SO frustrated! What are we doing wrong???

[famograham]

So we spent the entire weekend on the beaches trying to get some of these wonderful pinks that are everywhere.
We did the evening on Saturday at Departure bay, jumpers around....nothing. Then we got up early Sunday morning and headed to Nile creek. We fished just North of the rivermouth...fish jumping EVERYWHERE...from about 7:30 till 3:00-ish. The fish were all over the place, but we got NOTHING! Then headed back to Departure bay for the evening and again...nada.

We were able to cast out to where they were. We tried pink spinnows (.66 oz), pink Zzingers, pink glow oil slick hoochies. Only saw one of the fly fishermen at Nile catch one...one fish.

So what do you guys think? It was the BIGGEST tease to see them all over like that and then get totally skunked!

Any and all info appreciated!
We want it SO bad!
Thanks

 

[Karlo]

Try a nickel 3/8 ounce Blue Fox spoon, possibly called a Pixie. It has a pink (don't get the orange) center plastic insert that's reminiscent of a cluster of roe. Cast it out,let it sink a little, and retrieve it at a slow, jerky fluttering motion. Pinks love it! Remember, pinks are lazy strikers copared to coho, and getting to eager using a brisk retrieve will get you a lot less fish. They'll often hit it as it flutters down.

 

[Yak]

I had better luck fly fishing for pinks than spincasting too. I try to figure out where a school is moving after ive found it and they try to cast directly in front of it. I think its normally the lead fish of the school that strikes, if any, so i try to put my fly right there.

Good luck man, I know the feeling!

 

[Peahead]

The 3 most important things about getting pinks to bite after you find a school and cast into them is:

1)retrieve very slowly
2)retrieve very slowly
3)retrieve very slowly

Karlo's advice of slow retrieve with pauses to let the lure flutter down a foot or two is very important. NO fast jigging ! retrieve a few feet and then let flutter down again ....and so on...
The Gibbs minnow 1/2 or 3/4 ounze pink with white lightning or any small Pink or orange jig or spoon/hot shot will work. The lure with hook attached will hook more fish as the lure stays with the hook and doesn't slide away up the line from the hook like a buzz bomb or Zzinger.

 

[famograham]

Thanks a ton, guys!
We hit Nile creek again last night from 7:45-ish till dark, with Karlo and Yak's advice in hand. Seemed to prove true for one of us at least! He got 3 on...one right close to shore, but they all managed to slip off at the last second. The one he got closest to landing darted toward the shore...putting slack in the line and off he went! (He was using a large single hook.)
So, what's the trick to keeping them on until you close the deal??

Little by little, we're getting closer! It's our 13th anniversary today, and we're headed back up there tonight....HOPEFULLY this will be the day! A successful catch would make a very nice anniversary dinner, don't you think?

Thanks for the info, looking forward to more...LOL!

 

[Peahead]

I would stick to the large single ....for example a 5/0 single gamy, Eagle claw or Owner ...steelhead type hook where the point curves back toward the shank. A treble may hook up and hold well but I don't like using them as they are more likely to damage a small fish when releasing....also watch the regs as some areas have single hook only regs. Due to the soft mouth of a Pink the hook will open up a large hole while its being played and slide out fairly easily. Expect to lose 50-75% of hook ups. A small hook has too thin of guage metal and will easily pull through the soft flesh.

 

[Big Bob]

For pinks I like a small hook, a 6 or an 8 in a Pink Eve, Cluxewe Special, Teddy's Special, or a Gerry's Special. Yup a VERY SLOW retrieve is key.