How To Catch Salmon In A River: Guides Explain Methods And More

I am a river guide, and I have been teaching anglers how to catch salmon in a river for over 20 years so I know what works and what doesn’t. This article covers the best baits for salmon, and the most effective methods for catching salmon in a river, as well as things you should know such as timing the runs, holding water, how to cover the water, and more.

Salmon fishing can be done using many methods, but the most effective methods for fishing salmon in a river are float fishing, fly fishing, bottom bouncing, and lure fishing. Guides often change the methods and baits in different rivers and in different conditions.

Some fishing methods will work better under certain conditions which I will discuss below.

If you want to know how to catch salmon in a river you will also need to know the best times to fish and when the big salmon runs occur, the best rivers in your area, the best setups and gear to use, the best baits or lures, and more, which I will discuss below.

Guide Tips: Be sure to keep an eye out for my guide tips for more salmon.

How To Catch Salmon In A River

One of the most popular ways to catch salmon is fishing for them once they enter the rivers to spawn which occurs in late summer and early fall. Salmon can often enter the rivers by the thousands and this can make for some easy and exciting fishing.

There are times when so many salmon will enter rivers that they are so concentrated that anglers can sometimes catch 20 or more in a day. Some of these salmon can be over 40 pounds.

There are many salmon species and all can be caught once they enter the river. The most common species include Chinook, Coho, Chum, Kokanee, Pink, and Atlantic Salmon.

The great thing about salmon fishing in rivers is that salmon can be caught with most methods and many different baits, lures, and flies.

The other cool thing about salmon fishing is that it’s not uncommon to catch large steelhead or very large migratory brown trout at the same time. All of these fish can be in the same spot at the same time and can be caught using the same methods and baits

If you are a new angler and want to know how to catch salmon in rivers, one of the first things you need to know is when do they enter the rivers and what triggers the runs.

When Do The Salmon Enter Rivers – Timing The Run

If you want to know how to catch salmon in a river effectively, then you need to be on the river at the right time. This means we should probably discuss when and why the salmon enter rivers.

In most areas, the bulk of the salmon will enter the rivers in early fall. Some salmon will also enter some rivers in late summer and you will see this a lot more on the west coast. Great lakes salmon will often enter rivers in late September and October.

Sometimes small runs of salmon will even enter the rivers as early as June or July. It really depends on the river and the salmon. You can sometimes find out which river gets early runs or later runs by researching or asking local river guides, local tackle shops, local lodges, or talking to knowledgeable anglers near you.

GUIDE TIP: You can often go to a salmon river guides website and they will tell you on the website when they guide for salmon so you know when to book your trip. Often, the time they list on their website for salmon is prime time, however, that doesn’t;t mean that some salmon won’t run weeks earlier.

I have seen this on the websites for salmon and steelhead fishing lodges.

The salmon are entering the rivers for the purpose of spawning, and all except for Atlantic salmon will die after they spawn. Depending on the salmon species, most salmon will be 3 to 4 years old when they are mature enough to spawn.

The rotting flesh of the dead salmon becomes food for their young and for the aquatic insects and plants of the river and the local ecosystem.

Oftentimes, water temperatures, rains, and even wind directions will trigger the salmon runs, especially on smaller rivers and streams. On larger rivers, the salmon can run at any time, and predicting their runs can be more difficult.

Rains Trigger Salmon Runs

As I became more experienced, I learned to predict the runs of salmon, and I learned how to do this for many of my local rivers. Leaning this was a game changer and it now means a lot more fish for my clients and me. This is something I wish I knew early on when I was learning how to catch salmon in a river.

Although the time of year, meaning fall is a trigger for salmon to spawn, on many rivers, one of the biggest triggers for the salmon to run is water flows in the river.

Big rains will increase water flows in the smaller rivers and the heavier flows will flow further out into the lake or ocean, and as schools of stagging salmon swim through these flows they will turn and head up the river.

