TACKLE CHOICE

Tackle is the most important part of learning how to salmon fish, and salmon fishing for the rest of your life. Rule #1 about fishing is to have a hook in the water. To expand upon this, what kind of hook is what I am going to talk about here. On any given day, there is going to be a best combination, figuring this out and knowing what this is is always the tough part. Also if you read along, we will talk about different salmon species as well.

SALMON TACKLE SETUP

The way salmon tackle is setup for downrigging, or any kind of trolling, is always a weight / downrigger, with line to the flasher, and then a leader line to the actual bait or lure.

WEIGHT->[LINE]->FLASHER->[LEADER]->LURE/BAIT

Weight

The weight will be the downrigger cannonball / release clip for reference sakes, if using downriggers. If not using downriggers, it will be a weight on the line itself. However the weight on the line is a fairly old system and is not often used anymore.

Line

The line is simply the mainline, as we talk about in the Downriggers section, the mainline is usually 20-25lb test.

Leader

Leader length is measured from the flasher to the lure. It typically ranges from 24" - 9 feet. It depends on the time of year / species of fish beign sought, and the type of lure being fished with.

For various species, the leader length will vary greatly, as it will with lure. As a general rule, the shortest leader lengths are for Sockeyes, Chums & Pinks, followed by Cohos, and Chinook having the longest leader lengths.

Terminal Tackle

Snap Swivels are a great way to keep your fishing efficient. Use a cinch knot to tie on a snap swivel at the end of your mainline. This way any flasher / lure combo can quickly be changed without having to re-tie a new knot.

Knots

The best type of knot is the cinch (or improved cinch) knot. I do not have an example made up but type it in Google and there will be many examples to be sure. This knot is all I use. Except for an egg loop knot. The egg loop knot is what is to be used for tying hooks and anchovy leaders. It is the same knot that is used in river salmon fishing. Again, punching it into Google should yield examples. This provides the best strength and durability for tying hooks.

For an anchovy rig, in which I always use two hooks, it is just a matter of tying a modified egg look knot. (When I guided, some guides preferred the single hook in front and the treble hook behind, some guides, including me, preferred the treble hook to be in front with the single hook behind). Again, do Google this as it is a knot worth knowing. This is explained again below.

SCENTED PRODUCTS - X-10

Adding scented products can be a great idea. I recommend X-10, developed by Charlie White. Just shake it and smear it on to your lures, especially artificial ones, before throwing them down. It has been scientifically proven to help. How much? I don't know. But I do know it can't hurt your chances.

In the summer when I am running bait I do not bother with this. When I do, is when I am throwing spoons down, and occasionally hootchies, and the fishing is not non stop. This is often in the winter time or in the fall for Coho on a slower day. However, feel free to use at will. Just be careful not to get too much on the hands as it is difficult to remove.

TYPES OF LURES

Bait

Bait is the most effective way to induce a strike. The salmon sees something real and goes for it. There are multiple forms of bait used, anchovy and herring being the most popular kinds. Cutplug herring is an effective technique, although for now we will only cover anchovies. Something to note is that strip herring and anchovies are essentially rigged up the same. Now, on to anchovies.

Anchovies

Anchovies are by far the most popular type of lure that is used for salmon. Herring, anchovies, or other small baitfish, all have the same principle to them. They are fished in a teaser head and this teaser head causes the anchovy to roll. The rolling simulates an injured baitfish.

In the wild, salmon will swim through schools of bait (usually herring) as fast as they can, hence injuring some of them. The salmon swims back around and sees which ones are injured and can't swim properly. Injured fish also give off a movement that the salmon's lateral line can pick up. Salmon will not waste time going after perfectly healthy small fish, they will strike the weak. This is the theory behind all lures, anchovies especially; simulating an injured baitfish.

Anchovies / Lures Behind a Flasher

The theory behind the anchovy (or any lure) and flasher is, as mentioned above, as the salmon naturally looks for injured baitfish that were just injured by a salmon rushing through a school, the same applies to the flasher / lure combination. The salmon sees the flasher (i.e a swimming / feeding salmon) and the lure (i.e the wounded baitfish) behind it, and goes after your lure as it would any injured baitfish.

