How to fly fish deep pools?

[Tim1984]

How can you fish for salmon on the fly in 20-30’ deep pools?

 

[Andrew B]

Outside of Russia or those places where they can be caught on the top, I’m not sure of anywhere in the UK that would fit the bill?

 

[Tangled]

 

[tenet]

Martin's Pool on the Wye at Lower Symonds Yat. Mind - we used to spin a prawn through it. The salmon in my avatars was taken below the above mentioned pool (c 1980)just below the island for those that might be familiar with the beat.

 

[marty31]

Outside of Russia or those places where they can be caught on the top, I’m not sure of anywhere in the UK that would fit the bill?

We have a pool that fits that bill! The fish lie just off the bottom, very seldom come up vertically to the top, jump, have a look around then return vertically back to the bottom again! Stay for months sometimes ignoring repeated floods, then shift upstream when the time is right! I wouldn't say they were impossible to catch but maybe nearly impossible ??

 

[Nigel Rush]

How can you fish for salmon on the fly in 20-30’ deep pools?

Semtex!

 

[pellinore]

Deep pools tend to have high banks, avoid a silhouette of yourself and just fish normally, polmonier on the dee throws springers but you dont fish deep.

 

[Andrew B]

We have a pool that fits that bill! The fish lie just off the bottom, very seldom come up vertically to the top, jump, have a look around then return vertically back to the bottom again! Stay for months sometimes ignoring repeated floods, then shift upstream when the time is right! I wouldn't say they were impossible to catch but maybe nearly impossible ??

Is that right. I find stuff like this really interesting esp when they remain there after floods until Autumn?
I’m thinking Taymount on the Tay. In fact I’m not sure if anyone knows it’s true depth?
There are pools on the Teifi that are so deep and hold some very big Sewin but they’re not fishable with a fly.

Most deep pools have undertows and conflicting currents making em a nightmare on the fly. I’ve fished such pools for sea trout and I’ve never hooked up with anything, rather it’s the pools tail or near a drop off that I’ve caught.

 

[marty31]

Is that right. I find stuff like this really interesting esp when they remain there after floods until Autumn?
I’m thinking Taymount on the Tay. In fact I’m not sure if anyone knows it’s true depth?
There are pools on the Teifi that are so deep and hold some very big Sewin but they’re not fishable with a fly.

Most deep pools have undertows and conflicting currents making em a nightmare on the fly. I’ve fished such pools for sea trout and I’ve never hooked up with anything, rather it’s the pools tail or near a drop off that I’ve caught.

the best chance is for us is when the tide has dropped away! And the new fish havent settled or found lies and are near the surface, when they get settled and potted, they become un catchable, untill fresh water stirs them up and a small short window of opportunity arises.

 

[rotenone]

How can you fish for salmon on the fly in 20-30’ deep pools?

Airflo triple density Skagit and long lengths of T material and heavy tungsten flies, a regular shooting head will not fish that deep , you will need a skagit with a floating back portion that can be mended to get the tip deeper and tungsten flies sound like great fun and remember your crash helmet

 

[Rennie]

Oh yes a shooting head will fish deep Rotenone, try my 2/4/6 3D, or my Double Dunter or 850 DWE.Anvil down a mineshaft stuff, esp. when spliced up to dedicated 40lb mono!
Pedro.

 

[Aled]

This is something i've found works for sea trout, it may work for salmon (i did catch one once!) fast sinking line, relatively short leader aluminium tube, cast slightly upstream of square, put upstream mend in the line immediately after cast, wait a few seconds for the line to straighten then a steady figure of eight retrieve. After the cast has covered the fish holding area, you will need to work the line and fly up to the surface before recasting. The fish i'm returning in my avatar picture was caught this way. Of interest?
Tight Lines
Aled

 

[Lgraydonflyfishing]

Full fast sink line and tungsten francis

 

[Petekd]

I’d echo Rotenone, only ever been in this situation once, the right bank at main pool at Jockfall on the Kallix in Sweden springs to mind. Airflo Skagit fist, 15-20’ T18 and a tungsten Francis cast upstream. By god does that set up sink!

 

[Nigel Passmore]

Outside of Russia or those places where they can be caught on the top, I’m not sure of anywhere in the UK that would fit the bill?

Generally would agree. Four that come quickly to mind are:

ledges - Isla
Linn Pool - Tay
Mire Pool - Thurso
Polmonier - Dee

I’ve fished all of them with flee but only caught in one with flee (other methods are available on two and more successful) With both polmonier and Mire put on a sinking line and big turbo 70s disco and cast it from the head down the middle of the pool. Count to ten and retreive vary pull length dpeed and style. Repeat but on next cast count to 20 and so on until you’ve counted to 2 minutes.

 

[rotenone]

I’d echo Rotenone, only ever been in this situation once, the right bank at main pool at Jockfall on the Kallix in Sweden springs to mind. Airflo Skagit fist, 15-20’ T18 and a tungsten Francis cast upstream. By god does that set up sink!

