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You are here: Home / Gear / 15 Gear Essentials for River Salmon Fishing

15 Gear Essentials for River Salmon Fishing

June 8, 2014 By JD Leave a Comment

To mark the release of my new how-to book, Plug Fishing for River Salmon, here’s a list of some of the essential gear that I talk about in the book:

Shimano Tekota 300LC

SHIMANO TEKOTA 300LC

  • Shimano Tekota 300LC – $179.99

I’ve been running these babies for years…and they are absolutely bulletproof! Even had one blow out of the boat and bounce down the freeway. Aside from a few scratches, I still used it every day.

Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 6500 LC

ABU GARCIA AMBASSADEUR 6500 LC

  • Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 6500 LC – $99.95-$134.99

A good classic, durable reel with a price tag that’s a little more affordable than the Tekota’s. The line counter is really handy – especially for flat-lining.

Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 6500 C3

ABU GARCIA AMBASSADEUR 6500 C3

  • Abu Garcia Ambassadeur C3 – $109.95

For the price, it’s hard to find a more reliable reel.

Yakima Bait MagLip 4.5

Yakima Bait MagLip 4.5

  • Yakima Bait MagLip 4.5 – prices vary

My all-time favorite flatlining plug for kings. MagLips dive deep, run true and are extremely fishy!

Luhr-Jensen K15 Kwikfish

Luhr Jensen K15 Kwikfish

  • Luhr-Jensen Kwikfish K15 – $8.99

One of the greatest salmon plugs of all time!

Luhr-Jensen K16 Kwikfish

Luhr Jensen K16 Kwikfish

  • Luhr-Jensen Kwikfish K16 – $8.99

The K16 is a beast and flat-out catches kings.

Lamiglas XCC 801 GH

Lamiglas XCC 801 GH

  • Lamiglas XCC 801 GH – $210.58

A super flat-line rod for kings on smaller rivers. Works great for steelies, too!

Lamiglas XCC 802 GH

Lamiglas XCC 802 GH

  • Lamiglas XCC 802 GH – $232.98

When you need a little more beef while flat-lining, the 802 is deadly.

Luhr Jensen Jet Diver

jetdiverrigblank_illustration

  • Luhr Jensen Jet Diver, Clear, 4-Inch – $10.99

Jet Divers are great tools for getting plugs (bait too) down deep.

Danielson Slinky Weights

Danielson Slinky Weights

  • Danielson Slinky Weights – $4.99

A long-time favorite of drift anglers, Slinkies also are extremely useful when you are flat-lining plugs in deep spots.

Other essentials:

  • Yakima Bait HawgNose Flatfish – There isn’t a big lure out there that can handle big kings in fast water like the Hawgnose.
  • GLoomis HSR 1021C – I ran these in Alaska for years on the Nushagak River, where we caught so many kings it was ridiculous. Never had a breakage issue.
  • PLine Spectrex Braided Fishing Line, 50-Pound Test – Pretty much the only main line I use these days for salmon.
  • Atlas Mikes Miracle Thread – Hands-down the best thread for sardine wrapping plugs.
  • Duo Lock Snap– A must have for attaching plugs to your leader.
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Filed Under: Gear, Lures/Terminal Gear, Reels, Rods, Salmon

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