Starting with Anchovies

To rig up an anchovy is simple. They come as lures in the form of teaserheads. Simply place the head of the anchovy in the teaser head, and place a toothpick through the eyeholes. Make sure you also place a toothpick through the side of the teaser head through the external hole through which the line passes through. This stops the line from scrunching up the anchovy when fishing. Point being is you should have 2 toothpicks in every teaser head you fish.

Rigging Up Teaser Heads / Leaders

When bought from the store, the anchovy will come with a leader and a pretied hook. I believe they come in #2 Treble Hooks. Although this works, tying an additional hook onto the system is ideal, and what any experienced fisherman will do. Tie on 2 hooks!!

2 Hooks in Sequence

To do this tie on 2 egg loop knots in sequence. To see how to tie an Egg Knot search on google and there will be lots of explanations. What this knot does is secures 2 hooks in tandem. Once you master this knot it will be no problem. Simply thread the line above the hooks through the teaser and measure out your leader length as desired. Your leader length depends on the fish. See below for leader lengths.

What Kind of Hooks to Use in Sequence

So you have 2 hooks in sequence right? What kind of hooks are they, single or treble? I have seen both done, and combinations of the two. It seems that there are differing opinions out there.

On the island often you will see the treble hook in front and the single hook trailing behind. Whereas on the Vancouver side you will often see the single hook first and the treble behind. These are the 2 main options. I myself use the treble hook in front and the single behind. I place the treble just behind the dorsal fin of the anchovy and the single hook: either in and out of the skin, on the 'inside of the roll' side, or through the tail section once so it is attached back there, it shouldn't just dangle.

I have used the other version, and have caught many fish with it. It is honestly up to you and what you prefer, is there in the end any difference as to which one works better? I doubt it.

I have also seen 2 treble hooks in sequence, however I have never seen 2 single hooks for an anchovy. The only time 2 single hooks are used is for rigging up hootchies.

Sharp Hooks

As always, when you rig up anchovy teaser heads with 2 hooks and leader, make sure those 2 hooks are both sharp!

Anchovy Rolling

So now we have:

1. Placed the anchovy in the teaser head, with the toothpick through the eye, and through the line guide on the side
2. Tied the 2 hooks on, treble hook with 1 pring in deep behind it's dorsal fin and the single through the tail

How do we control how the anchovy rolls? The anchovy roll is controlled by how tight you pull the line, causing the anchovy to bend, and where the hooks are placed.

The Bend

The bend in an anchovy is controlled by pulling on the line, that shortens the distance of line between the teaser head and the hooks. The more bent an anchovy is, the more it will roll. The bend essentially controls the speed at which the anchovy rolls.

Hook Placement

How and where you place the hooks in the anchovy will also determine the type of roll. Placing the hooks close to along the dorsal side of the anchovy, along it's back, will cause a fairly tight roll. For a wide roll, place the leading treble hook further down towards the lateral line of the anchovy. Whether you want a tight or wide roll, can vary.

The Roll

Ideally, for springs, you want an anchovy that rolls around 1 to 2 times per second, with a slight kick to it every time it rolls. As long as it has a slow roll and it looks injured, it will catch fish.

For Cohos, a tighter, quicker, more active roll works better. Nothing too crazy, but a slightly faster roll will catch more Cohos. The flipside is this will catch less Springs just as a Spring roll would catch less Cohos.

Anchovy Teaser Heads and When to Use Each Kind

There are essentially 3 types of teaser heads:

1. Chrome
2. Glow
3. Transparent / UV

Each type is most appropriate in certain situations, however please note this is a guide and anything can happen on any given day.

Chrome Heads

Chrome teaser heads are shiny, with different patterns on them, and generally are more effective with the aid of a sunny day or a shallow depth.

