Small Plugs for Spring Chinook
April 6, 2008
If you’ve ever fished for spring Chinook, you know that they’re straight-up kookey. Sometimes, they’ll bite like piranhas and other times…you can’t buy a bite to save your life.
Read more
Low water plug-pulling for Chinook
August 14, 2007
So fall is just around the corner and that means that Chinook salmon are, or will soon be, pointing their noses up into their natal streams. Unfortunately, there are lots of rivers up and down the West Coast this season that are running very low.
Of course, early season kings are notoriously big fans of backtrolled, sardine-wrapped plugs like FlatFish and Kwikfish, but low/clear water conditions can make things tough. Luckily, there are some things you can do to help improve your odds…
Rollin’ Chovies
July 29, 2007
Trolling whole anchovies is a deadly way to catch salmon in the ocean…but it’s also gaining popularity in many lakes that harbor landlocked kings and coho. Much is made about getting the “perfect” roll out of your bait. Conventional wisdom suggests you need a tighter, faster roll to attract coho and a wide, slow roll to catch kings. The bottom line is, however, a rolling bait looks interesting to salmon because it appears to be in distress. Anchovies don’t roll on in the wild, so salmon don’t have a particular action they’re looking for in a bait. Get yours rolling seductively and you’ll get bit!
Sometimes, you’ve got to throw them the ol’ change-up…
April 23, 2007
Kinda like that hot redheaded girlfriend you used to have back in high school, spring chinook are notoriously kookey. One minute, they’ll bite like barracudas and the next…PRESTO…it’s like somebody threw the big switch and the action goes into the tank.
As you know from several Salmon Trout Steelheaderarticles I’ve written in the past, I’m a big fan of shaking things up for springers; giving them something a little different to look at. After all, these goofy, fickle creatures swim to a different beat, so thinking a little outside the box is always a good plan.
Sardine Wraps: How-to
March 1, 2007
Take a look at the calendar…it’s March and that means it’s spring chinook time along the West Coast. Of course, sardine-wrapped Kwikfish are one of the best ways to target chrome springers. What’s that you say? You don’t know how to wrap a plug? No worries, mate! Just hit the play button and wonder no more!
Here’s how to filet a sardine:
And here’s how to make a wrap for your Kwikfish and Flatfish:
Basic Chum Salmon Techniques
November 25, 2006
Though they’ve long been treated like the red-headed stepchildren of the salmon world, chum salmon are starting to gain a pretty dedicated following these days. When you take a closer look, it’s easy to see why — chums are plentiful and can sometimes top 20 pounds; they bite great and are absolutely tenacious when hooked.
The only real downside to them is they are not as tasty as kings, reds and silvers. But that’s really not a problem — just keep a couple silvers for the freezer and then have a ball catching and releasing chums all day long!
Tying the “Pimped-Out” Egg Loop
October 22, 2006
One you’ve got the hang of tying the basic Egg Loop, try the pimped version. It’s great for back-bouncing, side-drifting, mooching and more!
Flatlining for Kings
October 15, 2006
Flatlining Kwikfish for king salmon is one of my all-time favorite things to do. When a big chinook eats your plug and starts shaking his head, it’s a feeling like no other. Ready to get in on the fun? I’ll show you how.
First, a quick definition: Flat-lining refers to backtrolling plugs like Kwikfish or FlatFish without any weight — kinda like you would run a Hot Shot for steelhead.
How to Sardine-Wrap a Kwikfish
August 9, 2006
It seems like there’s a bit of mystery surrounding sardine wraps and a lot of people tell me they’ve never tried them because they don’t know how to rig them. Don’t fear the wrap, people! Wrapping a Kwikfish (or Flatfish) is a very simple task, and with a little bit of practice you’ll be doing it like an old pro. Of course, you’ll increase the lure’s effectiveness by about 400 percent by adding a sardine fillet to the belly, so it’s definitely worth taking the time to learn.
December Kings
December 6, 2005
While conventional wisdom says that most king salmon runs along the West Coast peter out by the beginning of December, there are several coastal drainages that pump out excellent Chinook action until Christmas and sometimes later. The really cool thing about these late-running kings is: they’re usually BIG…like this 48 pounder.
