Capturing salmon

Tis the season for salmon to leap and I would like to get some shots with my new k20d. I think I have found a place a few miles away where I could see this specatacle from the river bank as they go up a short waterfall. What suggestions do you have for lens, camera settings etc....

Thanks

Dave

We'd need to know which lenses you have and how close to the leap can you get.

Hello peter

I have the 50 - 135 and a bigma 50-500

I think that I can get onto the bankside and be upto 20 feet or more away.

Dave

Are you talking about Stainforth Dave? I heard about that place a while back but then it passed out of memory (senile moment)
Depends how near you can get to the bank of the river, or as Tim says the leap, 20 feet might not seem a long way but salmon are quite small compared to a river, I would take the bigma anyway just in case.

When are you thinking of going? do I feel a Yorkshire meet coming on or are you fitting this in with work or a family outing?

Who's Tim? (another senior moment :lol

Depending on the time of day you go, the Bigma will be long enough but may not be fast enough.

I'd go with the 50-135mm personally and get as close as you can without falling in.

A shutter speed of 1/320 or faster will freeze the action and you may have to use ISO 400/800 to get a decent aperture.

The short answer is try both lenses.

Time, patience and luck ...

You may want to put the camera into sequential JPG mode so that as the salmon leaps you get a whole series of images - some may be OK but a lot not worth it.

Or if you are confident, use a 5 shot bracket with 1/3 stops and get a series.

I have seen hundreds of salmon jumping in te rivers but only ever managed to capture a couple and those were with luck - looking at the right place at the right time.

I prefer to capture the image once they are on the bank!

You might want to try with a fishing rod!

O.K., joke aside, good luck.

This sounds really interesting, a change from bird photographing.
Dave you are pretty far from London or else I would join you .
Pretty keen on trying my hand at it.

I wonder where are other places that would be more accessible to me from here (near SRS ) that I could see these beautiful leaps. If anyone knows please drop us some tips

Thanks to all for your quick responses

Alan

Yes it is Stainforth and I am gong on Monday if you fancy a trip out. There are one two other intersting places for photos including the Hoffman limekiln.

Peter That was my worry that the bigma is unfortuatley slow.

Polchraine A useful set of suggestions, now I have to read the manual

Pentaxian Unfortunately the fishing round here is privately owned. Otherwise....

Amin it would have been great to have you along I am sure you would enjoy the calm of the Yorkshire Dales and the friendly people.

Any more suggestions gratefully received.

Dave

Dave,

Wait until you see one this size jumping ...

[IMG]http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y31/Polchraine/Salar/Hidden%20Salar/large_cock_salmon_oval_lo.jpg[/IMG]

About 24 lb

Nice kipper

John

Dave, I think you have missed the boat this year have a look at the rod caught fish table 8..Link

John

Sorry Peter, I've called you Tim before, maybe its the avatar that throws me.....Rin Tim Tim ok I know its Tin but thats my excuse anyway

I think I could manage Monday, unfortunately its forcast for heavy rain so I'll PM you later if it looks like fairing up.

Not necessarily - Salmon will come into the river from March onwards and fishing ends at some time between 30 Sept and mid November depending on the river. The fish will often sit in the river waiting until it gets close to spawning time which is after the season closes.

The bulk of spawning tends to be December and January and the fish will finish their journeys to be in the redds during late November or early December so he has a chance of seeing them.