The higher the water in the river, the further the flow will go out into the lake, and the further the current goes the more salmon will find that flow and go up the river. Big rains often mean big runs!

Salmon fishing a day or two after a big rain, or once the river clears, can be a hot time to be on the river.

The increased flows also offer the salmon a sense of security and make it easier for them to get through shallow sections of the river and over obstructions like dams and falls, and rapids. Higher flows can also make the salmon less weary and bite more.

The downside to increased water flows after huge rains are that the rivers can get muddy and the salmon can’t see your baits, and the salmon can spread out and be less concentrated which makes them harder to catch.

If the water is muddy, the day it clears to 14 to 18 inches of visibility can be fantastic fishing.

Another downside is angler safety. You may find it harder to wade the river or fish from the banks with higher flows.

Temperatures Trigger Salmon Runs

On some rivers that already have large flows even without the extra rainwater, once the river temperatures hit the desired temperature of the salmon, the salmon can run up the rivers based on just the temperature alone.

On many rivers that I fish, the temperature that starts the salmon runs in the fall is between 55 and 60 Fahrenheit or 12.7c to 15.5 Celsius and this is when the salmon fishing starts to get good.

Wind Can Trigger Salmon Runs

Another factor that can trigger salmon runs is the wind. This is something that many anglers don’t know about but should be a part of learning how to catch salmon in rivers.

Even without rain or without relying on water temperatures, winds can trigger the salmon to run.

There are times when strong winds blowing into shore can push staging salmon closer to the river mouth where they will swim through the current from the river that is flowing out into the lake or ocean. When they find that current it can trigger or signal them to run up the river.

Anglers that know this can capitalize on these hard-to-predict runs and they can experience some great salmon fishing.

The wind is more of a factor when the salmon are already staging closer to the shoreline and near the river mouths, or when they are roaming and looking for their preferred river.

I say preferred river because it’s common for most salmon to want to find and return to the same river they were born in.

River Locations

When I say fishing river locations, I’m not talking about where the rivers are, or where the access spots are.

River guides and local fishing experts will change river locations based on current conditions, the weather, and the stages of the run. This means they will change rivers, or change where in the river they will fish.

These experts know how to time the runs of salmon and the river conditions to maximize their success and time on the water. Doing so can be the difference between catching no salmon, or catching lots of salmon.

Not knowing how to do this well is the reason why I hear new salmon anglers tell me they caught no fish when I, other guides, and my buddies are catching over 20 a day. We just know where the fish are based on current conditions, or past rains and past runs.

What guides and my buddies do is they time the runs based on the weather and river conditions. This means they only hit certain rivers at select times when the most fish are there or when the conditions are favorable.

What I mean is that if it just poured rain, a small river could get a big run of salmon. But if it hasn’t rained for a week and that river is low, the chances are that salmon fishing will be bad since no salmon will have entered the river recently.

It also could mean that if the small rivers are low and clear with no recent salmon runs, the bigger rivers will be the best bet since they don’t always require rain for fresh runs of salmon to come in.

However, if it rained hard and the bigger rivers are flooded or dirty, the small rivers will clear faster and the salmon will be there and be easier to catch.

I and other guides will also fish different sections of the river on different days, based on my knowledge of where the fish are, or aren’t.

I call this following the runs. Let me explain.

After big rains, most of the salmon will be closer to the mouth of the river or in the lower 5 to 10 miles of the river, and this is the place to be fishing. These fresh salmon are the hardest fighting fish and are usually concentrated as they all come up at once.

Four or five days later, especially if no further rains occur, there will be fewer salmon in the lower river as they have all moved further up the rivers and spread out. This means it’s better to fish up the river.

On some rivers, the salmon might be able to move only 5 miles a day, this happens on the smaller rivers that are shallower or have lots of obstructions. On larger rivers, salmon might swim 20 miles a day. This means 3 days into a run on a river where they move 20 miles a day I will likely be fishing or guiding my clients 50 to 60 miles up the river. I’m following the runs, and this has led to great success.

