Where to Find Kings
October 10, 2003
It doesn’t matter if you’re in a $40,000 jetboat or fishing off the bank, the key to successful king salmon fishing is finding where they hold. Fortunately, kings are actually quite predictable in that they’ll seek out very specific types of water. Find the right water and you should find the fish.
Deep, slow pools are also magnets for king salmon. The fish will use these areas to rest in as they recuperate from the rigors of their upstream migration.
As a basic rule, you’ll find the most active, fresh and aggressive kings at the head of a pool, while the slower middle and tailout sections of a hole will often hold darker, more stale fish.
I’m also a huge fan of flats that are 7 to 12+ feet deep that have at least enough current to backtroll or drift fish. Choppy runs with moderate flow and consistent bottoms will also attract salmon - as long as the composition of the riverbed is cobble and not sand. Kings also like current seams, eddies and the outsides of bends, where the water is deepest.
The mouths of tributary streams and river forks are also great places to begin your quest for a king. These areas often hold fish that are trying to determine which path to take and ones that are perhaps drawn to the creek’s cooler and more oxygenated water. Kings will also hold below a creek in which they intend to spawn while they wait for their eggs and milt to ripen.
Sometimes, finding a school of kings is as simple as watching the water’s surface. When they’re in the area, kings will often reveal their positions by rolling. If the pool you’re fishing suddenly comes alive with surfacing salmon, you can bet a fresh school just moved in and you could be in for some outstanding action.
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