JD, In regard to your video on how to sardine-wrap plugs, would it work if I glued a small piece of sponge on the bottom of a Kwikfish and put sardine oil on it rather than wrap on a piece of sardine?

–Jim D.B.

Jim, you can do that (it’s not as effective as a real sardine) but the main problem is your plug will have a serious case of stank on it (which the fish don’t like, by the way!) if you leave the sponge on there after the trip. You’ll need to peel them off after each outing and thoroughly clean and dry the plug.

JD, can you please tell me what’s the best rod for light jigging — like for kokanee?

Thanks, George

Hey George,

While there are a zillion good sticks out there designed specifically for kokanee trolling, nobody makes a dedicated jigging rod for landlocked sockeye.

And such a beast is a bit of a designer’s nightmare because a koke rod needs to be light enough to give the fish a sporting chance, while also being fast enough to handle jigs up to an ounce or more in deep water.

At this point, your best bet is to go with a 6- to 7-foot light-duty bass rig like Shimano’s Clarus CSC60MLA or GLoomis’ CR722C. That is until some enterprising rod company comes up with a koke jigger…

I am heading to the Kenai Peninsula and will probably fish for king on the Kenai River in a week or so.

I don’t really have heavy duty 30lb test line rated rod and reel. I don’t really want to buy them either unless I have to.

I was planning on using a Abu Garcia Ambassadeur 6501-C Casting Reel with a Shimano Clarus – Med, Heavy – 8 1/2 Rod. I also plan to use 20 lb test line even though I was told that 30 lb is
probably best to use.

We will be fishing from a non-guided boat for Kings.

Do you think this is big enough gear?

Thank you, Ben L.

Hey Ben!

Going to the Kenai, eh? Sweet! That’s the good news. The bad news is you had better say a few last words to your tackle before it meets its untimely demise. One of those Kenai kings will atomize your gear and turn it into a smoldering heap of graphite shards and melted drag washers before you can say “fish on.”

The Kenai is a big, extremely fast-flowing river with about 200 million other boats on it and you have about a zero percent chance of landing anything but humpies on that rig. Twenty pound test is suicide and will not make you guys real popular with the locals because you won’t be able to control a king in crowded conditions.

Up there, most of the guides are running 80-pound braid and 60-pound leader (at least) on rods like GLoomis’ SABBR965C or Lamiglas’ Kenai Pro and big reels like Shimano Calcutta TE 700’s or Abu Big Game Series 7000’s.

Sorry to say, but in a spot where a 50 pounder doesn’t get a second glance, you’re gonna get smoked.

JD,

I am looking for a steelhead trip next year. Last year we did a float trip on the Aniak which looked alot like the trip you just got back from. I really like the do it yourself fishing but not apposed to some guided. I guess what I’m saying is I don’t want to be in a Vegas style
lodge and satisfied with a tent. Looking for a killer steelhead trip and not paying a killer amount of $. See you on the Klamath. Talk to you soon,

Eric

Eric, I’d head for Terrace, B.C. Lots of incredible water up there with HUGE fish! You can go guided with some outfits and pay a reasonable rate for lodging and then do your own food to save $$. A lot of it, you don’t even need a boat!

JD, After reading various articles and your side drifting book — as well as watching the side drifting video by Amato Publications — I have side drifting down fairly well. The one technique i still cannot find info on is how to scull. I have looked everywhere and I cant seem to find out just how to do this. Any chance you could try and explain how? Thanks a ton!

–Ryan

Ryan,
Sculling is really something that you have to get out on the water and do…it’s pretty tough to tell you how to do it in print.

Let’s try to get the basic concept here, though….Sculling a driftboat while side-drifting is something you do with only one oar, which will be in a more vertical position than when you’re rowing normally. It’s mainly a wrist rolling motion that gives you much more fine control of the boat’s drift (read: speed) than a conventional stroke. It’s all about keeping your lines in the right position!

The best way to learn is to book a good side-drifting guide in your neck of the woods and take lots of notes of his/her technique throughout the day. And then, practice, practice, practice. It feels weird at first, but you’ll get it over time.

Hope that helps a little! –JD