Thats right a sinking line will get down eventually, but not as quick as a skagit T tip sounds like the guy is fishing an extreme pool, a shooting head will take an age to fish a hole like that and not very effectively.
I would always choose a sinking shooting head but in chasm like pools nothing beats 18 foot of t material with the ability to further mend the skagit, its not fun fishing andnwe are all guessing really a photo of the pool would help

 

[Loxie]

There is a very deep pool on my club water. The way I fish it is to cast straight across with the Di8 and count it down 20 to 30 seconds then retrieve. If the bottom is clean I have fished deep pools with a booby snake on the di8. Let the line sit on the bottom then try various retrieves from nearly static to a fast strip. Ard's "how I get the fly down" technique is likely to work too but go for a long first section.

 

[Nigel Passmore]

Having thought about it some more:

Falls Pool - Shin
Pool below Dam on Awe (need to go back to records to check name)
Bridge Pool Islamouth - Tay
Viaduct Sunlaws - Teviot
Kinchurdy pool - Spey
The Bend Pool - Enig
Whirl Pool - oykel
I’m sure a couple of pools on the Lochy are also 20-30’

As the late great Brucie would say ‘Good game my loves’

 

[neilt]

Having thought about it some more:

Bridge Pool Islamouth - Tay ??
Think you mean Donits
Below Meikleour bridge and the Castle stream.
Deepest bit & spot on - skagit, 20ft T18 & tungsten tonciller - had a few with that!
Pool above “Ballathie” bridge deep enough in parts, not that deep.

 

[glenelg100]

Having thought about it some more:

Falls Pool - Shin
Pool below Dam on Awe (need to go back to records to check name)
Bridge Pool Islamouth - Tay
Viaduct Sunlaws - Teviot
Kinchurdy pool - Spey
The Bend Pool - Enig
Whirl Pool - oykel
I’m sure a couple of pools on the Lochy are also 20-30’

As the late great Brucie would say ‘Good game my loves’

Name of the pool on the Awe, Barrage pool, possibly

 

[Andrew B]

This is something i've found works for sea trout, it may work for salmon (i did catch one once!) fast sinking line, relatively short leader aluminium tube, cast slightly upstream of square, put upstream mend in the line immediately after cast, wait a few seconds for the line to straighten then a steady figure of eight retrieve. After the cast has covered the fish holding area, you will need to work the line and fly up to the surface before recasting. The fish i'm returning in my avatar picture was caught this way. Of interest?
Tight Lines
Aled

Did you ever meet or know the great Malcom Edwards? Sounded a bit like Alfred Wainright in that he would hide and shy away from those wanting to see him.
I remember reading Moc Morgan’s reports of the Rheidol and so often you’d read that everyone was struggling and yet Edwards took 3 double figure fish from high up river? Interesting that he used just basic gear, floating line with a knot in the end and two tube flies, one being blue and the other gold maybe. Occasionally he would swap the same flies around on his cast lol ?.

 

[Andrew B]

Not related to salmon although who knows, with fish seen jumping the weirs on the Wharfe it may just well hold a few fish.
If I was to tell you it’s often classed as the most dangerous piece of the water in the world, you may know of the mighty Strid at Bolton Abbey on the Wharfe.
I think they say it’s about 30ft in depth and there’s so many conflicting currents that will suck you under the bank and right under where tourists stand.
Not even Canoeists tackle the Strid and many legends were made here of folk falling to their death, to some more recent tragic ones such as the honeymoon couple who both died and got spat out further downstream?
That said from a fishing perspective trout anglers do fish the Strid and catch on dry fly.

 

[Andrew B]

Having thought about it some more:

Falls Pool - Shin
Pool below Dam on Awe (need to go back to records to check name)
Bridge Pool Islamouth - Tay
Viaduct Sunlaws - Teviot
Kinchurdy pool - Spey
The Bend Pool - Enig
Whirl Pool - oykel
I’m sure a couple of pools on the Lochy are also 20-30’

As the late great Brucie would say ‘Good game my loves’

One of my most hated beats on the account of the etiquette of the worm brigade, would have to be the falls pool at Cenarth on the Teifi. Very deep in places and the ravine under the falls was often the last thing a Teifi Salmon would see before being made to swallow a worm, dragged out and added to the ten fish each a season brigade.

I’m no C&R fan but that place was ridiculous and like match fishing for salmon.

 

[Aled]

Sadly Andrew i never met the Malcolm Edwards from Aberystwyth.

 

[Nigel Passmore]

Name of the pool on the Awe, Barrage pool, possibly

No, just checked its Big Verrie.

And here is a fuishie on flee from said place.

Happy days. Were did you go Gav/Altmor formerly a mod of this place? You were/are an absolute gentleman and thank you for the opportunity