Stacking For Sockeye

[IronNoggin]

It appears I made a few conflicting posts regarding how to stack up to 6 rods for working sockeye. This lead to some confusion and a couple of requests to clarify what we were doing. So...

Here's a diagram that shows how the gear is placed:

- Start at the cannonball and clip on a flasher with a 6 to 8 foot lead

- Drop that into the water until the flasher goes underwater. You want the working line to JUST clear the top arch of the flasher's rotation. I've found ~ 2.5 feet works well.

- Run the terminal out 4 to 6 feet behind the flasher and attach with release clip.

- Drop wire so there is 10 to 12 feet between the flashers, and repeat process. Then do again when running 3 rods per side.

- Drop to desired depth.

- Repeat process on other side, and drop that ball to 1/2 the distance between the flashers (5' if set at 10' spread, 6' if 12' spread) above or below the other ball. This maximizes the depth coverage and provides one hell of a lot of flash which sockeye appear to like very much.

Slow (as in ~2 knots) speed is best for sockeye. Terminals can vary - Krippled K's are very good but tough to come by. Other small spoons do the job. Rig these on lighter rods/lines and it turns sockeye into Fighting Machines! MUCH more fun that running your spring gear! We generally use trout rods loaded with 10 pound test! The fish are actually able to fight on this lighter gear, providing blistering runs, lots of air time and downright enjoyment! Just gotta love Playing With Your Supper!

Hope that clears up any confusion! Hoping to hear of some success in the Inlet shortly now Ladz! [^]

Cheers,
Nog

 

[Peahead]

Hey Nog,
I use a different way of introducing multiple dummies by using a third rigger in the middle stacked with about 6-8 dummies then the outside two riggers with 1-2 dummies each on bottom. Total 10-12 dummies

I find your method interessting as I have tried something very similar butfailed at it. When putting dummies inbetween lines I found that the bow of line (from the rods to the release clip/terminal gear) would tangle with the dummies unless the dummies were set out much farther than your diagram depicts. I like having all my lines and dummies set in close to the cable (lines 6-8') and dummies ( 3-5') due to voltage bring socs in.
Have you had any problems with dummies tangling with your line from your rods to the release clip when setting dummies in- between ? Any ideas how big ( far from the cable) the bow in line projects when say fishing at 60 or 100 feet and the slack is wound out of it.

thx Nog
Greg
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[IronNoggin]

HiYa PeaHead,

Nope, never had that problem myself, although I see where you're coming from.

My deepest rods are set in the most forward rod holders on the boat. The holders are set at right angles to the boat itself, and I believe this helps them clear the flasher above. Same with the middle rods, also set at right angles, whereas the top rod is set straight back off the stern. Of course it helps to have longer rods - I use 10 foot "whips" for the bottom and middle two rods, and 7 foot top rods.

Like the idea of the additional downrigger and additional flash. Just no room on my rigs to do so...

Cheers,
Nog

 

[IronNoggin]

HiYa PeaHead,

Nope, never had that problem myself, although I see where you're coming from.

My deepest rods are set in the most forward rod holders on the boat. The holders are set at right angles to the boat itself, and I believe this helps them clear the flasher above. Same with the middle rods, also set at right angles, whereas the top rod is set straight back off the stern. Of course it helps to have longer rods - I use 10 foot "whips" for the bottom and middle two rods, and 7 foot top rods.

Like the idea of the additional downrigger and additional flash. Just no room on my rigs to do so...

Cheers,
Nog