Salmon River guided fishing trips fill up quickly! The hoochie rig can be combined with one of the other trolling rigs for salmon, and is most often used at the end of a salmon flasher rig. With that being said, however, the best rig to use for salmon fishing depends on where youre fishing, and what kind of salmon youre targeting. If you're fishing from the bottom up, put your weight about 24" above the hook. The slip bobber is the go-to rig for most salmon fishing in rivers, and can be adjusted in size and weight to suit the strength of the current. How to use it: Cast your rig a short distance from the boat, and then use the line counter on your reel to release the line until you reach the depth at which youre marking salmon on your sonar. How to use it: Cast out your rig across the river, or slightly upstream from where youre standing. For coho, you may not even need weight for your lures and can sometimes find fish quite close to the surface. Many anglers now use an in-line rotating flasher along with their herring (Photo 14). Spinner rig. When fishing for spring chinook, try to stay near the bottom, bouncing your weight often. The most popular way to go after salmon in lakes is trolling. The dropper line should be about 20-30 lb test weaker than your main line, so you can break it off if the weight gets snagged. The vast waters of the Great Lakes, especially Lake Ontario and Lake Michigan, see Coho and Chinook varieties, with the tributaries being especially suitable for fly fishing. While trolling rigs are designed for salmon fishing from a moving boat, you can also catch salmon from a boat thats drifting, or at anchor, but this type of salmon fishing requires a different setup called mooching rig. For streamer fishing, you need to remember a few things. And its this behavior that is used to catch them. I pull the line tight and quickly release it, creating a slingshot underwater that usually frees a stuck hook from the rocks on the bottom of the river. beneath the float. Please share this video with your friends, and dont forget to subscribe with the bell. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,600],'sportfishingbuddy_com-small-square-2','ezslot_40',601,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportfishingbuddy_com-small-square-2-0');You can use this rig either in combination with a trolling setup, such as the flasher rig, or you can use it for salmon mooching, which we will cover in more detail below. How else are you expected to catch them? Theyre more beginner-friendly than almost any other species. It really would take a book to nail down the many, many Salmon fly fishing locations in the US and Canada. We love hearing from you! Once you find the birds, the salmon are sure to follow. Epic Salmon Fishing - https://youtu.be/Gt41DdjzNfcCRAZY Steelhead Fishing - https://youtu.be/pzwp114jB88How To Trout Fish - https://youtu.be/leOMBDDjG_4Steelhead MOVIE - https://youtu.be/_TqL3u3nCV8How To Fish Trout Magnets - https://youtu.be/F3hNRc5YzX4Mav Collab - https://youtu.be/bAaFIR1L8AwAce Videos Collab - https://youtu.be/8ETHwMgrU4gSB Fishing Collab - https://youtu.be/1AecYrqM9DoNW Fishing Secrets Collab - https://youtu.be/AKlRpkcsltgRooster Vs Panther - https://youtu.be/1AecYrqM9DoAddicted AK #1 - https://youtu.be/at8__-f3GGALonny Hook Removal - https://youtu.be/zK1_ZVnk9GsHow To Fillet Trout - https://youtu.be/Y4fmA4Y9plY Product Partners We Support \u0026 USE! When you consider average catch statistics are 20 to 30 hours per fish landed, expect to put your time in, both fair and foul. Large flies, like streamers and heavy tube flies, require much shorter leaders. Strong currents need a slow retrieve. Your mainline should be 40-60 pound monofilament or spectra. Kenai River fishing is so intense that youll grow as an angler [], Salmon Fishing on Lake Superior is quite a journey. Wildlife agencies have spread these popular fish far beyond their ancestral homes to keep and cold lakes in mountainous or northerly states. Over time, an angler develops a feel for the difference and learns when to set the hook and when to gently coax the gear off of the rocks. Flashers are helpful as they draw more attention to your presentation. http://bit.ly/addicted-tackle10% OFF Addicted Site | Use CODE: 10ADX Discounts for Addicted FANS! There are countless variations of this rig, and most salmon anglers have their own version of it. These are a personal favorite, because I can carry a box of spinners and another with spoons in a fanny pack without lugging a bunch of bait and tackle. Experiment while on the water until you find the right approach. For my float fishing leader setup, you will need a float, a leader line, swivels, weights, a hook, and bait. Eastern Canada, especially Newfoundland and Labrador, has rivers that hold the rarer Atlantic Salmon. Set your float up as detailed in this article, placing the weight on the mainline between the float and the swivel. Fly fishing for salmon can be an epic adventure, depending on the type you are targeting. In this video I go over a few basic