Rotating a Salmon Pool

I was having a chat the other day with a new fly fisher. During the course of the conversation I mentioned a salmon river I fished where pools were not rotated as was the custom because there were so many fish that the need for conventional etiquette was just not a factor.

He had no idea what I was talking about.

For the benefit of those of you new to the game of salmon fishing here is an explanation of how and why we rotate the pool.

Covering a Salmon Pool

First let’s review how to cover a salmon pool. Assume we are fishing conventional wet flies.

Salmon will lie throughout a pool at different locations and depths, if you know where they are: fish through the area as usual. If you do not know where the fish might be: start at the top of the pool with a short cast, across and down. Lengthen by a foot or two and make the same cast. This is repeated until you have cast as long a line as you are comfortable with.

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Then, take a couple of steps down stream and start again with a short line working it out a few feet at a time. In this way you can progress through the length of the pool with reasonable confidence that you have shown your fly to any fish in range.

When fishing alone you can take your time and as my Father would say,” paint the pool” with your fly. But, when a pool is being fished by others too, you should “rotate the pool” so that everyone has an equal chance to fish.

Sharing a salmon pool
When sharing a new pool it is wise to observe the other fellows for a few minutes. What you want to know is, where does the pool start and where does it end? Take note of where the anglers enter the stream, where they make their first cast and how far down stream they fish before leaving the river and walking back to try again.

On most rivers with popular and well known pools there are usually a few fellows idling around, waiting their turn and shooting the breeze.
It is normally a collegial bunch with lots of information on how good the fishing was last week, when you were not there.

Don’t be afraid to ask a few questions about customs on the river and at this particular pool. It is better to listen to the chat and figure out, from the clues dropped in conversation or by observation, what tactics and flies are catching fish. Information earned by ten thousand casts is rarely tossed out to a stranger, no matter how annoying or prying their questions may be.

When your turn comes, walk to the bottom of the pool without disturbing other anglers. Enter the river at the appropriate spot with as little disruption as possible and start your cast. You should have watched long enough to see how quickly the average fellow is fishing. That is, whether they are painting the pool or just fishing to a seam or current.

The Rule

Either way the conventional rule is to enter the pool at its upstream limit, take one or two casts then a step down stream. You progress through the pool with this step, cast, step, cast pattern until you reach the end then walk back to await another pass.

It sounds a bit regimented but it is loads of fun. You are covering the pool, meeting other folks with your same interests, hearing some outrageous lies, lots of jokes and usually some very good tips and observations about salmon fishing, the weather and life in general.

I like to work the water above or below a pool a little farther than the usual exit point. It is often productive and one can take their time.

Keep in Mind

Some things to keep in mind when fishing a rotation:
Always respect the other anglers.
If someone has raised a fish be patient while he works over it.
If someone has hooked a fish, reel in so that there is no chance of your lines becoming entangled.
Always offer to assist another angler in the landing of his fish or snapping a photo before the release.
Be generous with flies and advice to new comers but only if asked. Most of all - be courteous.