Glow Heads

Glow teaser heads glow in the dark, are usually one colour with some patterns on them, and are generally a good choice when fished deep or on dark days. However glow heads can work on sunny days and shallow depths as well.

Transparent / UV Heads

Transparent heads can be clear, tinted a certain colour or in the form of "Purple Haze" (a very effective teaser head!), reflects off the sun's UV rays at depth. I have had success with these in all light conditions, but recently I have found Purple Haze to work best on semi-bright, cloudy days.

Favourite Teaser Heads

From my experience, the best teaser heads are as follows:

For Springs:

Chrome
-Chrome with Green / Yellow Scale
-Chrome with Gold Scale
-Chrome Scale
-Chrome with Green / Blue Scale

Glow
-Green Glow
-White Glow
-Glow Pearl (for Winter Springs)
-Glo Tiger Prawn (for Winter Springs)

Transparent / UV
-Purple Haze

For Cohos: (anything really will catch Cohos)

Chrome:
-Anything shiny..no joke

Glow:
-Green Glow

Transparent / UV
-Purple Haze

Other Species:

As far as other species go, I have caught everything from Sockeyes on Green/Glow anchovies to Pinks on Purple Haze. In big schools like they are, even Cohos included, I'm not sure how much exact colour will work. Other than the general colour guide found in the Species Section of this site. I have only caught a couple Chum on anchovy, by fluke.

Fishing with Anchovies

Once the proper action and roll has been attained, we know what teaser to use when, at what depth (shallow vs. deep) and what we are fishing for, are there any tricks to actually going on about the morning? Yes. Make sure you check the bait often, and especially after every hit. Bait is fragile unfortunately and needs to checked upon. Evey 20-40 mins is a good guide, depending on the water and debris involved. Make sure you also have all the toothpicks in snug (2 of them) so that the anchovy doesn't bend too much or get damaged on the lower down.

Finally, if you cannot get an anchovy to roll right, don't hesitate to throw it out. They come in packs of 8 to 12 for a reason. Don't waste time fishing with crap, get a good anchovy down in front of the salmon. Presentation is everything!

Salting Your Bait

I always salt my bait prior to using it. Salting it will ensure that it keeps it's shape while you are trolling it. If an anchovy is frozen, it will only keep it's rigidity and shape as long as it's frozen. Fishing with a thawed bait is a waste of time and it does not work properly. To salt them, buy some coarse salt from the hardware or grocery store, and add some water to the mix. Some guys prefer more water, I prefer just enough water to mix the salt all together. Mix it around to make sure the water is extra salty. Throw the bait in the night before and leave it in a cool spot. Either outside if it is a cold night or in the fridge. The next morning they should all be solid as a rock and ready to go!

ARTIFICIAL LURES

Spoons Spoons are an effective and foolproof way of fishing. They are metal ovals that swim through the water with a hook on the back. They again imitate the baitfish just as anchovies do. Spoons come in a variety of colours, sizes and makes. Although not usually as effective as bait, spoons will probably have about 2/3 as many hits, and sometimes will in fact outfish bait, such as times during Winter Spring fishing. However there is no maintenance required for spoons. A hit or bottom cannot damage a spoon.

Types of Spoons

The most popular kind of spoon used these days is a Coyote Spoon. There have been numerous imitations such as Gibbs Gypsy spoons or Titan spoons. There are all the same thing. a 3.0"/3.5"/4.0" (even up to 5.0" I believe now) spoons. Most times in the summer for large springs use the 4.0" spoons. However use the size of spoon that most closely resembles the size of bait in the area. Most of my spoon fishing has been with 4.0" and some 3.5" Coyote Spoons.

Fishing With Spoons

There really is not much to it other than to make sure you tie on the spoon, do not attach it to a snap swivel. This will affect the action. Again, a clinch knot at the spoon.

Adjusting the Action of the Spoon

Although I do not recommend this in general, it can be done. If you bend the spoon, it will change the action. More of a bend will make it flip more and quicker whereas less of a bend will cause it to swim more sluggish. Feel free to experiment, but be careful. In general the best action is the one that comes with it!