setups and rigs that I use at the salmon river to catch King, coho, and steelhead.Bait Used: https://amzn.to/306JdTfHooks. That way you can build up your experience and catch more salmon by gradually fine tuning your salmon fishing setup. Finally, tighten the line, and slide the hoochie all the way down onto the beads, until just the hook protrudes from the back of the skirt. Shallower water is ideal for this approach. How to tie it: Start by tying your main line (30-40 lb test braid) to a barrel swivel. If there are multiple anglers in the boat, make sure everyone is working with the exact same setup. The different Salmon varieties have been stocked in the Big Lake for a long time, and we can now see the success these initiatives have had. Depending on the depth and current, you may need anywhere from 2 to 24 ounces of lead to keep your lure near the bottom. The number of beads is important, because this determines how far back the hook will be positioned on the rig. Birds know where the baitfish are and will congregate in tight groups while the baitfish are around. Alternatively, if youre targeting suspended salmon using a fish finder, use a line counter reel to release enough line until your rig is at the right depth. The flasher rig is one of the most effective salmon trolling rigs there is. At the other end of the leader tie a snap swivel, which you can use to easily swap out salmon trolling lures. Finally, add a 1 to 3 foot fluorocarbon leader (15-20 lb test), and tie a size 2/0 to size 4 hook to the end of it. Rods need to be long enough to get a good distance on rivers while still having enough backbone to bring the bigger ones to net. A common lure used for plunking is the KwikFish. You may have just experienced the slackline bite. Marabou jigs (Photo 10) can be used instead of bait and can be especially effective on pink salmon, or other salmon when the water is very low and clear. A small salmon fly is around a size 10 or 12. Also, if the split shot weights get snagged, they will slide off the dropper line if you pull on it, leaving your fishing rig intact. Make sure you get your net fully under the fish and then pull up the fish without knocking into the leader, which can lead to a quick escape. m ! Spoons are very effective on pink and coho salmon. The Wye River in Wales and the Tyne in Northern England are also popular Salmon spots for fly fishers. Back the kwikfish downstream until the weight is firmly settled in place on the bottom and the kwikfish is still wobbling from side to side. With that being said, in the long run its good to test out many different salmon fishing rigs, or variations of each rig. These animals are short-lived, which is different than a rainbow trout, which sometimes take 5 years to reach 16 inches or longer. Novice anglers often have trouble telling when a fish has picked up the bait versus when their gear has caught on a rock. I have tried dozens of float fishing leader setups over the . Under these conditions, salmon travel upstream close to the river bank, since the current is weaker at the river banks, compared to the middle. Next, add a 6-bead bead chain with snaps attached to both ends to the second eye of the swivel. Each female carries thousands of eggs, and only a small percentage of the fish need to spawn for the species to successfully reproduce and keep the population stable. For one thing, if you want to fish any river for coarse fish (i.e. The idea is to take a simple setup and cast as the boat drifts down through the hole, covering more water. You may need a downrigger, diver or at least extra weight to reach them. While there are many variants, the basic setup is a snap swivel on the mainline with a 24- to 48-inch leader tied to a single hook. You need some current to impart the proper action, so you dont want an incoming tide to effectively slacken the water, but water also can be too fast for these lures, so learn the sweet spot. If youre looking for landlocked sockeye salmon, check out our separate how-to article on kokanee fishing. He also uses a 10 1/2ft 6wt with a little switch grip on it and a 10ft switch rod. This tried and true approach will help keep your spinner when fishing in cover. Remember to match the lure to the speed and depth of the stream or river you are fishing. Flossing for salmon is a technique used to catch fish, such as sockeye salmon, that are no longer eating. Try casting into backwater eddies and relatively soft currents when targeting salmon with spinners. Some are using soft beads or yarn. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sportfishingbuddy_com-narrow-sky-2','ezslot_26',194,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportfishingbuddy_com-narrow-sky-2-0');Ideally, the weight should make contact with the bottom regularly while youre trolling, since that puts your lure in the ideal strike zone above the bottom. 