Salmon rig suggestions for rookie

[cookshot]

Been fishing on the Wilson a couple times now and have seen a few fish caught, and have switched rigs every time to "what that guy was using", and have still got skunked. Started the first day planning to use a drop shot type rig until i learned that is an illegal rig for salmon, so I obviously switched. Tried the bobber and eggs thing for a day with no hits, then some guys showed up using (from bottom to top) eggs, yarn, corkie ball, and surgical tubing with a coil weight in it, and they caught three fish (HUGE fish, 35+ lbs.) So, being the salmon rookie I am, I went out and bought some heavier line after seeing the size of the fish and everything else they were using for the next day. Got a lot of little hits early in the morning, but no hook ups. Then another guy showed up with a float and fished RIGHT in front of me and my buddy tangling us several times, then seemed to get mad like it was our fault for not using floats. Pretty sure some of the hits were fish running into my line, but several were pretty distinctive hits. So my question is as follows:
One: Should I be waiting for the fish to take the whole cluster of eggs when I'm using that bottom rig? Or should I be trying to set the hook on small bites.
Two: Is the bobber/float setup better? I seem to have seen more people using it, but have seen the most fish caught using the bottom setup.
Three: When is it legal to use drop shot type rigs? That is, anything with your weight below your hook.

Any help would be great, thanks in advance.

 

[chrisohm]

Not sure what the drop shot is unless you mean plunking which is ok and next time I would just throw the dude tangling up your gear into the river with the attitude he had. Best part of advice, keep moving, get away from crowds that can eventually spook the fish and fish as low as you can. Do some google research and you can find multiple rig setups in many forms and quirky combinations. I have no advice on the hooking question and just find what is working and stick with it until you are not getting the hits then change up. Throw everything at them that you have in every color. Search some other threads here and you will come across informative treasures.

 

[FishFinger]

The drop shot, as you described it, sounds like a definite rig for those who foul hook. You play hell explaining to a Judge your "intentions" where noble. keep the lead above the hook.

From the bank you have three ways to present bait and facsimiles.

1) Dead drifting: allowing your presentation to bounce along the bottom carried by the current.
2) Float drifting: sliding bobber rig adjusted to the depth of the pool and/or tail out
3) Plunking: Sticking your presentation on the bottom usually with a sliding weight set up.

If you were "plunking" in a hole most often fished with floats, you may have "corked" the hole; leaving no room for others to drift through.

Case in point: I've been spending a chunk of time trolling for Chinook in the tidewater on the coast. 99% of the folks set their crab pots outside the main slots allowing boaters access. 1% Drop them right in the slot, corking that area of the river.

It's a perspective thing, me and your bobber buddy view "corkers" with disdain, you and the crabber guy might believe " I got here first and this is where and how I'm going to fish"

Nibbles, small bites; prob bull heads or trout, Chinook will grab and crush the berries, if they get hook stuck they go violent and it's game on. I don't plunk much, I'm sure others will have some good advise for you.

Yeah float fishing is very productive, get your offering to depth; up you chances. There are a ton of rigging options, check the archives, Bobber and jigs work well for salmon as well as steelhead.

 

[brandon4455]

plunking is what i was taught to do lol just use a one ounce egg weight attach a barrel
swivel and a leader as long as your arm. 3o octopus hook and your choice of corkies
the colors i find best to use are chartruese,lime,pink,orange,red,purple green and black
yarn will help too. sometimes using a bait loop and roe with your setup can work too
a lot of people say don't set the hook on small taps but salmon can bite very lite sometimes. ive had some takes where fish almost take my pole in the water and ive set the hook on a little tap and the next thing you know you have a fish on. try the same method but with a spin'glo if there is a good amount of current


-brandon

 

[cookshot]

If you were "plunking" in a hole most often fished with floats, you may have "corked" the hole; leaving no room for others to drift through.

Case in point: I've been spending a chunk of time trolling for Chinook in the tidewater on the coast. 99% of the folks set their crab pots outside the main slots allowing boaters access. 1% Drop them right in the slot, corking that area of the river.

It's a perspective thing, me and your bobber buddy view "corkers" with disdain, you and the crabber guy might believe " I got here first and this is where and how I'm going to fish"

I guess that was this guy's thinking. I don't feel like we were "corking" the hole, he had a good 40 yards to float without tangling us, and then he floated all the way down in front of the guys to our left. He was reeling in past us about four feet in front of us. This is definitely something I will keep in mind though.

plunking is what i was taught to do lol just use a one ounce egg weight attach a barrel
swivel and a leader as long as your arm. 3o octopus hook and your choice of corkies
the colors i find best to use are chartruese,lime,pink,orange,red,purple green and black
yarn will help too. sometimes using a bait loop and roe with your setup can work too
a lot of people say don't set the hook on small taps but salmon can bite very lite sometimes. ive had some takes where fish almost take my pole in the water and ive set the hook on a little tap and the next thing you know you have a fish on. try the same method but with a spin'glo if there is a good amount of current


-brandon

Are the spin n' glow the spinning corkie things that you slide on your line?

 

[the_intimidator03]

they are the corkies with little wings/blades on them

 

[brandon4455]

oh i forgot one thing for plunking with a plain corkie not a spin glo slide your corkie to the top of your hook and stick a toothpick in it so i't wont move. that way it's hugging your hook and putting it in the strike zone