Anglers that don’t do this might be fishing their favorite spot near the mouth and catching nothing while me or my clients are catching 20+ fifty miles up the river.

I may also change location based on conditions such as water clarity.

If it hasn’t rained for a week or more the rivers can become very low and very clear and this slows salmon migrations and they will often hold in deeper pools.

Clear rivers can be difficult to fish since salmon can detect anglers walking around the waterway. A Salmon’s eyesight is incredible during these periods, as is their ability to pick up vibrations from stumbling and heavy-footed anglers. This can make fishing difficult so I may choose to go to another river.

If I do stay and fish during these low water conditions, it’s always best to fish for salmon in the biggest and deepest pools or in sections with some kind of cover like log jams, or boulders where they will concentrate and wait for higher water before they start moving again.

You may also find that during these super low water conditions and when no rains have occurred for a long time, there can be a lot of salmon that haven’t run yet and they will be staging at the river mouths. If that is the case, fishing the mouth can be the hot spot.

These staging salmon are the next runs of salmon to come with the next rains, and while guys are up the river looking for salmon that are spread out, other guys are smashing them at the mouth of the river.

This knowledge comes with lots of time on the water catching thousands of salmon and seeing where they hold. I will share this info with you.

How To Catch Salmon In A River If It’s High Or Dirty

You already know that the big rains often bring in lots of salmon into the river and this is a great thing. However, during heavy rains, the rivers and streams can become dirty, turbulent, and even dangerous.

When the tributaries are high, anglers find it difficult to fish, especially in the lower sections of the river, where the rivers are often dirtiest or highest, thanks to all the runoff from little tributaries and fields up the river. Dirty water simply means the salmon can’t locate your bait.

The creek’s bottoms can also become dangerous with slippery rocks and shale or deep ledges that you can’t see.

During this high dirty water time, anglers have the option to fish smaller rivers that clear faster or may not have become as high and muddy. Or, anglers can go further up into the headwaters, where the rivers tend to stay clearer. I will do both, depending on the best option.

I will also sometimes target the smaller clearer tributaries of the bigger rivers and fish up these tributaries or at the mouth of them.

During high waters, it is difficult to see where you are stepping in fast-moving and murky water. Therefore, anglers should fish near the edges of the rivers.

Guide Tip: When the water is high and muddy I look for travel routes and concentration spots. I also fish closer to shore since the calmest and slowest is water is near the bank and salmon will often move out of the very fast water and swim up the edges of the river.

Concentration spots might be small pockets or areas that funnel the salmon. You can see in the picture below the slower water on the right side. That slow water just below the rapids is a concentration spot and the salmon will hold there before they shoot up through the fast rapids.

How To Catch Salmon In Rivers With Float Fishing

If you want to know how to catch salmon in rivers, you should know that one of the most effective methods for salmon fishing is to float fish.

Float fishing for salmon simply means you are presenting a bait below a bobber which is more commonly called a float by river anglers. You drift your float and your bait down the river to the fish in the most natural way possible.

The float suspends your bait just off the bottom and keeps it in the strike zone longer.

Float fishing can be very effective in any water that is over 3 feet deep and under 15 feet deep. However, the use of slip float can allow anglers to fish deeper if needed.

Float fishing can be done using spinning reels and long rods, Centerpin reels and rods, or even with baitcasting reels. Depending on what part of the country you are fishing different methods might be more popular.

Many anglers like to use spinning reels for float fishing. I discuss the best methods for float fishing on my page Float Fishing For Salmon – A River Guides Advice

Float fishing requires the use of baits and the most common bait is the spawn sac or roe bag. I use a lot of baits and will rotate baits to find the best one based on the conditions or what the fish want, so it’s smart to have a few options in your vest or pack.