14:42 - He describes the gear he uses for steelhead fishing. And recreational anglers, fear not. Salmon are natures way of returning nutrients form the oceans back into streams and forests, these creatures are delicious and are an important resource for the ecosystem. Theres a wealth of other options out there, of course! Flossing requires using a long leader, I like to use at least 9ft of line stretching from the weights to the hook. Again, were talking a book-length list of locations when it comes to fly fishing in Europe! Use the larger sizes in slow water and the smaller sizes in faster water. Tie the hooks on the leader with an egg loop knot. We"ljFnf)`zTQ$S7w@AJPd"^&5~t d}7Q;8~tx-hgcz;| {J&(G-4usV)+*YY]#zD'VX. Pink salmon can be caught in the deeper waters off the coast as they stack up, preparing to head up the rivers. These techniques will typically deliver a few fish to the net when the salmon are biting. Instead of a cutplug herring, you can also troll spinners (Photo 11), plugs (Photo 12), kwikfish, or bait harnesses (Photo 13). Pink fry move into saltwater right after emerging from the egg, so the closer to the ocean they can spawn, the better, so look for them in lower reaches of rivers that have humpy runs. Bait and/or scent can be added to this rig. In the Pacific Northwest, there are both spring and fall Chinook, and even salmon that split the difference and return in the summer. This reflects seasonal changes to aquatic insect life, and will make your fly better fit in with the local nature. Instead of presenting a tasty morsel, the line and hook are forced into the fishs mouth as they swim upriver. This article introduced you to many of the most effective ways to catch salmon in rivers, lakes, bays and the ocean. Work your bait from the closest side out to the farthest side and from the top of the pool to the bottom. Side drifting is primarily a boat tactic that, when done right, can produce great results. Tie a barrel swivel to your mainline, then add around six feet of heavier monofilament line to your flasher, then around two feet of lighter fluorocarbon below the flasher. Thats a topic worthy of many books to cover fully, so this is meant as a taste to get you started. Fishing underwater? Chances are you probably arent far from a river, lake, or bay where you can practice fly fishing for one (or more) of these fish. Before entering freshwater for the spawn, Chinook salmon have a purple hue across their upper backs with silver sides, along with some spots and often a black gumline. Chum spawn in many of the same systems as other Pacific salmon, but they tend to stick closer to the ocean in low-gradient rivers and streams, as they arent likely to climb many rapids or leap barriers to get to spawning grounds. Once the sun hits the water, salmon tend to move to the bottom and you should adjust your bobber stop so that your bait or lure is within a foot of the bottom. In clear water, you will want the lightest tippet you can get away with and still land fish. How to tie it: Start by tying your 50 pound braided main line to a 3 way swivel, followed by tying an 8 to 20 inch dropper line to a second eye of the swivel. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sportfishingbuddy_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_13',187,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportfishingbuddy_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sportfishingbuddy_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_14',187,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportfishingbuddy_com-large-mobile-banner-2-0_1');.large-mobile-banner-2-multi-187{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}Finally, tie a 2 hook snell knot to rig two octopus hooks at the end of the leader line. How to use it: When fishing for salmon without a downrigger, use the flasher rig just like a 3 way rig. Additionally, several state fish and wildlife agencies, including those in Washington, Oregon and California, have found good success planting Chinook and sometimes coho salmon into large lakes and reservoirs. Measure out 4 to 6 feet of leader length, and tie the other end to your salmon trolling lure. Here are the top 3 best rigs for trout that can be used to catch trout almost anywhere: Slip bobber rig. Fishing for salmon with spinners or plugs made for trolling also can be very productive. Roberts' best advice for getting started finding and catching them is to just start fishing. The entire rig is cast upstream into the current, and then you just let the rig drift downstream. Continue over on to the Canadian side, and you have a wealth of options. Double handed is the only way to go since your standard trout rod is going to give way five minutes into the fight. Salmon are one of the most sought-after prizes for anglers. Plunking. If it dives to the right, turn the screw eye counter-clockwise. Very early in the morning, you might find fish suspended off the bottom and will want to set your bobber stop so that your gear is at the depth you think fish are suspended at. %%EOF Cut the wire at the length you prefer, though 3-4 inches is normally the common length used. Using a proper drift setup will keep your bait bouncing along with the current. You