What to use ???

[BIG D]

Hi every one, my wife and I have Been out of the state for 20 yrs, we both grew up here, and we both love to fish, but I've lost my knowledge when it comes to steelhead or salmon fishing. I still remember I love Light rigs and we bank fish a lot, hope to have a boat soon. But forgot what to use for bait?? sand shrimp? or just lures or both can you help? thanks

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

Tactics have changed over the last 5 years, let alone 20, but if you remember how to drift fish, you are set from the bank. Light gear is the way to roll for Steelhead, and light-ish for Chinook. A nice 4-8, or 6-12 for Steelhead, and an 8-12, or 8-15 for the Chinook should fit the bill. For bait I run home cured eggs, and coon shrimp. The Coon dogs are available at B.C. Angling Post in Gladstone. If you are located on the East side it is worth it to pick up a bag. I also throw spinners, and spoons built from components I manage to wrangle up at B.C. too. A basic, bank drift rig consists of a leader with one or two hooks bait looped in, secured to your mainline via a nail/double overhand knot, or you can put a swivel in between the main, and leader...I don't for Steelhead. Coho, they require a swiv though... Go no longer than about 20 inches with your leader, and a couple #5, or #7 split shot attached to a 2 inch tag end of your leader material... You don't need to drag the bottom, just tap rocks every 40 feet through the drift, that is why you don't need much weight drift fishing. You can also drift fish spinners, and it is by far the most productive method for me. As opposed to a straight up retrieve anyways. Good luck man, and let us know how you fair.

 

[fisch]

You can also drift fish spinners???

You can also drift fish spinners???

AA can you be more detailed on this?

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

Just toss 'em up at a 45-60 and manitain contact, but don't reel to get your spinner to thump. You will need to reel, only to maintain contact, but not to operate your spinner. Let the current, and hydraulic pressure changes do the work. You may not feel the blade traditionally thumping, but it is turning, but at constantly varrying speeds. I actually get most of my Summer takes just after my gear gets out of a heavy current seam, and "hangs up" a bit. In other word the fish are picking up my gear just after it has stopped rotating, or slowed drastically. It takes some getting used to, but after a day of drifting spinners it becomes almost second nature if you are half versed in the ways of drift fishin. Try it out. Its fun, and productive. It's just another method to learn, add to the mayhem that is fishing! Haha!:lol:

 

[BIG D]

Thanks for the info AA think I'll try the clack around riverside park tomarro the wife is already draging out the poles, I think she wants to go fishing haha

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

If you hit Riverside, don't forget to hike up around the bend in the river and fish the straight stretch down to the corner you hiked past. Summers will hold in the head of that riffle, and the Winters are goin gto be spread all over that drift. Mostly in lazier water, but just fish it man.

 

[fisch]

Riverside hole

Riverside hole

I think I know what you are talking about AA. I've heard that the deep hole on the other side of the river at the bottom of the strait section(private property) can be productive for springers. Is there any change go get there? Maybe cross the river on the kayak/boat and fish. There is a steep cliff on the other side but I think if you can get the eggs or shrimp cocktail to the bottom of that deep hole you might get some takes? ...just thinking.

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

I killed a lot of Springers in that hole last year. It does hold fish, and it is very deep. I get on the opposite bank, below th ehigh water line and bank drift it, or anchor up the 'toon, and bobber-dog down into it. That is what worked best last year. A float is the only way to get down to the fish. But if you decide to fish it, either leave a note in te mailbox on Clack River Rd. or stay well below the high water line. Stay off their "beach" too, it is just out of respect that I do it. It is technically legal, but don't step on anyones toes, especially if you are fishing below their property.

 

[fish_on!!!]

hooking coon shrimp

hooking coon shrimp

I got a bag of coon shrimp from bc and I thought u thread it on your hook the same way u do sand shrimp but it jus won't stay on long enough even with an egg loop! Is there a special way to get them to stay on your hook?

 

[Raincatcher]

Super glue!!!

Super glue!!!

I got a bag of coon shrimp from bc and I thought u thread it on your hook the same way u do sand shrimp but it jus won't stay on long enough even with an egg loop! Is there a special way to get them to stay on your hook?

fish_on!!!;
Okay,I have a confession to make. I TRIED to use coon shrimp,I mean,I REALLY tried! I tried everything I could think of to get the lil buggers to stay put. ray: The only thing I accomplished was tossing shrimp to anything passing by me. I got so ticked off at my lack of skill I actually did toss the rest of the bait in the Salmon River,kicked a rock and stomped back to my van with the perfect pout! :wall: The only suggestion I now have is Super Glue!!! :doh: I hope someone takes mercy on us and puts pics on here to show us what the heck to do. ray: In the meantime, good luck/skill out there. Kind of lame I know,but it's all I've got for you...sorry. :redface: Be safe.
Babr

 

[Chedster]

I had the same probelm with some coon shrimp, just to mushy. I started buying prawns from winco and curing some up. You can boil them for like 20 secends to really firm them up if you like. I found just curing them and letting them drain in a strainer over night works nicely. They come out very tough and will stay on the hook till you take them off. You might be able to toughen up the coon shrimp with salt or something but I just stick to prawns as they are fresh and cheap.

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

Hmmm. Barb, the Coons you have must have been either old, or cured without salt. Ched, the sodium does help tuffen them up. a lot. But coon shrimp, are pretty much a sub-specie of Prawns. So they should essentially fish the same. Rays sells cases of raws, and they are all kinds of tuff without the cure!

 

[osmosis]

yeah, if your coon shrimp are soft, they are simply bad shrimp or a terrible cure. you did the right thing by throwing them away Barb, we'll eventually get you a bag of B.C. Angling post's prawns and you'll love 'em.

 

[ArcticAmoeba]

And they stay fishable in fridge storage for about a year too, so for those that don't have the chance to fish a whole bunch, they are really a fantastic bait, that actually works well!

 

[Chedster]

So far all the fish i hooked have been on cured prawns but I guess I fish them more often then raw. I had bought the coons from Joes so who knows how old they really were and a big waste of five bucks. Cured up some fresh prawns for this weekend, hopefully I can break in my new drift setup

 

[fish_on!!!]

Mine are stiff jus dont think I'm hookin em on right are they suppose to look like 2 U's over lapd at the bend (don't know if that makes sence to u)the hook goes in 1 side of the shrimps bend then pokes out the other side of the bend??? and the head always pops off does it need to be on there?