Spoon Types and When to Use Each Type

There are 2 kinds of spoons:

1. Chrome
2. Glow

In general, however, most spoons at least have 1 side that is chrome, with the coloured side being painted. Some spoons do glow on both sides however.

When to use spoons? Use spoons when the bait in the area is small baitfish. If the salmon are feeding on herring or small fish a spoon will work.

Chrome vs. Glow Finishes

Glow spoons are effective in darker light conditions, and bright light conditions as well. Chrome spoons are designed to reflect light. When there is a surplus of light around on a sunny day, chrome spoons will definately attract the salmon's attention. However, as I said, most spoons are at least partly chrome anyways so more important is which spoons are best for what times of year and fish.

Favourite Spoons:

(My all time favourite spoon is definately the Green/Glo 4.0 Coyote, I have hooked all 5 species of salmon with it at all times of the year, and numerous large springs)

For Springs (usually 4.0 spoons):

-Green/Glo
-Cop Car Chrome
-Army Truck
-Mongoose (Green/Silver)

For Cohos:
-Blue/Silver
-Green/Silver
-Green/Glo

For Sockeyes/Pinks:
-Any 3/3.5 pink/red spoons

Adding X-10 to Spoons

Every time I throw a spoon down, unless the fishing is amazing, I usually smear on some X-10. It can't hurt your chances that's for sure. Some days I swear it does nothing and other days I swear that without it I wouldn't have been so lucky. But again, it won't hurt your chances, so why not.

Changing Spoons

Sometimes changing your spoons frequently can be a not bad idea. Sometimes a certain pattern or colour will work better. We are talking significant changes here. Changing from a Blue/Silver to a Green/Glo could be the difference. And if all your spoons are pre-tied and coiled up, changing lures takes no time at all.

APEX LURES

I myself rarely use an Apex. However that is just personal preference. Many people use them, it is a very popular lure, and can be deadly, especially on active fish such as Cohos. They are similiar to the 'Kwikfish' lures used in lakes. Also simulating an injured baitfish, an Apex just needs to be attached on to the flasher as spoon would. Best colours for Cohos are usually Green apex's. For Pinks and Sockeyes a Pink/Red Apex works well.

HOOTCHIES / SQUIRTS

A hootchie are those squidlike looking lures. They are not in fact supposed to imitate squid. They are supposed to imitate small slender fish, such as Needlefish or Sandlance. If the bait is especially small, hootchies can be deadly. A Squirt is just the smaller, more slender version of the hootchie.

Types of Hootchies

Just as in the anchovy and spoon world, hootchies come in glows, chromes and every colour & pattern in between. In general, every colour and pattern is available in hootchie / squirt form.

Concept of Hootchies

The way a hootchie is designed to work is from the movement and rotation of the flasher. As the flasher rotates in circles, it pulls the hootchie in circles around with it. The hootchie has no action of itself. Therefore never fish a hootchie without a flasher in front of it. The hootchie (or squirt), again imitates an injured baitfish.

Rigging Hootchies

The way to rig up a hootchie is to tie 2, single, hooks in sequence on a leader. This is done by tying two 'Egg Loop Knots' in tandem with each other. Ideally the hooks should be aligned in the same plane of hook shank, (i.e one on top of the other), and the leader for hootchies is relatively shorter. This is because it must be close enough to the flasher to get it's action.

Importance of Leader Length

The key to hootchie fishing really is selecting the proper leader length. Most of us have "to this point on my arm for Cohos..." kind of systems. This means I hold a hootchie in my hand and the leaders for each respective fish goes to a certain point on my arm. Of course a measuring tape system would be better, but hey, it's fishing, not rocket science.

However, key is, leader length is everything, it will determine how the hootchie moves. It cannot be too long, or the hootchy won't move. If it is too short the hootchy will be too rapid and too close to the flasher. Before you let the hootchy down, test it and the flasher in the water to see the action that the leader length you have on is giving it the right action, if not, adjust. Don't put anything less than presentable down at any time. Of course how close to the flasher salmon prefer is covered in the Leader Lengths section.

