# Targeting salmon/steelhead offshore



## Josephg.wisniewski (Nov 20, 2014)

Id like to try something new and never have went offshore for 1-3 year olds and steelies. I am just wondering exactly what you guys do to find them. Do you go to a certain depth and look for bait, thermo, etc...? I want to start doing that rather than waiting for the fall run and combat fishing. Any tips would be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys


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## BucksandDucks (May 25, 2010)

Find scum lines for steelhead. The surface of the water will be different and they will collect debris. Did well last year working the edges with a 3 color


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## Sparky23 (Aug 15, 2007)

Generally you want scum lines, slicks, temp breaks. You can take a look on a temp map and find a good starting point sometimes. Short leadcores and copper do alot of the damage out there, but you can hit mature fish down deep to. Bright colors on your high lines and most of the time bum your speed up.


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## blackghost (Oct 2, 2010)

If I can't find any good temp breaks or scum lines - I just really bump the speed up and try to run into some fish. If I'm out looking I generally run at 3.5 to 4 mph with Dreamweaver SuperSlim spoons. If I find some fish I try to stay on them, and I might slow down a little to the 3 to 3.5 mph range.

Depending on surface temps, I'm going to be running a spread as follows:

*Colder water near the surface (temp break down 5 to 15 ft):*
1-color
2-color
3-color
6-color
100 copper
150 copper
200 copper
Bright colored spoons (oranges, yellows, mixed veggies...)

Rigger down 50-70 (blue or green dolphins)
Rigger down 80-100 (purple or black spoons)

*Colder water a bit deeper (temp break down 30 to 50 ft):*
3-color
6-color
100 copper
200 copper
Bright colored spoons (oranges, yellows, mixed veggies...)

10-color
300 copper
400 copper
Green or Blue or Purple spoons


Rigger down 70-90 (blue or green dolphins)
Rigger down 90 (purple or black spoons)


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## cmueller302 (Jan 30, 2007)

Black ghost nailed it. Sometimes I won't run any riggers all boards. A flat line out the back or a small rubber core on a mono rig. Love super slims and pro kings. Mostly all orange combinations. Slide divers with 100 foot lead can be good. Run a rigger deep with sliders can be hot also. Finding them look for surface temp breaks, and scum lines. 


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire


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## Josephg.wisniewski (Nov 20, 2014)

All tips much appreciated guys. I will use it when i go out next. The only main question is, how far out do you go to find the breaks and scum lines as they change on a daily to hourly basis depending on many variables like temps, currents, winds, etc... Do you just drive out to 50 feet, 100, 150ft and start looking?


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## Josephg.wisniewski (Nov 20, 2014)

As you can tell very new to this. I know how to salmon and steelhead fish just never have engaged in chasing them offshore.


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## plugger (Aug 8, 2001)

Josephg.wisniewski said:


> All tips much appreciated guys. I will use it when i go out next. The only main question is, how far out do you go to find the breaks and scum lines as they change on a daily to hourly basis depending on many variables like temps, currents, winds, etc... Do you just drive out to 50 feet, 100, 150ft and start looking?


 It will depend some on what port your fishing out of. Out of Ludington boats often go out 20 miles or more but you may find temp breaks much closer, especially off the point. Again the satellite map is a good starting point. When I look for scum line fishing I generally run north west and watch the surface temp for a definite change. Steady winds allow the temperature breaks to set up. High winds and especially varying directions tend to break up the set up. A few years ago we were on a group of steelhead for about a week and we were seeing as many Wisconsin boats as Michigan. The best scum line fishing I have seen was out of Manistee and we were fishing about straight off Onekama. Scum line fishing is a whole nother world and every one should experience it some time.


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## OneidaEagle (Sep 25, 2008)

I was reading this, and am sort of confused.

BlackGhost, when you look for the temperature breaks, are you talking on the surface, Say the temp goes from 62, 58? Or are you referring to Temp as in feet down?

Looking for a temp say a 3 to 7 degree difference in a 10 foot depth spread?
Meaning at 15feet down its 60, then at 20, its 53?

