| Tide rips are one of the most common areas to | | | | previously, and I must add even more caution to |
| fly fish for salmon at Neah Bay. I'm addicted to | | | | those attempting this type of fishing for the first |
| fly fishing tide rips for coho salmon in the | | | | or even the one hundredth time. Many times, the |
| saltwater. The stronger the current and the | | | | top end of the tide rip will contain breaking waves, |
| rougher the water, the more I love it. | | | | much like rapids in a river. In the beginning start |
| Tide rips are a general term used by many | | | | fishing rips that are not as strong. Look for days |
| people but not always meaning the same thing. | | | | with less tidal movement to get used to the way |
| Many people define tide rips as where two | | | | your boat drifts and how to cast flies while being |
| opposing currents meet. Others define rips as any | | | | tossed around before casting flies in stronger tide |
| ripple caused by current on a glassy sea. Both are | | | | rips. A sound boat is necessary. You need a boat |
| correct, but I think of tide rips as where huge | | | | that's a minimum of 18' long to deal with the |
| amounts of water are moving causing the ocean | | | | strongest rips. Make sure you have all the safety |
| to resemble a river. This can be caused by | | | | equipment required and more. Life jackets, VHF |
| current crossing a shallow bar or reef (the | | | | radio, and a GPS are absolutely required. Make |
| northern tip of Waadah Island is an example of | | | | sure your engine is tuned up and operating |
| this) or where a large volume of water is | | | | properly. This is no place to have a breakdown. |
| constricted and/or crosses a shallow (or not so | | | | Okay, you are now in the rip holding the cork of |
| shallow) reef. A prime example of the latter is | | | | a fly rod with a baitfish fly pattern in your other |
| where the Strait of Juan de Fuca meets the | | | | hand. What now? It depends a bit on how your |
| Pacific Ocean north of Cape Flattery. The water in | | | | boat drifts through the current. My boat drifts |
| these areas can go from glass calm to rough in a | | | | straight with the current, but others drift |
| very short time. | | | | sideways. For me, I cast straight across to |
| The rough water is where I spend most of my | | | | up-current a bit. Usually the boat is drifting slower |
| time fly fishing the rips. The movement of water | | | | than the current underneath, so casting a fly up |
| is also moving large amounts of feed (mostly | | | | current will give the fly more time to sink and still |
| baitfish like herring and anchovies) into the tide | | | | allow you to strip the fly back to the boat across |
| rips. The fast, turbulent water disorients the bait, | | | | the current. I usually strip the fly back at varying |
| making them easy prey for aggressively feeding | | | | speeds. Often, I'll start the retrieve very fast and |
| coho salmon. The salmon use the current as a | | | | then slow it down as the fly gets closer to the |
| massive marine conveyer belt that brings them | | | | boat. I think the initial fast burst gets the coho |
| an easy supply of food. The chop on the water | | | | salmon's attention and the slower strips with |
| also seems to make the salmon less spooky and | | | | pauses is what triggers the coho salmon to strike |
| they will hold in the upper part of the water | | | | the fly. |
| column, which puts them well within the fly | | | | The tide rips can also be a great place to try |
| fisherman's reach. All of these factors combined | | | | casting poppers for saltwater salmon. Bringing |
| make fly fishing tide rips one of the best | | | | salmon to the surface is a thrill. |
| experiences in northwest saltwater fly fishing. | | | | Of course, an article can only get you so far. |
| We've found the conditions that concentrate | | | | Time on the water is the key to being confident |
| salmon within reach of our flies. Now we have to | | | | fly fishing the saltwater for salmon in Washington |
| enter the prime water. This is where things | | | | State. I hope you will give the Olympic Peninsula a |
| become interesting. I mentioned the rough water | | | | shot for your saltwater fly fishing adventures. |