Tips To Help You Catch More Salmon In A River

16 April 2021

Alyssa Murray

River fishing is one of the best, and also one of the most enjoyable, ways to catch salmon. It's really fun to fish in the rushing river waters, and there are certainly lots of large salmon to be caught. Sometimes, though, they are not as easy to catch as you might hope. If you're struggling to catch enough salmon in a river, here are some tips that can help.

Make sure your hooks are sharp.

Are you having a lot of near-catches — or bites that don't amount to anything? The problem could be that your hooks are not sharp enough. Salmon have really tough mouths, and a hook that would effectively catch another fish might bounce right off the roof of a salmon's mouth. Consider replacing your hooks with newer, sharper ones. Or, if you have the tools to do so, sharpen your current hooks.

Try using cut bait.

If you are not already using cut bait, give it a try. Cut bait, if you're not aware, is simply strips of fresh fish. In some areas, if the salmon are really hungry — which they often are when swimming downriver — the cut bait may be more attractive to them than the typical roe. Herring and smelt both work well as cut bait. Just make sure you keep it very fresh and on ice until you bait your hook.

Switch to a red line.

Do away with your white line and switch to red. Fish can easily see white lines, especially in shallower river waters. Red, however, tends to become invisible under only a few feet of water, especially to fish. With a red line, the salmon are less likely to detect it, which means they are more likely to go for your bait.

Wait for an overcast day.

On cloudy, overcast days, salmon tend to be more active, and they also come closer to the surface of the water. So, keep an eye on the weather report and plan your big fishing trips on days when clouds are expected. It's perfectly okay to fish during a gentle rainstorm, too. In fact, sometimes salmon are even more active in the rain.

Fishing for salmon in a river is a really fun and rewarding experience, but only if you actually catch some salmon. With the tips above, you should be able to increase your catch and enjoy more of these amazing fish. For more suggestions, contact a company that provides salmon fishing trips.

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