Fly Fishing for Pinks

[sealegs]

This would be my first year FFing for Pinks and, from my understanding, pink flies are the ticket. I wanted to see if the group had any recommendations in terms of using a 6wt for Pinks? Too light? Too heavy?
also, what specific pink flies or other flies would you recommend?

thanks,
John

[TyeeMatt]

I used a 7wt last time they were in, catching most of my pinks in the Sky, and I'm glad I did. When I hooked them in faster water the heavier rod helped quite a bit. I also inevitably foul hooked a few and it would have sucked trying to bring them in sideways with a lighter rod. If you fish slower water or on the beach I think a 6wt would be more than enough. For flys, anything pink works. Wet and sinking is the ticket.

[zen leecher]

I've used my 5 wt at Hoodsport in the salt. In another post a guy talks about a 7wt for running water where the fish can use the current against you.

At Hoodsport I used a floating line and a pink marabou fly.

[drysuperfly52]

i am right with you, this will be my first year targeting pinks on the fly rod. i have a 7 wieght and some pink stuff and i was going to go from there. I don't know what rivers you fish but when its time hit me up.

[natetreat]

I like to use a two handed 7 wt spey. Use an intermediate sink tip and a pink streamer of some sort. I tie up mine with marabou and chenille you want body to it. Let it slow sink, then strip it in with short quick twitches. Sometimes I like to waggle the rod tip to get a super crazy action, let it sink, then they slam it. With a two hander you can get a bead head and tip out further easier. It's a ton of fun. If you're shore casting in the sound, invest in a stripping basket, because the salad is a PIA to work around, especially when the tide starts to change.

[AJFishdude]

Great thread. I am interested in going after the pinks this year on the fly as well. What sort of river water would you recommend for fishing them? I have predominantly jigged or drifted for pinks in the rivers in the past, and the water I am therefore used to would probably be a little too fast or much too deep for fly fishing. I was kind of thinking of targeting walking speed or slower pool tailouts/riffles that aren't much deeper than maybe 5'. Does that sound about right?

[Bodofish]

Pink clouser or shrimp pattern, darn near anything as long as it's pink and def a 7/8 wt in moving water with a decent drag. You will also want a very heavy sink tip line or add on. You need to get it down, down, down, Pinks swim on the bottom. Even think about tying your own with lots of lead or use 1/8 oz jigs with pink skirts. Oh come on we're talking pinks here!!!! I've tried to hit them in the salt but any of the points where one might hit one are covered with idiots swing gear and it's just not worth smelling them or getting hit with a buzz bomb or worse.

[fishkisser101]

Managed to hook one casting the other night off Stuart, but usually have to flip my line out and motor cross current ahead of a pod of risers, then shut down and strip in order to get bites. Can't hardly cast a pink lead-eye bunny w/full sink line on a 5-wt…as with casting gear, they don't tend to fight much in the salt until they get a glimpse of my pretty boat or ugly mug, and then go apeshit. Fun, but not "Ima 8# native steelie gonna dislocate your shoulder" sorta fun...

[jonb]

ive been catching pinks all week in moving water with a 3wt. but a 6-8wt would be more appropreate. if you do use a 3-5 wt MAKE SURE YOU REMOVE THE BARB, if you snag a fish it will ne a big pain in the you know what... so it is mandatory.
pink clouser, pink scud or pink wooley bugger with a red bead head had been the ticket. the 3wt-5wt can handle them just fine so long as they are hooked in the mouth, and you know how to play a fish

[MRG]

Excellent thread. I'm sitting here reading your posts & getting excited. (Great general info too)

Then I remember I have to work tomorrow. I swear I wanna cry.

May the Fish Gods be with you all.

-MRG

[jonb]

im going tomorrow :p

[MRG]

im going tomorrow :p

Hahaha.. rub it in a little more why don't you?

Bonne Chance.

-MRG

[jonb]

couldnt get one on the fly today but limited on a twitched jig that i tied. lots of fish in right now.

[mandmg]

This is the first time for me to post here so please be patient. I'm excited about a pink year 2017 arriving. I moved to the West side fairly recently and fly fished for pinks in 2015 from shore in salt water and rivers. I caught around 25 or so using a pink marabou fly with a silver tinsel body and barbell eyes. I use a number 8 weight fly rod with a floating rio outbound fly line. A #8 rod is probably a bit on the heavy side but I caught a couple coho's and I was happy to have it then. I'm very new to salt water fly fishing and would appreciate any input you can give me. Thanks.

[Bodofish]

This is the first time for me to post here so please be patient. I'm excited about a pink year 2017 arriving. I moved to the West side fairly recently and fly fished for pinks in 2015 from shore in salt water and rivers. I caught around 25 or so using a pink marabou fly with a silver tinsel body and barbell eyes. I use a number 8 weight fly rod with a floating rio outbound fly line. A #8 rod is probably a bit on the heavy side but I caught a couple coho's and I was happy to have it then. I'm very new to salt water fly fishing and would appreciate any input you can give me. Thanks.

Sounds like you have it pretty well dialed in. I fish for them with a 7/8 weight and it seem about right to me. I also use a heavy sink tip on the line to get down. Once in the river, they swim on the bottom and shoot up to make their leaps. You could go lighter but pound for pound they fight with the best. If you hook into a larger buck you'll be very happy you have a heavier rod. You can tie up about anything as long as it's pink and has some flash helps. The fly shops steered me towards some little tiny pink shrimp things for the salt but they never did anything for me.

[riverhunter]

I like to use pink and purple. While everyone is throwing just pink giving something new to look at like purple can really trigger a lot of bites

[mandmg]

Thank you Bodofish for the suggestions - the sink tip idea I know I'll try. I know that I will need to tie up some pink and purple flies that riverhunter posted also. Much appreciated.