One of the first lessons a salmon fly fisher should learn, particularly if he is to fish mainly with a floating line, is the technique of mending. This refers to the movement which you give the line after it is cast and has fallen on the water. Often the central current forms a belly in the line giving the fly an unnatural movement. But, by switching the line upstream, mending its belly formation shortly after it has fallen on the water, you can slow down the fly and enable it to swing around more gradually. You can also mend a sink tip line if done in the early stages before the fly sinks deep. Normally, a sinking line cannot be mended significantly. As your ability to mend sinking tip and sinking line is lessened, it is very important that you make a good straight cast that will help minimize the central currents influence on the line.

In low water with moderate current, slighter mending is the norm. The effects of the central current is not great.


Significant mending is required in high water and fast current to decrease the speed of the fly. In waters where the current is irregular and varies in speed, you should keep adjusting the lines curve with bold and slight mendings.

A fly that passes too quickly over a lie may not intice the fish to take, while a fly that passes to slowly may be recognized as a trick or may fail to trigger the fish's attack mechanism. An understanding of the degree of movement which your fly must have in relation to the current, and thus the speed and angle at which it should be fished will come only with experience.


When water levels are high and the current is strong, salmon lie and move upstream in the slacker water near shore. Anglers should make sure they let their fly drift close to the shoreline before pulling it out for another cast. If possible, fish from shore.


In normal water conditions, salmon are not near the shore but rather in pockets where they can get oxygen and at the same time use little energy. Wading may be necessary to reach salmon when casting.


When water levels are low, salmon are in the deepest section of the river, the main channel where the temperature is cooler and oxygen is the most abundant.