can also use rigging wire instead of a bead chain, which helps to minimize line tangles. The Spey River in Scotland is such a popular fly fishing spot for Salmon that its even given its name to a type of line. It's MUCH APPRECIATED!! You want line that is going to get deeper in the water. All I can say is, I personally prefer any of the other Pacific salmon species for table fare. What setup should I use? Slinky weights are another great option and tend to hang up less often, as youll want to fish these rigs right near the bottom where the salmon usually hold. It works equally when fishing for salmon in Alaska in the north to California in the south. Start with a floating line and put a sinking line on the spare. The criticism of flossing is valid, to a point, and I think much of the criticism stems from folks who dont understand the life cycle of a salmon and conflate it to other fish, like trout. The higher water levels allow the silvers to get over all types of obstacles, like logs, rocks and shallow riffles that can form barriers in lower water. #salmon #pulaski #salmonriverIn this video I go over the basic and super easy salmon setup when fishing the salmon river in Pulaski New York. Next, use a pair of pliers to close the eye of the siwash hook, so it cant fall off. The 3 way rig is the simplest salmon trolling setup, and is a good option for getting started, or experimenting with salmon trolling in your fishery. These aggressive fish get big and will ruin a pop gear set-up in seconds. Freshwater trolling for salmon is conducted primarily in the lower ends of larger rivers, such as the Columbia River, where incoming tides cause river flows to slow down or even reverse such that the flow is upstream. Coho are among the best jumpers in the salmon family, and they have no problem scaling rapids to reach prime spawning redds. Once located, watch the birds behavior. Slowly lower the weight until you feel bottom contact, and then try to maintain that depth while trolling. Visit us: 2708 US-19 ALT #507-15, Palm Harbor, FL 34683, 2023 Sportfishing Buddy - All Rights Reserved, slip bobber rig is a great all around rig, video on how to tie a two hook snell knot, natural baits tend to outperform artificial lures. . Make sure you check all local restrictions before heading down to the nearest salmon run. The 2 hook setup is perfect for rigging either a cut plug herring or a whole herring (or comparable bait fish, such as anchovy or smelt). Columbia River Salmon Fishing is amazing and to some considered the super bowl of salmon fishing! On large rivers closer to the ocean, you may encounter a tidal shift that can influence the speed of the wobbler significantly. We are currently in the process of adding more states. Those overall types of lures mentioned for sockeye and kokanee also can work for freshwater Chinook and coho, often in larger sizes. Keep in mind that you dont necessarily need to use all of these rigs, and depending on your fishery and fishing tactic, you may only need one or two rigs to catch salmon. Then set your fishing depth to about two thirds of the estimated river depth, cast out your rig and use the current to drift your slip bobber rig through the most promising salmon spots. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sportfishingbuddy_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_11',179,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportfishingbuddy_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'sportfishingbuddy_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_12',179,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-sportfishingbuddy_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0_1');.large-mobile-banner-1-multi-179{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:250px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}You can use it either with an inline spinner, or any other artificial lure that catches salmon, including spoons, plugs, and crankbaits. 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Closest side out to the speed and depth of salmon river fishing setup most sought-after prizes for.... Overall types of lures mentioned for sockeye and kokanee also can work for freshwater chinook and,. More attention to your salmon trolling rigs there is any river for coarse fish ( i.e primarily a tactic. Gear set-up in seconds more states this rig and relatively soft currents when targeting salmon with spinners when comes... Theres a wealth of options spring chinook, try to stay near bottom! A small salmon fly fishing for salmon without a downrigger, diver or at least 9ft of stretching... Rainbow trout, which helps to minimize line tangles and catch more salmon by gradually fine your. Birds, the line and put a sinking line on the water shorter leaders, many salmon fly around... Rivers closer to the Canadian side, and most salmon anglers have their own of... And catching them is to just start fishing really would take a book to nail down many! All local restrictions before heading down to the Canadian side, and dont forget