I also found that some baits work better at certain times of the year. I discuss the top baits on my page Best Salmon Baits, however, I have recently updated that page and it now has 7 of my best baits and link to more great baits.

How To Catch Salmon In Rivers When Spin Fishing

Anglers that want to know how to catch salmon will often think of spinning rods and reels.

Spinning rods are popular everywhere that guys fish for salmon. With a spinning reel you can float fish, bottom bounce, cast lures, and even still fish. Spinning reels are also used when trolling from a riverboat.

However, if you want to float fish, I highly recommend learning how to use a Centerpin reel since it’s better than a spinning reel.

Spinning Reels For Salmon

When spin fishing for salmon you want to get a reel that has a good smooth drag system that can handle fast pulling fish like salmon. Good bearings are also important and so is a spool that can hold a lot of line.

If you are new to salmon fishing in rivers and need to get a reel, check out my page on the best spinning reels for float fishing and for lure fishing, or just general steelhead fishing.

Generally, you want a reel in the 3500 to 4500 size. These reels will have a stronger drag system and will hold more line.

Best Spinning Rods for Salmon Fishing In Rivers

My favorite salmon spinning rods are medium to medium heavy rods from 8 to 10 feet which are great for casting lures or using still fishing methods like plunking. I prefer medium salmon rods from 11 to 14 feet for float fishing and drift fishing methods. A good rod for both casting lures and float fishing would be between 9 and 11 feet.

Lines For Salmon Fishing In Rivers

I use 10 to 16-pound test and only use the proven and tested salmon lines for salmon steelhead fishing in rivers. The line size and type I use will depend on the method I am using.

Good line options for salmon are monofilament, fluorocarbon line, or braided line but each has its pros and cons depending on the method I use.

In some situations, like when I’m float fishing or drift fishing for salmon I prefer colored lines, but when casting lures, clear lines are best.

How To Catch Salmon In Rivers With Centerpin

I have been Centerpin fishing for over 30 years and I have been guiding and teaching anglers how to Centerpin fish for salmon and steelhead for about 20 years. I can honestly say that in most rivers Centerpin fishing is by far the best method for catching salmon in rivers of all sizes.

Centerpin fishing is simply using a large round reel that looks like a fly reel, but it holds mono or braided line and it has no drag. The Centerpin reel free spools and it’s designed to drift a float with a bait down the river. The free spool of the reel and the smoothness of the reel allows for the best possible presentation of the bait.

The Centerpin reel is combined with long rods which help with presentation and help to fight and land big fish.

This method is deadly on salmon, steelhead, and even trout in rivers if it is done right.

I discuss the setup, the leaders, the baits and how to present the bait, and more on my page Centerpin Fishing For Beginners: 20 Steps From A Top Guide. Basically, everything you need to know to be a great Centerpin angler can be found on that page.

If you are a river angler that wants to catch more salmon, then I highly recommend you learn about this method.

How To Catch Salmon In Rivers With Fly Fishing

Fly fishing for salmon is my preferred method for fishing for salmon because I find it more challenging than some of the other methods and because it’s fun. If done right, fly fishing for salmon can be very effective and in some river situations, it can be more effective than bait fishing and float fishing.

Fly fishing for salmon can be done using 4 different methods of fly fishing which include Nymph Fishing, Streamer fishing, Spey fishing, and even Euro Nymphing. Fly fishing for salmon is often most effective in river sections from 2 to 8 feet deep.

I discuss each of these fly fishing methods and how to do them as well as the best setup, leaders, flies, and more on my page Fly Fishing For Salmon.

If fly fishing is something you think you might be interested in, you won’t find another resource that will provide you with as much information, tips, and proven tactics on fly fishing for salmon as you will find in my series on fly fishing for salmon, starting with that page.

Bottom Bouncing For Salmon In Rivers

Bottom bouncing is an old-school method that anglers used to use when salmon and steelhead fishing and some anglers still use it today. It has been overshadowed by the float fishing anglers that seem to catch more fish.

