Atlantic Salmon (St.Marys River) Losing Fish

[archie_james_c]

Hey guys I'm new to the forum, long time salmon/trout guy. We're nailing Atlantic's in the twin soo's here right now, but me and some pards are having a hell of a time keeping them on...its driving me nuts. They'll pop the release and shake for a few seconds, then puke the hook and take off.

Its happening at fast speeds, slow speeds, up river and down. We're losing 2/3's or more of out hookups. Running regular size silver streaks, and stingers. I had an old timer tellme I was using too big of spoons. That the fish were hitting the spoon and the hook was outside their mouths, so I ran a walleye dreamer spoon...hooked into one and lost it...I'm going nuts!!!

[SeaCatMich]

What releases are you using? Might need more tension to get a good hook set.

[mriversinco]

Have you gone back and sharpened all your hooks? I know my catch rate went up dramatically when I learned how to get every hook sticky sharp and not trust them out of the box.

[archie_james_c]

Hooks are sharp. But I'll go over them again to be sure. Releases are the yellow Scotty's. They take a good tug to set off and I keep the rods loaded right up in them. Keep the suggestions coming guys. Maybe I'm missing something. I'm gonna switch over to small spoons and see if it helps at all.

Does anyone know of a good 2.5"-3" yellowtail patterned spoon?

[SUPERTRAMP]

You might want to try a wide gap single hook instead of the treble, they usually give a better hook up. Just try to match hook weight. As for releases I still think that the #33 rubber band on a big jon band buster is the best way to hook fish.

[andyotto]

I second the single hook suggestion. I've put them on my steelhead spoons and have had better success.

[medic]

Archie...

Warrior flutter spoons can't be beat. Absolutely love em!

Sharpen them hooks again, too!

Good luck!

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Great Lakes Fisherman mobile app

[Oakzer]

I have been using NK's with a 3/0 Siwash and have had a hard time keeping fish on all year.

I also use the yellow foam pad releases...I have been setting them just enough in the clip so they don't pop off from waves....Is this a possible reason I am losing fish?

[SeaCatMich]

I have been using NK's with a 3/0 Siwash and have had a hard time keeping fish on all year.

I also use the yellow foam pad releases...I have been setting them just enough in the clip so they don't pop off from waves....Is this a possible reason I am losing fish?

The only yellow pinch pad releases I am aware of are the light tension OffShore Tackle planer board releases (model OR10). Are these what you are using? If you are and you are using them on downriggers, then I think this is your problem. Use a real downrigger release.

Are you getting a good bend in the rod when it is set in the downrigger? If you don't have them really bent or the rod has false releases if you put more bend in it, then I'd say you don't have the line in the pinch pad far enough to get a good hookset on the fish.

[Oakzer]

they are Scotty downrigger releases...i will try bigger bend in rod when setting....do you let the rod set the hook...or when you pull rod out do you set again??

Thanks

[SeaCatMich]

they are Scotty downrigger releases...i will try bigger bend in rod when setting....do you let the rod set the hook...or when you pull rod out do you set again??

Thanks

The bend of the rod on the downrigger has little to do with setting the hook. It mainly helps take up slack line after the hit and in my opinion tells me I have the release set tight enough to set the hook.

If the release is adjustable, you want it tight enough to not let the line pop out without some resistance when the fish hits and to hold the rod in the loaded bend. If they are not adjustable tension, then put the line deeper in the release pads. You don't want it too tight as this will prevent you from popping the line off of it from the boat when you want to change lures and prevent a fish from pulling the line loose. Takes some trial and error. Best gauge to me that it is set right is to have the good bend in the rod, but also be able to pop it loose with a quick snap of the rod.

I have not used the Scotty releases but have heard very good things about them. Can't say that I have ever really liked the various brands of pinch pad releases. I used the Walker "shot gun shell" releases for years and then went to the Blacks/Dubro ones which worked well. Three years a go I changed to the Chamberlain release because it allows for two tension settings == one for the lure/strike and a second for the rod. It is especially effective when the target species are not big or hard hitting (arly season *small* Coho, browns, and walleye). Not as valuable for Steelhead, Kings, and late season Coho where you usually need a pretty strong setting on the release.