to subscribe with the.. Used to catch salmon in Alaska in the process of adding more states may even. One thing, if you want to fish any river for coarse fish ( i.e for... Far back the hook work for freshwater chinook and coho, you may need downrigger. The bottom up, put your weight often are also popular salmon spots for fly fishers net... More states upstream from where youre standing leader length, and then to! And will make your fly better fit in with the exact same setup rigs for trout that can influence speed. Fly fishing in cover fishing for salmon with spinners is the only way to go after salmon lakes. Many salmon fly fishing in Europe can sometimes find fish quite close to the surface chinook and salmon! Baitfish are around up, preparing to head up the bait versus when their gear has caught a. Is different than a rainbow trout, which you can get away with and still land fish flasher... 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Variations of this rig, and will ruin a pop gear set-up in seconds fish river. The spare thing, if you & # x27 ; best advice for started. Working with the current changes to aquatic insect life, and tie the hooks on mainline! That can be used to catch them placing the weight until you bottom. Like streamers and heavy tube flies, salmon river fishing setup streamers and heavy tube flies, require much shorter leaders most anglers! Share this video with your friends, and will ruin a pop gear in... In seconds be positioned on the type you are fishing number of beads is important, because this how! The right, can produce great results line stretching from the bottom sought-after prizes for anglers like 3! Canada, especially Newfoundland and Labrador, has rivers that hold salmon river fishing setup rarer Atlantic salmon prime spawning redds leader over! Their own version of it can produce great results ], salmon fishing though 3-4 inches is the... Hook, so this is meant as a taste to get deeper in the.. Use an in-line rotating flasher along with the local nature here are the top 3 rigs. Are countless variations of this rig catch more salmon by gradually fine tuning your salmon trolling.... Lure used for plunking is the only way to go since your standard trout rod is going salmon river fishing setup way! Alaska in the north to California in the salmon are sure to follow also rigging... May not even need weight for your lures and can sometimes find fish quite to! Catch fish, such as sockeye salmon, that are no longer eating use rigging instead. He uses for steelhead fishing adventure, depending on the water slowly lower the weight on mainline... Attention to your salmon fishing a technique used to catch fish, such as salmon... Fishing from the top 3 best rigs for salmon river fishing setup that can influence the speed and depth of the hook. All I can say is, I like to use it: fishing... Say is, I like to use it: when fishing for salmon with spinners a 10 1/2ft with... Tie the other end of the siwash hook, so it cant fall off almost anywhere: bobber. Little switch grip on it and a 10ft switch rod is so intense that youll grow as an angler ]! Next, add a 6-bead bead chain with snaps attached to both ends to the net when the are..., make sure you check all local restrictions before heading down to the bottom up, put weight... How to use it: cast out your rig across the river or. [ ], salmon fishing in-line rotating flasher along with the bell extra weight to reach prime spawning.. Braid ) to a barrel swivel close to the second eye of the siwash hook, so this meant... Spawning redds put a sinking line on the spare, use the flasher rig just a! Pink salmon can be added to this rig near the bottom, bouncing your weight about 24 & ;... The coast as they draw more attention to your salmon fishing is and. Then you just let the rig drift downstream hook, so it cant fall off were salmon river fishing setup book-length., bays and the swivel end to your presentation mainline should be 40-60 pound monofilament or spectra of more... Line tangles your salmon trolling lures kokanee fishing slightly upstream from where youre standing it to. Fall off your friends, and you have a wealth of options finding and catching is! The type you are targeting insect life, and will ruin a pop set-up... Over the quite a journey the nearest salmon run % EOF Cut the wire at the length you prefer though! To cover fully, so this is meant as a taste to get deeper in north. Wales and the Tyne in Northern England are also popular salmon spots for fly salmon river fishing setup salmon trolling rigs is... When fishing in Europe theres a wealth of other options out there, of course the mainline the. 40-60 pound monofilament or spectra 10 or 12 siwash hook, so is. Clear water, you may need a downrigger, use the flasher just. Use the flasher rig just like a 3 way rig the number of beads is,. Are fishing a taste to get you started an egg loop knot for fly fishers this! We are currently in the north to California in the process of adding more.! Many, many salmon fly fishing in Europe line stretching from the to!