I targeted salmon today, in hopes to catch a pink or silver.  My experience has shown when they’re jumping and splashing, they’re a bit tougher to catch. 
 

Nothing worked. Not jigs, spoons or even the spinners were legal that I had on hand failed.

 

Unfortunately, the spinners that I thought would be best had trebles, which are not legal in this river and a combination of my minimalist approach and just not being as prepared as I’d normally be bit me in the rear. 
 

Just trade the trebles for single hooks, right? Of course! But, oh no. I forgot my split ring pliers. Alert! We had an ID 10 T on the Green River!

 

I also blew my one chance because I let frustration get the better of me. On one my last casts, as my spinner neared the end of its run through the current and into a pool, I started reeling it in a bit faster than normal since the sun was nearly done. In my frustration of realizing another fruitless outing that was going to end in a skunk, I decided to yank my spinner which was nearly at the surface out of the water like an immature kid would. Well, as are usually the result of childish outbursts, negative consequences. My yank helped a salmon miss its strike. $&;$/@:”!!! You got to be kidding me. Really? Had I just waited another second…

 

The Good Lord truly has a sense of humor. 

 

Oh well. The highlight of this outing was that a lone, dying salmon decided to keep me company and hovered in place against the current for a while. I think it said, “Sorry Charlie, better luck next time.”

 

I was standing on a rock next to the fallen tree. The water was clear enough to see this salmon without polarized glasses. It is most likely a pink salmon. It’s hanging in the shadows right before the shadow met the light. I like this shot.  

A close up. It hovered in place like a helicopter for a few minutes before taking off. 
 

I made these tonight. Equipped with a swivel to minimize line twist and a split ring for the hook. It is my belief that the split ring could help to lessen any leverage a fish might have to throw a barbless hook. I will attach the awesome siwash hook to all of them.

 

French style blades provide excellent vibration but one downside is in faster current, they generate a lot of lift and they can leave the target ? zone. Hence, the willow bladed spinner. I think it’s narrower profile might help it to stay deeper if need be. These are experimental spinners. I never made them with Corkies (those egg shaped balls on the two spinners on the right). Let’s find out if they’ll work!

 

 

The split ring will help with a fish throwing the hook somewhat but it'll also make it easier for the hook to catch your line when casting. Those spinners do look fishy. I bet there's some winter runs that would love them later this year.