12 rules of salmon fishing

[fishsniffer]

read this and thought someone might find it interesting...maybe.

Twelve Rules for Effective Salmon Fishing

Rule #1

Prepare your tackle and boat before going on the water. Rods should be rigged and hootchies, flies and other lures attached and ready. Boat batteries should be fully charged and, if possible, gas the boat the day before.

Rule #2

Pay close attention to the tides. The best tides have a 3 to 7 foot change. Small tidal exchange areas are the best fishing. With big tide and wind the baitfish hide in the relative calm of kelp beds or very deep in the water.

Rule #3

Fish hard during the peak times, one-hour before-through-after tide change. Dont be tying lures, changing areas or eating lunch during peak time. In the summer, early in the morning or late in the evening are peak times.

Rule #4

Use all the information you can get. Examples are: boat house information, maps and charts, electronics, etc. Watch for birds especially in the winter. The Rhinoceros Auklet will almost always be on top of bait. Other birds in the area will be Seagulls, Common Marine and Ancient Murrelets.

Rule #5

Fish with or across the tide flow, never against it. Salmon face into the tide flow and have a better look at your lure as its coming towards them.

Rule #6

Stay in the area you catch fish or see fish caught.

Rule #7

Dont fish only where there are other fishermen (i.e. famous hot spots). Salmon are around bottom structures or bait. Its better to fish by yourself for ten salmon on a reef, than to fish for two hundred salmon along with 4,000 other anglers.

Rule #8

Explore but learn to fish three areas extremely well then expand your areas by one new area per year.

Rule #9

Use a lure that has sight, sound and smell. Use any color, as long as it is green. The colors that show up the deepest water are greens, blues and blacks. All glow lures glow green. In addition, the new Ultra Violet colors can be added to your tackle box, as they show up at all depths. While we can't see UV colors, salmon see them very well. Use flashers or rattle plugs to create sound. Add scent to your lure, such as Smelly Jelly or other products.

Rule #10

USE COLORS! In the top fifty feet of water use any color. Below fifty feet try blue, green, purple, UV and glow lures. The exception to the rule; use white plugs for mature summer Kings. In Puget Sound, plankton absorb the colors of reds, yellows and oranges. By the time these colors reach 50 feet, they have pretty much turned gray and disappeared from the sight spectrum of the salmon. Two species of salmon do see reds, yellows and oranges better. These are Humpies and Sockeye.

Rule #11

When using bait check your bait every 15 minutes. Remember, you only have three hours of premium fishing time. If using lures, be aware of any change in rod tip action and check lure every thirty minutes or if youve bumped the bottom.

Rule #12

Sharpen your hooks and keep them sharp!

[Adam Bomb]

Nice post for certain.

[GLF]

I believe this mostly applies to fishing on the West Coast. Rules 2, 3, 4, and 5 do not apply to the Great Lakes.....at least I have never seen a 3 to 7 foot change in tide, nor seen a Rhinoceros Auklet. I have seen the seagulls.

[Boltman]

So that's what a Rhinoceros Auklet looks like.....I thought it might be a fishosuarus... I don't know, it's the west Coasties out there.............

[fishsniffer]

rule 2...do baitfish tend to go deep during higher wind?i dont know..if they do wouldnt that be helpful info?rule 3 is basically saying the peak times are early morning and late in the evening ..usually true for me...rule 4 basically is saying to use all the info at youre disposal....i realise rule 5 says tidal flow but couldnt that also be considered current?

[Priority1]

Most of these rules are universal, especially #12. Thanks for the post.

[1mainiac]

Well rule 2 for sure has no Great lakes application. 3 very much applies here or there would be no reason to get up early to fish. 4 applies other then the west coast birds find a large group of dumpster ducks in a area and you can bet there are fish feeding under them. 5 would apply to fishing in currents and is pretty much true they will always rest facing into a current

[Just Hook'n]

Nice rules and thanks for sharing.

Good reminders for sure as we get our senses dulled in the winter.

I like the "use any color - as long as it's green". HAHAHA.

[Turfwrench]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Although I may have to differ on the green, was not nearly as productive for me as the blacks were.

[Nailer]

Interesting. Thanks for sharing. Although I may have to differ on the green, was not nearly as productive for me as the blacks were.

Welcome Turf/Bill. Where is Attica?

[joelsanders]

THE AUKLET CHICK IS A MEAN CHARTER CAPN I BELIEVE,I SEEN HER ,DROVE RIGHT OVER MY LEAD CORE![ aledgedly]

[joelsanders]

Awesome post ,i really enjoy reading the great know how,tips and wisdom shared here THANKS TO ALL! I have learned a lot from you all! [cant wait to get out again!]

[Turfwrench]

Welcome Turf/Bill. Where is Attica?

Attica is half way between Lapeer and Imlay City. Thanks for the welcome. Spend my time at Pt. Huron, Pt. Sanilac, and of course Sag Bay. Pt. Huron is the closest to me and did real well there this fall but really like Sanilac. Can't wait till spring!!

[Priority1]

Attica is half way between Lapeer and Imlay City. Thanks for the welcome. Spend my time at Pt. Huron, Pt. Sanilac, and of course Sag Bay. Pt. Huron is the closest to me and did real well there this fall but really like Sanilac. Can't wait till spring!!

I trucked across I69 to PH, last month, with Paperboy. We picked up a trailer load of Woods N Waters magazines. I must have passed close to you. I knew where Lapeer and Imlay City were but now I now where Attica is also. If you're on the Saginaw Bay on a weekday give me a shout. There's a good chance I may be there.

[Turfwrench]

Will do Frank. I know you fish out of Au Gres a lot, do ya fish much out of Tawas? Had a great time up there the weekend before Labor Day. Got a couple dandy eyes out from the point. Went up on the holiday weekend, still caught fish but made mental note to no go there on the holiday. All the jet skiers were tying up the launch as if it was their own personal dock. See ya on the water.

[Priority1]

Will do Frank. I know you fish out of Au Gres a lot, do ya fish much out of Tawas? Had a great time up there the weekend before Labor Day. Got a couple dandy eyes out from the point. Went up on the holiday weekend, still caught fish but made mental note to no go there on the holiday. All the jet skiers were tying up the launch as if it was their own personal dock. See ya on the water.

I fish Tawas once in awhile, but mostly AuGres. I live between the two cities, and AuGres is a tad closer.

Don't get me started on Jet Skis out of Tawas. It was real bad when the Holiday Inn was renting them to any idiot that had the fee.

[Turfwrench]

Don't worry Frank, don't want to get ya riled up, hell my blood is still on semi boil after that trip.