Worm Fishing For Salmon
Where the rules allow fishing, the worm and the lure are effective, efficient methods for salmon. You don’t have to be a one trick pony and there are many salmon rivers throughout Scotland that are quite unfriendly for fishing. Rivers with sluggish slow currents that won’t give life to a fly, big flowing water that makes your pattern ineffective and small rivers with overhanging trees where casting is next to impossible. These areas may have good salmon runs, but they require a different approach and skill to fish them well.
Worming is a versatile method particularly suitable for flooded, colored rivers, you can use different types of worms but the lobworm is probably the best choice from tackle shops. If you can put your back on it you can dig up some precious bristly Blackheads. Make sure you strengthen them by placing them in some moss overnight and they are a very good hookbait that Salmon cannot resist.
RIGGING: Fish a few worms on the hook but don’t obscure the hook point, use a bouncy betty, snake lead or some split shot tied on a weak link to a swivel with a 24in hooklink on the bottom. This means that if the weight gets hooked you shouldn’t lose the fish because the weight will be lost in the snag and the fish will stay attached to your line.
Worming setup |
Rig Setup List Click Here to view all.
The beauty of a
Betty jumped is that it travels over boulders and rocks – really tip-toe its way
underneathalmost like a rubber ball does. This is a great way to avoid snagging and creates a very steady rhythmic drift down stream.
Be careful in choosing your weight size to suit the river conditions you may need to lighten the rig by replacing the betty with some split shot or even free lining on the worm. We recommend a the action is softer rod so you can flick light baits a decent distance, combined with a sensitive tip for detecting bites and enough power in the butt to tackle big fish well.
Really any 9/10/11 foot spinning rod with a casting weight under 35g will do, there are also many avon/specimen rods and Scandinavian Seatrout specials.
It is very important to keep the bait moving when worming and to explore as much water as possible. Read the water and fish all possible lies. Avoid anchoring your bait in place – always keep it moving in the current and think about where a Salmon might be holding before the next part of their journey.
- Behind the boulders
- Groynes, eddies and channels in the stream
- Near the bank where the fish can rest
- Pay attention to the necks of pools and deep runs where the current is fast and well-oxygenated
Lasting when worming is usually a series of short sharp taps. If you hold the line through the reel with a finger, you can feel what is happening at the end of the rod. Retrieving can be timid, don’t wait too long though – to save deep hooking – and set the hook with a firm strike.