# Skein only???? other baits too?



## Streamers and skein (Jul 28, 2011)

Hi guys was just wondering if you bait fish for salmon are you skein and bobber exclusive or do you use other stuff too( jig and magotts , alewives , minnows)..etc ?.This just coming from a steelhead fanatic..Ive only salmon fished about 5 times and usualy would do so in NY.. Also Ive been reading alot about salmon fishing (hours and hours!) and have been getting conflicting information on fly fishing for salmon.. I know they dont bite when their in spawn mode but what if their just passing through a shallow area to go upstream and have not gotten into the mood yet?? is it still frowned upon then too? I dont know but I'd rather ask and know because I dont want to look like a fool on the river... Thanks to all who reply...Dustin


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## Steel-er (Dec 20, 2010)

Dustin, a good number of fly fishermen actually switch to using crank baits like deep thundersticks to get the early kings to hit in the deep holes. The guides at BBT on the Pere Marquette are just a few. Use some deep diving baits and you should be able to entice one in dark water. As for you comment on the "mood", I took one of my roommates out (this was his 4th time ever fishing) and had him use crank baits on spawning salmon so he could see the fish. He was able to piss off a few males and ended up landing his first two kings, so their definitely still willing to bite. Whether that type of fishing is frowned upon or not leads to ethical issues that can be debated about forever so I won't even go there. Hopefully this helps

steel


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## Streamers and skein (Jul 28, 2011)

thanks steel-er , Ive got rapalas and thunder sticks I'll definitly be trying em out.. Also is the Willys Squid the squid spinner all you guys use? if so what size???


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## vanj85 (Jun 23, 2011)

T_stick jrs will killem early just be aware the will take your rod right.out of your hands I think now till end of month is the best time for cranking as long as the weather cooperates if needed I can pm you some patters that work real well on a few northern rivers
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## diztortion (Sep 6, 2009)

Even with white tails they'll chase down hardware.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

I fish the breakwalls and piers or docks alot for salmon and seem to pick them off pretty good with spawn bags fished right on the bottom with a no. 14 treble hook. If I want to release them this hook does little damage to the fish and I can reel them up and break the 8 lb test line at or near the hook. This way I do not handle the fish.


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## FishKilla419 (Feb 22, 2008)

I hit 4 or 5 last year on a deep diving cotton cordell firetiger crank that gander had in a clearance bin. Had to change the hooks out after the first chin but they were smokin that lure. I usually throw t-stiks deep jr, or rapala deeps.
The crank bite seemed to be the best right before light and at first light. It was kinda crazy before there was any light we gottem in the hole and outside the hole in the current..
Im determined to get one on an inline spinner this year.


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## gillhunter (Apr 23, 2010)

Robert, have you noticed that chartreuse bags work better in the morning?

The glow willy squids work well and black glow I've heard work good in daytime. The bigger willy squids are what most people use. 

Anything green glow works great at night.


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## fishfly (Sep 7, 2007)

chuck and duck with a flyrod with a 6-8 ft. leader and small flies with really strong hooks. Oh wait you were talking about getting "biters", then don't do that... then all of the above posts are right on!


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## REG (Oct 25, 2002)

This pretty much pertains to when they get into the rivers. Guys already have brought up the sacs and pitchin' T-sticks, so I'll just mention a couple of other techniques. If one thing, kings can get pretty moody from time to time, so it's good to keep flexible.

With everyone and their brother wanting to toss plugs at them for the the last decade or so, spinners seem to be taking a back seat. This can be deadly. Also, a well fished spoon can also get you a few more fish, though some people associate fishing spoons in the streams with snagging.

One way I used to like fishing plugs was to drop them back or "hotshot" from the back of the boat. For me, there is kind of a suspense that builds up as you back the plugs down into the likely bucket and I love the hits that come this way, most especially on kings. I have had a king strip out a rod holder, and looking back on it, that was awesome. This works well if you have people with that are not skilled casters and having a hard time placing their offerings where it needs to be. When doing this, it doesn't hurt to sweeten the plug if you can with a little strip of herring or sardine.

One thing I haven't tried, but I and a few buddies kind of banter this one around is using dead alewifes under a bobber, or using ale's (or herring) cut plug or using a rotary salmon killer dropping back behind a diver back under some holding places. Seems guys use it on the West Coast in tide water (lower river) situations there, just wonder how it would work here.


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## Robert Holmes (Oct 13, 2008)

I will have to try using the charteruse wrap early in the am. I never thought it made much difference. I do change my bags about every 20 minutes to keep the scent going that can make a world of difference. Nobody mentioned corkies or wobble glows. I use the really small ones and they work great when the salmon won't hit anything else. The steelhead love them too. In the currents the wobble glos with a spawn bag really picks up steelhead too.


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## Fishndude (Feb 22, 2003)

One year I was fishing in Alpena (anyone who has fished there knows exactly where I was fishing), around the first week of November. I was getting bites from skanky old male Kings using little Steelhead jigs with wigglers. I say I was getting bites because the fish would literally take my bobber under, and tow it all over the place, but whenever I set the hook it came flying back at me. I landed a couple, but was amazed that they were biting such a small offering, and so late in the season. They were The Swimming Dead.


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## Threefish (Jan 20, 2009)

I troll the lower end of the rivers with hot & tots and catch a mixed bag of salmon, walleye browns, rainbows, smallmouth. You never know what your going to catch.


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## Streamers and skein (Jul 28, 2011)

Thanks for all of the comments guys... Now can you still catch salmon on spiners , cranks, and spoons higher up in the river system...


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## Streamers and skein (Jul 28, 2011)

Robert Holmes said:


> I fish the breakwalls and piers or docks alot for salmon and seem to pick them off pretty good with spawn bags fished right on the bottom with a no. 14 treble hook. If I want to release them this hook does little damage to the fish and I can reel them up and break the 8 lb test line at or near the hook. This way I do not handle the fish.


I use to do the same thing fishing power plants in the winter time for steelhead...


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## earl (Sep 7, 2007)

REG said:


> One thing I haven't tried, but I and a few buddies kind of banter this one around is using dead alewifes under a bobber


It works the first couple of days they hit the river here too.


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## Streamers and skein (Jul 28, 2011)

any one ever try or catch a salmon on a jig and maggotts???


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## earl (Sep 7, 2007)

Jigs and waxies are principally a late season steelhead, brown trout, and coho technique. I'm sure some kings have been taken via the method, but I would want to test the hooks on the lighter jigs that way.


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## FishKilla419 (Feb 22, 2008)

Streamers and skein said:


> any one ever try or catch a salmon on a jig and maggotts???


Yeah the white tailed zombies love them in nov..:lol:
Not kidding.:yikes:


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## wartfroggy (Jan 25, 2007)

FishKilla419 said:


> Yeah the white tailed zombies love them in nov..:lol:
> Not kidding.:yikes:


 no......you're thinking of white tails COVERED in maggots!


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