Spoons are very effective on pink and coho salmon. Use smaller spoons (1/2 – 1 1/2”) in pink, white, red, cerise, or combinations for pink salmon. For coho use medium size spoons (2 – 3”) with silver or brass blades that can also be painted. Popular colors are chartreuse, fluorescent pink, and fluorescent orange.
How do I know what size lure to use?
When it comes to choosing what size lure to use, the best strategy is to match the hatch. Typically in the winter and spring, baitfish are smallest, so we use 3-4″ lures. In late summer and fall, the baitfish are at their biggest, so we normally bump it up to a 4-5″ lure.
What pound test should I use for salmon?
What pound test line should I use?
| Test | Line Type | Species |
|---|---|---|
| 2-4 lb | Mono | Smaller fish (under 5 lbs) |
| 6-10 lb | Mono | Trout/Char/ Pink Salmon |
| 12-20 lb | Mono/Braid | Coho/Chum/ Sockeye Salmon |
| 25-50 lb | Mono/Braid | King/Coho Salmon/ Rockfish/Near-shore salt water species |
What kind of jig do you use for salmon?
To jig salmon, you must have a reel that allows the lure to freely flutter as it falls. This generally means a level wind or a spinning reel. I prefer level winds, as they hold more line. Any small, metal baitfish shaped lure can be used.
What size hook do you use for salmon?
Sizes 6 & 4 are a good general size. For Salmon or larger trout use 4 or 2. Size 8 for pressured or finicky trout.
Does lure size matter?
Decreasing lure size usually has a minor effect on catch rates. In contrast, even minor increases above the size optimum can yield major decreases in catch rates. If your catch rate falls off after upsizing, you are beyond the preferred size. Downsizing the lure is in order.
Does bigger lure mean bigger fish?
Lures. The same techniques apply to bigger bass as they do for the smaller fish; the only difference is a larger lure. Using a larger lure means you will scare away the smaller fish. The little bass will leave the big bait alone because they know they can’t match up with it.
What lure is best for salmon fishing?
Salmon eggs are the top choice for bait, although sand shrimp are very popular for chinook salmon. Some anglers like to fish both at the same time. Marabou jigs (Photo 10) can be used instead of bait and can be especially effective on pink salmon, or other salmon when the water is very low and clear.
What color lures do salmon like?
Use any color, as long as it is green. The colors that show up in the deepest water are greens, blues and blacks. All glow lures glow green. In addition, Ultra Violet colors can be added to your tackle box, as they show up at all depths.
What color line is best for salmon fishing?
One tester used 65-pound-test in yellow for a multitude of salmon-fishing techniques. Another tester reported using 65- and 80-pound-test, in the color coastal blue, and said it is tough, casts very well, packs on the reel nicely, doesn’t stretch and doesn’t tip wrap when casting.
How do you rig salmon lures?
Tie an 18- to 48-inch fluorocarbon leader to the open side of the swivel. Thread a corky (a small, round bobber) onto the leader and then tie a hook on the end. Tie a short length of colorful yarn to the hook, stick a single fish egg on your hook—and get ready to fish.
What is the difference between a lure and a jig?
The difference with other lures is that jigs are fished vertically, whereas other lures are retrieved horizontally. Fishing with a jigging lure with a weighted head can be done both in soft water and in salt water. Vertical speed jigging is typically used on the sea.
What depth do salmon swim at?
Although salmon will take a fly better in shallow to moderate water (2-8 ft.) versus deep pools (10 ft. +), they become more difficult to catch each passing day if they are not moving up river due to low water conditions.
What size reel is good for salmon?
The 3000 and 3500 sizes are also great for steelhead fishing on small to mid-sized rivers. When fishing salmon on some of the bigger rivers or for guys that might be fishing off the piers, the best reels for salmon are a 4000, 4500, or 5000 sized reel.
Do you put a sinker on with a lure?
There are several reasons why you might need to add weight to your lure or get your hands on a fishing sinker: Weights enhance your lure’s anchoring ability. You can cast your line to greater distances with sinkers. It reinforces the sinking rate and ability of your lure and line.
What is a size 2 lure?
Stick with your favorite producing fishing lure
The four sizes I purchase in a variety of colors are a size 1 1/32oz, size 2 1/16oz, size 4 1/8oz and a size 6 1/4oz.
Do small lures catch big fish?
They may be small but they do catch big fish. The canal fishery in the Mackenzie Basin of South Canterbury is a good example of small topping big. Egg imitations, soft-baits, huhu grubs, globugs, shrimp tails and small lures on light line and sophisticated gear often do the business.
Do heavier lures cast further?
Weight adds distance
The heavier a lure is the more distance you’re going to be able to get on it. That’s why you can throw the backing off your reel with an 8-foot crankbait rod and 3/4 ounce deep-diving crankbait, but you struggle to get a small crankbait out there very far on lighter line and a spinning rod.
What happens if your lure is too heavy?
If you have too light of a lure, the rod will not load properly and result in a shorter cast. If you’ve got too heavy of a weight, the rod will load too much and have a sluggish cast. If you have the right weighted lure on, the rod will load properly and achieve optimal casting distance.
How heavy should my lure be?
The bigger the fish and/or the bigger or heavier the lure, the heavier the Fishing Rod you need. So a heavy action rod would probably have a lure weight range from 1oz and up, while an Ultra-Light may have a lure range from 1/32 oz and up to approximately 1/8oz.
Do fish get bigger the deeper you go?
Huge animals swimming in the depths of the oceans rely on food to drop from above, and food is often scarce, so they have every incentive to become more efficient – and therefore larger. Bergman’s rule is a general correlation of increasing body size with decreasing temperature.