Blackghost, by the way, I still refer to that spread sheet you gave/made for Dipsey spread. Thanks.


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## Josephg.wisniewski (Nov 20, 2014)

Ya i am interested in knowing as well kind sir lol thanks in advance


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## GuppyII (Sep 14, 2008)

You are looking for both, slicks on the top and cold water close to the surface if the slicks don't form. Now, last year the fish were about 12 to 15 miles out of Ludington, we would head out, set lines and troll west till we started seeing cold water or started catching. Then you just go to work on them, if they split go look for another pocket of fish. It is a blast when it all comes together... we were running almost 35 miles last year during the Ludington tournament to the scum lines, I was standing on my hard top and could see baits on flats, 1 colors and my high mono divers... see flashes behind the bait then watch the hookup..


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## starcraft_1961 (Oct 8, 2010)

I was doing the same program last year this time.
I really hope it's the same again I'm heading over for a week sat


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## blackghost (Oct 2, 2010)

One type of break is the surface break - look for the surface temp to change significantly over a few hundred feet, or sometimes a 5 degree drop over a mile or so depending on the weather conditions.

If the surface temp is not dropping, I'll put my probe down to find where the temp started to drop a bit (lets say it goes from 60 on the surface to 55 down 30 feet). Once I find that 55 degree water I'll keep my probe there and troll in a westerly direction. Sometimes as you troll you will see the surface temp stays at 60, but the probe temp at 30 ft may drop to 50 or even 45 degrees. When this happens, bring your probe up and see how high the cold water goes. In other words the breaks are now "near surface" but you would never find them without the probe.


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## starcraft_1961 (Oct 8, 2010)

This is exactly what I did out of. Sanilac last night and it saved the trip


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## Josephg.wisniewski (Nov 20, 2014)

Ya i need to suck just suck it up and dish out the money on a probe. Does anybody know of a relatively onexpsenive but good temp probe thats not 400-500 bucks?


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## GuppyII (Sep 14, 2008)

Josephg.wisniewski said:


> Ya i need to suck just suck it up and dish out the money on a probe. Does anybody know of a relatively onexpsenive but good temp probe thats not 400-500 bucks?


Not one that will show feedback. I picked up a fish hawk for a buddy off here this year for under 200, you just needs to look. Look at used boats, someone may have one and be willing to sell it while waiting for the boat to sell. There was a boat at I-75 trailers a few weeks ago that I probably could have gotten the hawk for 2 bills or so.


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## OneidaEagle (Sep 25, 2008)

I was looking at one of these.......

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fish...z_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products&Ntt=fishhawk


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## danielwebster (Aug 22, 2009)

OneidaEagle said:


> I was looking at one of these.......
> 
> http://www.cabelas.com/product/Fish...z_l=Header%3BSearch-All+Products&Ntt=fishhawk


I've used that product for a couple years before getting a transducer style probe. Even now I still use it.

I found that it worked well, and was way better than not having anything. Obviously it's less convenient, but did its job.


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## SalmonBum (Feb 28, 2001)

You dont neeed a probe. Actually, I found it hinders more than it helps. Guys think salmon prefer XXX speed and XXX temp, so they only will fish those paramaters while staring at the numbers on the probe. Fact is, it varies every day. There is no replacement for experience. Learn to read the water and what you tackle\rods are telling you. 

BUT.... a probe is nice IF only used as a reference guide.


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## OneidaEagle (Sep 25, 2008)

Can something like this be done for the surface breaks?

I looked at Great Lakes Coast Watch, which gives surface temps.
I will use Muskegon as an example.

So it shows Latitude and Longitude for a temp break at roughly 86.30W & 43.10 North. (If I am understanding Temp Break properly)

Although the contours are for Surface temp not water depth.
So You would use your graph to get to roughly that area (Does not need to be exact) as a starting point?

By the way, I used Google earth, marked that Lat & Lon and used its ruler to measure the distance, that that's roughly 8.4 Miles from the pier heads at Muskegon.

Is that what I am looking for on the surface?

Thanks


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