Fish Sniffer On Demand Digital Edition Issue 3725 Nov. 23-Dec 7 | Page 29

Nov 23 - Dec 7, 2018 VOL.37 • ISS. 25 29 Trolling Methods for Sac Metro Salmon S moke was spotted somewhere in the Sacramento Area. Luckily it was not a wildfire, but instead smoldering alder wood chips. The sweet smell of sugar-cured smoked salmon will soon delight some lucky soul. Will it be you? The question is: how do you catch chinook salmon in the Sacra- mento Metropolitan Area? One good answer is trolling. Most people trolling from a boat these days are employing either Silvertron spinners or Brad’s Super Bait Cut Plugs. The rigging for each is slightly different, with the cut plug setup being the more complicated of the two. For either method, get a medium heavy salmon/steelhead type rod eight to ten feet in length. Attach a clicker-equipped bait casting reel spooled with 65 pound test braided line. If you can get a reel with a line counter, even better. At the end of your main line, thread a plastic bead and then tie on a duo-lock snap. Snap this to a v-shaped wire spreader, the local bait and tackle shops will have them. On the ‘bottom’ side of the spreader, you will want to tie a 36 inch long 17 pound test mono dropper leader to your sinker. I put snap swivels at each end of the dropper leader. This allows me to easily change sinker weights or replace the entire dropper if it kinks up or breaks off. The idea is that the dropper will snap off in snags so you don’t lose the entire setup. On the ‘top’ side of the wire spreader, you will attach a leader to your lure. I recommend that you cut off the cheap barrel swivel on the spreader and replace it with a high quality chain swivel like the ones made by P-Line. From here, you will snap your main leader. Everything I have described up until now will work with both the cut plug or spinner setup. The top side of the spreader rig is where things will be very different. I will start with the spinner setup, since Fish Sniffer field editor Jack Naves bagged this big Sac Metro area king while trolling a large spinner this this is the easier of the fall. two to master. Photo courtesy of JACK NAVES, Fish Sniffer Staff. With the spinner setup, attach a 4-ounce trolling sinker to the dropper leader. Next, run a 36-inch long 40-pound test that will fluorocarbon leader from the spreader emit all of chain swivel to your spinner. Again, I add the scent a duo-lock snap at each end of the leader you need. to ease changing setups. The fluorocarbon The cut resists twists better than mono, making it plugs offer my preferred leader material for rotating another lures. possibility At the end of this leader, my lure choice when is a Silvertron double-bladed spinner. trolling in I have had the most success with the the Sacra- double-silver blades and the double-char- mento treuse blades. Bead color is your choice, Metropolitan but the purple with silver blades has been Area. If you a favorite of mine. I also run the glow-in- are new to the-dark models first thing in the morning. the trolling I will rub some Atlas Mike’s green game, I ‘Salmon’ Lunker Lotion on the insides of would my blades for some added scent. Alter- suggest nately, the cut plugs have a scent chamber getting familiar Kirby was all smiles after landing this Capital City chrome during a late with your September outing. stretch of Photo courtesy of JACK NAVES, Fish Sniffer Staff. water using spinners, and then switch to the cut plugs if you as shortening the leaders on either side want to try something new. of the flashers to 24 inches instead of 36 On the cut plug droppers, use 10-ounce inches. All of this is to make landing and sinkers on the side rods and 6-ounce netting easier. sinkers out the back. From the chain While I’m on the topic of modifications, swivel on the top side of the spreader, tie a I will discuss changing out the hooks. On 36-inch long 80-pound test mono leader to the Silvertrons, I cut off the stock hook a Pro-Troll ProChip 11 Fin Flasher. From and rubber sheath. Then I add a size 4 the flasher, run a 36-inch long 40-pound split ring, to which I attach a Gamakatsu test fluorocarbon leader to your cut plug. I or Owner size 1 black chrome 2X strong like to add a chain swivel to the rear of the hook. I replace the stock hooks on the cut flasher to prevent line twist. plugs with these same hooks. The cut plug comes with a scent pad Once I’m ready to fish, I will troll down- inside of the chamber. I will remove stream with the current. For spinners I let this and replace it with a similarly sized my side rods out 40 feet, and the rear rods anchovy fillet. These seem to last longer out 60 and 80 feet. With cut plugs, the than canned tuna. I switch them out every side rods only go out about 25 feet, with hour or so to keep the scent trail fresh. the rear rods out 50 and 70 feet. I suggest that you invest in a GDF My speed will depend on the current, flasher quick release cable to prevent lost which is affected by the tides. I’m usually fish when using flashers. I’ve also tried somewhere around 3.3 miles-per-hour running the smaller 8 inch flashers, as well on the incoming tide and 3.7 miles-per- hour on the outgoing tide. I like to focus The classic Whaler center console with forward fishbox with drain, 25 on water that is 16 to 19 feet deep when New Easy Rider Sportfishing gallon built-in fuel tank, stainless steel side and bow trolling for river salmon. Departures from Berkeley Marina Set you drags loose enough so that a rails, transom storage, 4 rod holders, center console with salmon can peel out a little bit of line instruments and windshield, reversible pilot seat with when they are hooked. Keep the reel 3712 engaged, and turn on your clicker so you backrest and storage, 90 hp Mercury 4 stroke outboard, can hear the buzzing sound when they galvanized trailer with swing tongue and more. strike. There you have it – two Call for Pricing methods for putting fall-run N ow B ookiNg king salmon into your and Availability! SALMoN, HALiBUT, BASS boat. Hopefully I’ve LiVE BAiT TRiPS 1926 – 2018 given you some Your Bay Area Dealer new ideas for hitting For 92 Years the river. I’ll look for Rock & Ling Cod and Sturgeon 333 Kennedy Street smoke coming Reservations & Information Oakland, CA 94606 from your back (707)422-2050 www.outboardmotorshop.com yard, hopefully captainjgallia@neweasyrider.com 3725 (510) 533–9290 All Prices INCLUDE freight & prep, plus tax & license only. alder flavored. www.neweasyrider.com FISH SNIFFER COUNTRY by Jack Naves Celebrating 60 years of “The Unsinkable Legend”!! 2019 Models HAVE ARRIVED! 2019 Boston Whaler 170 Montauk (800) 726–2848