trolling for sockeye

reelfast

Active Member
given the astronomical forecasts for run returns, it appears as though WDFW is going to include sockeye in our daily bag limit this season along the strait. knowing absolutely nothing about terminal tackle for this species, I would appreciate any and all advice your folks might have to direct this sockeye novice to success.
 
Use attractors on your rigger, these dummy flashers help to hold a school with you and you can pic off more then 1 or 2

I run 4 or 6 dummys per side.

18 to 28 inch leaders to flasher, only troll as fast as you have to to make flasher roll. Slow.

Red hot spot or the like flasher, heavy leader to mini hootchie, heavy leader allows it to track the flasher better. usually hot pink to orange or red many choices here. Even purple and black depending on where and when your fishing.

Lots of info here. Search it out .

PM me if you need better info

HT
 
Run as many rods as you can handle, they love lots of flash. Small pink hoochies, mp 2,15 and 16's and straight black hooks on short leaders. As far as speed goes, slow. I have so much sockeye gear kicking around here, pm me your address and I'll send you some pre tied leaders
 
Flash and lots of it. Sockeye are a schooling species and they feed in schools as well. The key is to get enough flash in the water to makethem believe that you are a school of sockeye and they will start to follow you. Behind the flash small pink hoochies with about half the tentacles removed will be you lure. Don't be surprised to get multiple hook ups at the same time. The vibration and appearance of of fish thrashing around seems ot trigger a feeding response and double and triple headers are common when you are into the school.

4 rods down (or 6 if you can manage them) and red flashers on all of them and additional flashers on the cannon balls will get your school. There are a lot of threads in this forum about sockeye and how to fish them. Use the search engine and you will find alot of this information.
 
This year Nikka has some of the Kone Zone Daisy Chains in Red should be a hot item!

KZDC-RED-CRGL.jpg


Something simple like this works too and remember you can't go too slow throw out a bucket if you have to.

025.jpg
 
Use attractors on your rigger, these dummy flashers help to hold a school with you and you can pic off more then 1 or 2

I run 4 or 6 dummys per side.

18 to 28 inch leaders to flasher, only troll as fast as you have to to make flasher roll. Slow.

Red hot spot or the like flasher, heavy leader to mini hootchie, heavy leader allows it to track the flasher better. usually hot pink to orange or red many choices here. Even purple and black depending on where and when your fishing.

Lots of info here. Search it out .

PM me if you need better info

HT

Is that one string of 4-6 flashers in a line together horizontally or vertically up the downrigger cable?
The Kone Zone looks good. Too bad they are expensive
 
Small spoons work on Sockeye....2 1/2". Small spoons but don't use too dinky a hook. Red, red/pink, red/green/black, blue/pink/green. Stick some prismatic chrome tape on the other side of the spoon so lots of glitter.

Lots of stuff works on Sockeye though. The flashers don't have to be red........but the flashier the better.

Normal trolling speed works.......try slow to normal. For some reason on Sockeye going in one compass direction will outfish going the exact same reverse direction at times.

Personally I think spoons will outfish hoochies for Sox.

I have guide friends who use bare brown or black treble hooks (smallish) behind flashers and limit out in no time. They are not snags .. they are all hooked inside the mouth.

We've tried testing the speed issue......slowish tends to work good, but we've had them hit going normal speeds plus over 3mph.
 
Is that one string of 4-6 flashers in a line together horizontally or vertically up the downrigger cable?
Horizontally-there is a vertical one on the market but IMO it looks too stupid for words.
The Kone Zone looks good. Too bad they are expensive
Got mine On Sale-whatever you do don't buy the cheapo imitation with the through wire setup-the wire rusts almost right away.

Any of these things works for Sox

IMGP3262_zps395a5332.jpg
 
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I have guide friends who use bare brown or black treble hooks (smallish) behind flashers and limit out in no time. They are not snags .. they are all hooked inside the mouth.

I had a buddy ask me if I had any black hooks in my tackle selection. We were getting ready to fish a derby. I told him no and thought nothing of it. Later after fishing for a bit he states that it is time to put on the "black hook". He pulls his line and proceeds to put on a leader consisting of two 5/0 black hooks. I look at this and comment what the F**K is that? My black hook he tells me. I laugh and tell him good luck. Ten minutes later we have a tyee in the net and he is offering me a black hook to put on my side. LOL Principle would not let me run a black hook but I might have to try one eventually. But not with him in the boat.
 
Probably not much of a surprise but I am itchin to try this combo out. Small UV Jughead with a 2.5 inch glow head Michael Bait NO Flasher attached to the lure. 3 to 4 Dummy Flashers per side.

Jughead Michael Bait.jpgJughead Sockeye Flasher Combo.jpg.
 
MP15's with 24" leaders have been pretty much my go to for lots of seasons. I have played around a bit with flasher color and didn't find that it matter as how much flash they made? I also have good sucess with 3" Coyote spoons in the "Halloween" pattern. I was a little unsure when someone told me to try them but they seem to like those colors at times? :D
 
This jughead spam is honestly getting annoying...people making multiple accounts pumping it on multiple threads etc etc. So far reports are that it catches fisherman more than fish. Not trying to hate but please at least keep it to a dull roar or one thread.


Anyways didn't mean to hijack. Looking forward to the socks show! Ill be running the inlet lots in may-June so will keep my eyes peeled for when they start to chomp.
 
This jughead spam is honestly getting annoying...people making multiple accounts pumping it on multiple threads etc etc. So far reports are that it catches fisherman more than fish. Not trying to hate but please at least keep it to a dull roar or one thread.


Anyways didn't mean to hijack. Looking forward to the socks show! Ill be running the inlet lots in may-June so will keep my eyes peeled for when they start to chomp.


You telling there's no real jug addicts, I think he's the real deal.
 
This jughead spam is honestly getting annoying...people making multiple accounts pumping it on multiple threads etc etc. So far reports are that it catches fisherman more than fish. Not trying to hate but please at least keep it to a dull roar or one thread.


Heheheh-- you noticed this too Kelly!
 
I wonder if dodgers (instead of flashers) would work better trolling at a slower speed?
 
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