However, bottom bouncing can be the most effective method in smaller shallower rivers and creeks and in pocket water. It can also be very effective for trout and for steelhead.

I have outfished the float fishing guys 5 to 1 on some rivers when the salmon are on the move and are spread out in the pools, riffles, runs, and pockets using bottom bouncing.

I have also made the old style of bottom bouncing much more effective than it ever has before using what I call advanced bottom bouncing.

Drift Fishing For Salmon

Drift fishing for salmon is similar to bottom bouncing, in fact some would say they are the same thing.

Drift fishing is often used by anglers on larger faster rivers and on deeper rivers. The idea is to use a drift fishing setup, cast into the main current, let the weight and bait sink to the bottom, and follow the line down the river with your rod tip. You wait for the line to stop or pull which indicates a bite.

The good thing with drift fishing is you can fish water 30 feet deep or less. The hard thing about drift fishing for many anglers is detecting a strike when your bait is deep or far from you.

Drift fishing requires a lot of current and just enough weight to get your bait down while not too much that you are constantly stuck on the bottom.

How To Catch Salmon In Rivers With Lures

Lure fishing is a favorite and effective way of fishing for salmon. Casting lures from shore or a boat can be exciting, and it can provide anglers the opportunity to have hard hits and multiple salmon hookups.

Lure fishing can be done effectively from the river banks, the shoreline of the lake or ocean, and from the pier of the river mouths.

Good lures for salmon can include plugs, spinners, spoons, jigs, and more.

On my page Lure Fishing For Salmon, I discuss the best lures, sizes, colors, as well as tips on how to catch more salmon using lure fishing methods that the guides use.

Salmon Leaders For All Methods

Guide Tip: Catch More Salmon

Salmon fishing along many rivers can mean crowds, and many anglers fishing in the same area can make the salmon go lockjaw and stop eating. Guys often ask me for advice on how to catch more salmon. There are many ways to do this.

A tip that I give to my buddies and clients is to get away from the crowds by using riverboats. I use 1-man, 2-man, and 3-man pontoon-style boats that weigh between 30 pounds to about 130 pounds.

These boats enable me to get far away from the crowd or get me into sections of the river that flow through private property where nobody else can fish. If I had to guess, using boats to access secluded water has accounted for thousands more salmon, steelhead, and trout for my clients.

You can do this easily and cheaply, and I will tell you how.

Some years I will spend 100 days on the water during the fall months, and I will sometimes only see about 10 anglers in the sections where we fish.

Using a riverboat like an inflatable pontoon boat has been the reason why many of my clients have experienced 10 to 50 salmon a day when other anglers in the public sections are only catching a few or none.

To see how I do this and all the ways to do it easily with 1 or 2 anglers, and to see the best boats for this, check out my page on River Boats For More Fish.

How To Catch Salmon In Rivers When Boat Fishing

Salmon fishing by motorboat is another method that anglers use on bigger rivers and lakes and oceans. I will cover motorboat fishing methods that are used out in the lakes and oceans and on the bigger rivers at a later date and in a separate article.

How To Catch Salmon In Rivers When Shore Fishing And Pier Fishing

Pier fishing is popular with anglers because this is where you have the opportunity to catch large salmon staging at the mouths or just entering the rivers and these salmon are full of energy and are at their strongest.

Salmon that have not been fighting the current for miles will often fight harder and longer because they have more energy which is why many anglers will gravitate to the lower sections of rivers and to the piers.

Anglers will often cast lures or baits from the shores along the Ocean or great lakes near the river mouths. This can be a very effective method.

I will cover pier and shore fishing methods in another article so check back soon.

Salmon Fishing: Commonly Asked Questions

There you have it, methods and tips on how to catch salmon in rivers. If you have a question or comment, or a tip for the readers or myself, or anything about salmon fishing, just add it in the comment section below.

Tight Lines

Graham