[river irvine]

Only had success dead drifting and once when winding in, it seems 99% of salmon flies are designed to look like a shrimp/prawn and are fished swinging round so surely the down and across method with the real thing under a float fishing at the right depth will work-yet i dont know anybody who does this, has anybody had success dowing this? And any tips?

 

[Richardgw]

This is certainly a method used in the US, using fly tackle and a bung as the film shows even though it is specifically about casting. Trout fishers here in the UK use a similar method fishing nymphs upstream looking at the tip of the line or sighter section for takes, and catches (or at least hook ups) have included salmon on many occasions. So yes what you suggest should work providing this is allowed by the fishery. Indeed I have thought about float fishing for grayling in this manner using (fly fishing) nymphs as the bait/lure rather than worms or maggots.

 

[gwelsher]

I have fished the shrimp on a float with success but that was trotting it bouncing along the bottom.
A lot of places used to ban float fishing, now they ban bait fishing altogether.

 

[river irvine]

The river i use it on is very snaggy so i need to keep off bottom, cant sink and draw or drag bottom with a float

 

[keirstream]

It wasn't a method that I used much but it certainly works.
Anybody that fished the Isla prior to shrimping regulations were implemented will tell you that.
Big catches were made from the Ericht/Isla junction all the way down on float fished shrimp.
Is it still allowed on Ayrshire rivers?

 

[river irvine]

Depends on the club rules, on the stinchar its banned but all the other rivers club rules vary, some allow it

 

[Tees88]

Yes, it works & it's very effective.

 

[iainmortimer]

If float fishing is banned than use the klink and dink approach. For salmon, simply tie a highly bouyant fly such as a big muddler or bomber, and use that to suspend the pattern of choice. You may of course 'suffer' the excitement of a fish hooking up on your 'float' as it wakes across

Every year salmon are hooked on grayling flies fished in a similar way and so it does work.

 

[rotenone]

Only had success dead drifting and once when winding in, it seems 99% of salmon flies are designed to look like a shrimp/prawn and are fished swinging round so surely the down and across method with the real thing under a float fishing at the right depth will work-yet i dont know anybody who does this, has anybody had success dowing this? And any tips?

Salmon will leave they lie from along way in clear water rivers I've seen them chase thr shrimp right across a pool, but I believe it's the agitation factor why it's fished upstream pressing them in the face when I was younger I used to watch the old prawn fisherman for hours in a clearwater Irish river from the vantage point of the towns bridge.
Exactly the same with Francis flies they work down and across but much better upstream and handlined back at known lies

 

[goodwin8288]

I have caught salmon trotting and even when held station in a decent flow with the weight close to the bait but never tried down and across I can see it working if fished how you would fish a worm ie no float and just enough weight to swing round and bump bottom in fact I'm sure this is how some fish in the south west of England on the smaller rivers (youtube) I think a float would cause surface disturbance !! but then again they take a fly near a bubble float making a disturbance!!