Hootchie / Squirt Selection

As I said, choosing between hootchies and squirts just depends on what the salmon in the local area are in to. If the local bait is very small, squirts, if the local bait is just small, hootchies.

To Use Hootchies?

In general hootchies are not the most versatile of lures. They are not as effective as anchovies, and in general not as effective as spoons. In fact I find many days fishing with a hootchie or squirt is a waste of time. However, if hootchies are working, they are usually killer! I believe this because a salmon would prefer a herring to a needlefish anyday, especially if there are more herring around. If there are no herring around and the salmon are feeding on small needlefish, hootchies or squirts most likely are an excellent choice! It will be up to you to try it out, and also know what the local bait is, to see if it is to use that day or not. Again, as mentioned above, experiment with leader length.

Mini-Squirts

A third version of this system is the mini-squirt. The mini-squirt is an extra small version of the squirt, only about an inch or two long. It is common to use for Pinks or Sockeyes. They usually come in varieties of red, pink and white. These are rigged with only 1 hook behind it (1 Egg Loop Knot) rather than 2 for squirts and hootchies. When Sockeyes and Pinks are around in school these lures can be deadly.

 

Mylar (Shiny) Inserts

Many hootchies and squirts will come with silver shiny inserts, called Mylar inserts I believe. Some believe in them and some don't. I say it's shiny and silver, just as fish are, it can't hurt. They also come with most hootchies, there's got to be something right about them.

Favourite Hootchies

For Springs:
-Army Truck
-Green Ghost
-Purple Haze
-Glow Below (White) (Winter Springs, squirt especially)
-Mint Tulip (Winter Springs)

For Cohos:
-Purple Haze
-White Glow Hootchies (Commercial Kind works best)

For Pinks:
-Pink Shrimp

For Sockeyes:
-Anything Pink/Red

X-10 on Hootchies

Do I add X-10 to hootchies? If I am going hardcore and the fishing isn't great, yes. It is artificial and it adds smell. If you can, I'd recommend it. It really can't hurt your odds by any means.

Changing Hootchies

Hootchies are a lure where switching the type of hootchie can pay off indeed folks. If you have been running an Army Truck hootchie all morning, (which works well when the salmon are feeding on shrimp like creatures), and swtich over to say a Cop Car hootchie, in an area where there are small herring, that could make the difference. Night and day. An interesting note is that speaking of salmon feeding on shrimp, I recently landed a fish that had an entire prawn in its stomach. It was a Winter Chinook off Church Rock in November. An Army Truck hootchie could have worked well if they were feeding on that. For example, a Glo Below (White) squirt probably wouldn't have. Point being, try switching hootchie skirts on the line. If no luck, go to bait or spoons.

TYPES OF FLASHERS

Alright, the flasher. The flasher is an extremely important component of your salmon system. It attracts the fish. As we have mentioned earlier, flashers are rotating attractors, or dodgers (type of flasher), that swim through the water taking on the appearance of a swimming salmon. They look quite good when you see one in motion for the first time. Flashers also come in many, many colours, shapes and designs. However the most effective style is the Oki (large looking) flasher you will see on the walls of fishing retails stores.

Colours / Patterns

Flashers come in many colours. There will be a colour to the plastic body, visible around the edges of the flasher, and then there will be some sort of reflector covering on both sides. This is usually some sort of prism-reflector tape.

Water Clarity

A big part of what colour, or how bright your flasher appears in the water, is water clarity. If fishing off the mouth of the Fraser River in the silty, murky water, you're going to want a flasher that will be very visible, such as a Glo / Reflector. If fishing off Sooke in the middle of winter, a dark, low colour flasher will work better. Ultimately, the flasher selection depends on the conditions. All it needs to do is to attract the salmon around without scaring them off. This is why in the winter time, sometimes no flasher at all is used. The water is clear enough that it is not needed.

