Not many things work better for river kings than a sardine-wrapped plug!
For some reason, there seems to be a lot of mystery out there regarding sardine-wrapped plugs for salmon. It may be a bit intimidating to the uninitiated, but there’s really nothing to it. Here’s a quick crash course on how to do it.
It all starts with good bait!
You have to start with fresh bait. The bagged, mushy kind just won’t cut it. I catch my own, brine them on the boat and then vacuum seal and freeze ’em. You want a firm, bright bait with all its scales intact.
Next, a quick fillet job…
Take a sharp knife behind the sardine’s head and make a cut down to the backbone. When you hit the spine, turn the blade flat an cut a fillet from the side of the fish.
Now, just flip it over and do the same thing on the other side
Time to make some sardine pants!
Cut the fillet into sections. How large a piece you use depends on the size of the plug. In this case, I was wrapping smaller K14 and M2 sized plugs, so the pieces need to be smaller so as to not overwhelm the lure’s action. Using a pair of scissors, make a cut down the center line down each piece so that they look like little pairs of “pants.”
Fire Cure will preserve wraps and give them extra scent
At this point, you are ready to roll…simply place the baits on the belly of a plug and wrap it on with stretchy thread. However, you can also do some “aftermarket” upgrading too…Lately, I have been making my wraps the night before fishing and then sprinkling some Pautzke’s Fire Cure egg cure on them and letting them sit in a plastic tub overnight in the fridge. The cure toughens the baits, gives them extra color and, of course, you get that great sodium sulfate scent (+ krill and others) that kings love.
The finished product…
Now, wrapped up and cured, these plugs are ready to go!
Jim Mitchell says
NICCE JOB JD
JD says
Thanks!
Doug Orr says
So I am wondering how the experiments with using fire cure on the sardine wraps has gone. From the date on your post it has been quite a while, and I am wondering if it is worth a try. Did you notice a difference during downstream (slackwater) trolling or is this more of a high up (OWA) type of thing. Thanks, I am curious and bored as it is February.
JD says
Doug, it works pretty much anywhere. I didn’t find it to be the magic bullet, but there are defiantly days when it seems to help…
jameskramer says
can you fish with a kwikfish just plain.
jameskramer says
can you fish with a kwikfish just plain or just better with bait
jameskramer says
I BOUGHT MY SELF A NEW LIGHT GREEN AND SILVER KIIKFISH SHOULD I WRAP WITH SARDINE OR SALMON ROE WHAT IS THE BEST BAIT TO USE THIS TIME OF YEAR ON THE AMERICAN RIVER.
JD says
Wrap it with sardine. Drifted roe is your best bet now…but it is still way early for the American!
jameskramer says
where is the best place to drift fish on the american river right now.
JD says
Not much happening as of mid Aug. You could try off the bank at Nimbus.
jameskramer says
thank you james
Cory says
J.D.
For some reason I can’t view your “how to sardine wrap a kwikfish” video. If you get the time , can you send it as an attachment to my email address? Or maybe give me another way of viewing it. And one question: Does your hawg quest fish pics have to be from Cali? Can I send one from Oregon? I don’t have one for this month “yet” but hope to send one in sometime.
Thanks for your help on all this stuff, really!!
—-Cory.
JD says
I’ll send you a YouTube link…might be that you have an outdated video player or something…Hawgs can be from anywhere, so send some in!!
rob says
hello. you said you catch them . i don’t want an exact spot but where . since i probly won’t be catching any . where could i buy some good ones at . i think i probly all your youtube .thanks
Joe says
I see dead Salmon, it’s time to hook some HOGSSSSS! Nice job with the video JD.
CAL PICCOLO says
Nice King….
pauliewalnuts says
Hey dont knock your cheesy videos…you taught me how to tie my own eggloops like 4 years ago when I got back into salmon fishing, and your vid was a much better learning tool than the others I found.
JD says
Cool…glad you could get past the high queso factor! . Thanks for the message!