a conehead one like this but it looked keich so i started again on the same mount and this one loks a little better.

I prefer the slimmer bodies on these flies.

[Sloggi]

clydebuilt said:

Sloggi, small it is.

I did tie up a conehead one like this but it looked keich so i started again on the same mount and this one loks a little better.

I prefer the slimmer bodies on these flies.

I'm going to try tying some but will need a trip to fishing shop - oh goody I fish some rivers where trebles are not welcome so instead of cutting off a barb, I presume a tube double will suffice?

I think these flies should be good during a grilse run - very sandeel like with shimmenring silver body.

[clydebuilt]

Sloggi,

I usually use Partridge BMD's but have ran out and had these ready made mounts with the red trebles on. The doubles will work well anyway, seems to make them swim well too, must be a keel type effect on them.

They are very good for saltwater seatrout, like you say very sandeely. I like these colours:

[stu47]

They do work for salmon,i heard of some being used over here with some success,in summer in bright conditions,i made some and gave a couple to a lad to try,he went out for seatrout in the fjords and on the coast though,and took fish there on them there,maybe a good fly alround

[Sloggi]

They look good. Black and silver always looks fishy

Do you notice how good the mylar tubing looks? On standard tubes, it looks good but "fixed" and inflexible while on these flies the body allows more movement (I presume) thus bringing out the flash in the tubing.

[sewinangler]

Clydebuilt,

That Gold Willy Gunn looks the business!

As Sloggi mentions, great for the grilse when they're up and in the mood to move to a fly!

Although the snakes are large flies, they are extremely light in comparison to other flies of similar size. I'm sure that even in low water, the light flows will still make them 'work'.

P.S. I'll be looking at tying some of those willy gunns myself ;D

[sewinangler]

stu47 said:

They do work for salmon,i heard of some being used over here with some success,in summer in bright conditions,i made some and gave a couple to a lad to try,he went out for seatrout in the fjords and on the coast though,and took fish there on them there,maybe a good fly alround

Thanks for that Stu,

Another little nugget of info to store for future use!

[clydebuilt]

I also had some with a pearl body and very sparse dark green wing that were magic.

I had a rake aboot there but I've none left.

When i tie up some more I'll fire a couple off to you to try.

[Sloggi]

Hope that's me you're going to send some to ;D I'll return the gesture with smething fishy

I'm in the process of making some of these. When making the body I'm tying the two mono ends down onto the bottom hook to help get the lure straight - hopefully that makes sense. It's the same way that Falkus/Greenhalgh explain in their book. It seems to work well. I'm using tube doubles so it need to be straight or it look odd