Local Advice When it comes to flashers, the best thing to do is look on a report, or give a marina a call, and ask. For example off Port Renfrew last summer it seemed unless you had a Gold Betsy, you weren't going to be landing as many salmon. There was a noticeable difference over my Green/Gold Oki Flasher.

Styles

Flashers essentially have a few styles. There is the traditional 'Oki' style, which has a coloured edge with either a Gold/Silver prism covering either side. It works. However there are many other options. Which ones work and which don't? I'll list the ones I use frequently.

Favourite Flashers

Summer
-Gold/Silver Betsy
-Red or Green/Silver Oki
-Jellyfish

Fall/Winter
-Purple/Gold Oki
-Cop Car
-Jellyfish

Again, the above are just some good ones. There are thousands out there I have not tried. However all of the ones above, especially the Jellyfish, Sooke Special and Silver Okis, have caught many fish.

Salmon Species

As far as individual salmon species, just pick flashers that go along with that species' preferred colours, which can be found under our Salmon Species section. With many additions, good starting points are, Chinook green, Coho Green/blue, Chum Purple/Dark Pink, Sockeyes and Pinks pink.

TERMINAL SYSTEM

The way I rig up my gear is with snap swivels and everything pretied before I head out on the water. This way all you need to do is simply snap things on, no tying at sea. Have a snap swivel off the mainline to the flasher, and then the flasher snaps on the leader/lure. I always have my lures tied with the leaders and a swivel, waiting to be snapped onto a flasher. This way it is quick, efficient and does not waste any fishing time.

TACKLE BOX / STORING

WHAT'S WORKING

Whenever you go to fish somewhere, whether it be a new spot or somewhere you haven't been back in a while, read a fishing report. What salmon are biting changes throughout the year and can vary week to week, and in different locations. What works in one bay may not work up the inlet. Point being, ask for local knowledge. The internet is also a great tool these days to research your prospective fishing location. I have done this on every recent fishing trip. I will figure out where I want to go and then email local guides and outfitters and find articles on the area.

LEADERS

Leader length determines how far behind the flasher a lure goes. This matters because it affects the lures acton, i.e how close to the flasher it gets and therefore how much the flasher ends up kicking it around. It also matters because some salmon don't want to come to close to another large fish, namely the flasher, therefore a longer leader is best. On the back of every flasher are recommended leader lengths. In general they range between 3'-8'. Hootchies have the shortest leaders because they have no action in themselves, without that rotating flasher.

For Hootchies:
Sockeyes: 23"-25"
Pinks: 26-30"
Cohos: 24-27"
Chums: 42"
Chinook: 30-40"

For Spoons:
40"-72" (4-6' is always a good bet)

For Bait:
48"-108"(up to 9', this depends on time of year and locality)

Quick Leader References

Most of us have a spot on our arm, shoulder or so, for each respective leader length, especially for hootchies. I have seen other guides measure spots on the boat with a measuring tape as well. Whatever works for you. For example, to the center of my chest is my Chinook hootchie length, to the top of my shoulder for Cohos and then to the inside of my shoulder for Pinks. Of course these can change, but it all depends. Try and figure something out with experience that works for you.

REGULATIONS

Just ensure, with whatever tackle you are using, that it abides by the law and has barbless hooks on it. "Forgetting" is not good enough. I have seen too many plead ignorance or come up with other excuses. Salmon are important to me, as they are with everybody else. Therefore, we must all abide by the rules to keep this fishery alive and well.

The DFO has all regulations published online (for saltwater and freshwater). Ensure you either pick up a copy in a fishing store or go online and check it out.

FINAL QUOTE ON LURE CHOICE

To put things in perspective here, keep in mind what a lure is doing, it is attempting to simulate a natural salmon & baitfish combination. The recent Island Outfitters fishing report had a saying I found appropriate to mention, for those who overthink their lure choices:

"Really, with so many fish around, almost anything that you use will catch springs if fished according to the manufacturer’s instructions."

This could not be more true. All the lures above have caught fish, and most will if you present it properly.