Summer spinning
During the summer months, water temperatures are usually high and river levels low. As water temperatures rise the fish generally become more active. In these conditions salmon can often follow a lure moving quickly, close to the surface of the water. A lure moving at speed can sometimes be more likely to illicit a response from a fish than a lure moving slowly and at a steady pace. In the last few years, I have found that certain lures and methods can be particularly effective when spinning for salmon in the depths of summer.
In the summer months when the water temperature is high, I have found four types of lure very effective. These lures include the Flying C, spoon, Vision X120 and the floating devon. These lures are all quite different in appearance and characteristics and they are fished in different ways. The one thing in common these lures have is that they are all very effective for catching summer salmon and grilse.
The Flying C and spoon can be very effective lures in the summer months
Flying C’s and spoons have been a long time favourite for many anglers that spin for salmon during the summer months. These lures are fished in similar ways. I prefer fishing them using an upstream method in the summer. When using the upstream method it’s best to start fishing at the bottom of the pool and making three casts in three different directions, then taking a couple of paces upstream and repeating the process, until you have covered the entire pool. The first of the three casts I make is straight ahead (towards the far bank) and retrieve the lure at a slow, steady pace. The second cast is made slightly upstream and with this cast I retrieve the lure a bit faster. The third and final cast I make is directly upstream and I retrieve the lure as quickly as possible. If you don’t retrieve quickly on the upstream cast it’s likely that the lure will sink and get snagged on the bottom. This is a very exciting style of fishing with a Flying C or spoon as you can often see a salmon follow your lure into your feet before turning away at the last minute.
The Vision X120 has a much slimmer profile compared to the standard Vision110
Another lure that can be highly productive in the height of summer is the Vision X120. The X120 is very similar to the Vision110 but there are some key, subtle differences. Firstly, the X120 lure is a slightly longer lure at 120cm instead of the standard 110cm. The X120 also has a slimmer profile than the standard Vision lure. The vein at the front of the X120 has a less acute angle. This means that it only fishes around six to eight inches below the surface of the water. This is in comparison to the Vision110, which can fish up to two or three feet below the surface. As the salmon can lie higher up in the water column in the summer months a Vision 110 lure can often be fishing too deep and below the fish. With the X120 lure, fishing higher up in the water column, the fish can often see it as a silhouette. With the warmer water conditions the salmon are more likely to come up and attack the lure (in similar fashion to a Sunray shadow fly). The X120 is fished in the standard way just like the Vision110. Normally, I cast the lure slightly downstream at around eighty degrees and then perform a slow but steady retrieve. I always believe that it is better to fish your lure slightly shallower than too deep. It’s unlikely that a salmon will go down and take a lure swimming below it in the water column. If however, the lure is moving above the fish, it may come up and take the lure close to the surface.
A ruby red floating devon
Another favourite lure of mine in the summer months is the floating version of the Devon Minnow. I enjoy fishing the floating devon as I find it a very relaxing method of spinning. The floating devon itself is very light with the body being constructed from wood alone. You therefore need to use a weight in conjunction with the floating devon. Most anglers as I do, use a setup with a bouncing betty. The bouncing betty itself is simply just a piece of plastic tubing, into which a weight can be inserted. On top of the tubing there is a swivel through which the line runs . I favour this setup because it allows me to change the size of my weights quickly and efficiently. The size of the weight is critical, as often you may need to change your weight a number of times as you move down a pool, depending on the current and depth. It is also worth bearing in mind when using a Devon Minnow that the lure itself is spinning and this can often lead to your main line kinking. To avoid this, I always use a two ball bearing swivels.
The setup I use when using a floating devon is quite simple but effective. Firstly, I thread my line through the swivel attached to the bouncing betty. To stop the betty slipping down the line towards the floating devon, I then attach the first ball bearing swivel to the end of my main line. I then go on to tie a short piece of eighteen pound nylon around four inches in length to the other end of my first swivel. To this short piece of nylon, I attach the second ball bearing swivel. From the second swivel I tie on a piece of fifteen pound nylon around six feet in length, to which the Devon Minnow is attached. This set up minimises the chance of having any kinks in your line, which can be very frustrating. There are many other setups that can be used when fishing with a floating devon, however, I have used this setup for years and I feel it works well for me. One thing to remember when using the floating devon is to be careful when selecting your weight. You don’t want the weight to be too heavy as it makes it more likely that you will get snagged on the riverbed. Conversely, if the weight you are using is too light the devon will fish very close to the surface of the water. Generally when I’m fishing with the floating devon, I cast at around eighty degrees downstream and then wait until I see and feel the rod tip vibrate. This tells me the weight is on the river bed with the devon minnow fishing just above it. I then let the current swing the weight and devon around until it comes parallel to my bank, all the time making sure the weight is contact with the bottom. I then take a couple of steps down the pool and repeat the process. The great advantage of using the floating devon is that you can often hover the lure over a known good salmon lie. This can be such a productive method in the summer months for grilse and summer salmon. I’m not sure whether the colour of the devon makes any difference, however I have caught the majority of my fish in the summer months on a small ruby red coloured devon around an inch and a half in length. This is by no means the only colour that works as I have seen many anglers catching salmon on different colours of Devon Minnow.
A cracking fish caught on a spoon
The lures and methods described above can be effective all year round but especially in the summer months when the fish are active. So next time you are having a cast with the spinning rod, in the height of summer, why not try one of these lures and see if you can catch the ultimate bar of summer silver?