Fly Fishing for Salmon: Rods, Lines and Gear

Short answer: a heavy rod, a long line system and a plan for depth

Atlantic salmon rivers are large, the fish are strong, and the flies can be big. That drives the gear. The sources I opened do not agree on one rod weight, which is useful in itself, because it shows how much depends on the river. Orvis says a 6- to 8-weight is best for a Spey rod for Atlantic salmon, with the 7-weight most common and versatile. The Fly Shop, writing about a Kola Peninsula river in Russia, says it would not go below a 9-weight and prefers a 10-weight. Put those together and a 7 to 10 range is a fair map, with the lighter end for smaller rivers and the heavier end for big water, big flies and wind.

Spey rods and why they dominate

Two-handed Spey casts are built to work without a full back cast, which is useful where trees or a steep bank are behind you. Orvis points to a 13-foot full Spey rod in 7-weight and a 12-foot short Spey in 6-weight for salmon. The Fly Shop recommends Spey rods from 12.5 to 15 feet.

Our Spey rods page shows the Spey and switch rods on Amazon US with the length, pieces and line weight the makers state. For more on what these rods are, see what is a Spey rod and Spey rod vs switch rod.

If you do not have a Spey rod, a single-hand rod can work on smaller water. I did not open a source that gives single-hand salmon weights, so I am not going to give you numbers for that; look at the 8-weight fly rods page and the maker's own notes on the rod.

Reel and line

Orvis advises matching the reel to the rod: reels usually cover a range of line weights, so check the range printed for the reel against the rod. Its example is a Spey reel size that holds 6-, 7- and 8-weight lines. Our fly reels page lists line weight range, arbor and drag where makers publish them.

For lines, The Fly Shop describes two families:

• Skagit heads, a sink-tip delivery system, preferred early in the season through June, when it needs to get down. Sink tips come in interchangeable versions so you can change fly depth.
• Scandi heads, full floating shooting heads, used by early July for small flies near the surface. It advises a long tapered leader to maintain the anchor.

The article acknowledges that European anglers may criticize Skagit use for salmon, but says Skagit heads work perfectly well. That is one shop's view, so weigh it with what your local river fishes.

On the product side, line weight, taper and sink rate are listed on our fly lines page. If you want to know how a line weight is defined, our fly line weight chart guide explains it.

The riffling hitch

The riffling hitch is a salmon technique worth knowing even if you never use it. It is a pair of half hitches tied behind the head of a wet fly, which makes the fly skate and make a V-wake across the surface. MidCurrent gives these conditions:

• Water warmer than 50 degrees F, with the technique peaking in mid-summer through about 68 degrees F. Above 73 degrees F, salmon retreat to cold-water refuges, and the article says the fly should not be fished.
• A floating line only. Intermediate and sinking tips pull the fly under and kill the wake.
• A 9 to 12 foot nylon leader, not fluorocarbon, in 8 to 12 pound test.
• Cast 30 to 60 degrees downstream of straight across, then mend upstream to remove belly from the line. Step down 2 to 3 feet between casts. Wait until the line draws tight against the rod before you lift; striking early is the usual mistake.

Notice how many gear choices are baked into one technique: a particular line, a particular leader material, a particular water temperature. That is a good reminder that salmon gear is tied to the method. (The salmon has not read any of this, which is the usual arrangement.)

Flies

The Fly Shop notes that on its Kola river most flies are tube flies with short-shank double hooks behind them. It names larger tubes early in the season (Snaelda, Cascade, Monkey, Francis) and smaller patterns as water drops and clears (Sun Ray Shadow, Willie Gunn, Green Highlander, Flame Thrower). Local patterns change river to river, so use this as a flavor, not a shopping list.

Waders, safety and the rest

Salmon fishing means big, fast, cold water. Good waders and a wading belt are not accessories there; a wading staff is worth considering too. If the water is cold, our fly fishing in winter guide covers cold-water risk in more detail. Pack choice matters on long walks to a pool: see pack vs vest.

Check regulations. Salmon rules are strict and local, including seasons, tackle limits and what you may keep. I did not open an agency page for this guide, so I am not quoting any rule.

Where to go next

The commercial next step is the fly rods category, with Spey rods if you are heading for the big water. If you are still sizing a first reel, start with fly reels.