Questions for the pros - Sockeye Fishing Tips ... Haida Gwaii Trip

[anorthernhunter]

Hi Everyone,

I'd like to give sockeye fishing a go during my next trip up to HG which will be the end of July.
We see schools of them at times on the sonar and this year I thought I would give it a try.

I have researched the net and this forum and came up with some thoughts which I will list below ... I would really like to tap into the brain trust on this forum as I have fished for chinook, coho and hali's for 30 + years but have never tried for sockeye. Feel free to chime in:

1. Not sure if the "run" is over by the end of July up in HG but will give it a try anyway. I suspect they
may have move on down by then ... tell me ... a futile effort and don't waste precious fishing time ... or go for it, there could be some around?

2. I assume sockeye fishing is tide dependent as is coho and chinook - so use the same tide based techniques?

3. I hear that the more "bling" the better ... so I plan to run a daisy chain on each ball, and stack two flashers off of each downrigger cable with the longer flasher at the bottom - thus having four lines out with six flashers/daisy chains (3 off of each ball).

4. Off of each flasher I plan on running small red hoochies with 24 inch leaders. Should I run some spoons in place of a couple of the hoochies? 24 inches ok?

5. I am not planning on running back lines with a banana weight ... don't want to risk a tangle ... good idea or bad idea (keeping with the more bling the better)?

6. Troll speed would be similar to chinook or similar to coho (a bit faster) ... roughly a 45 degree downrigger angle or are sockeye a faster swimming fish?

7. Generally speaking ... are sockeye typically closer to shore or farther out? I know that's a variable question, but would I use the same "locating" principles that I use for coho/chinook ... for sockeye? I guess I am trying to ask do they typically run in similar areas as other salmon.

8. Depth ... keeping with the "more bling the better" concept ... run the four stacked rods 15 feet apart to create a troll/bling swath 60 feet deep or put them closer or further apart?

Thanks everyone in advance ... appreciate the advice.

Northern

 

[Dogbreath]

You've got it down except maybe try a few shorter lengths for leaders.

As to with or against the current I'm reminded of what one of my old fishing buddies who used to troll commercially said 'they are weird fish'.

Their soft mouth is an issue most of us just yard them in the boat as fast as possible if you fight them too long they'll flop off.

 

[wishiniwasfishin1]

And hang on tight you are pretty likely to hook a good chinook on that gear!

 

[anorthernhunter]

Thank you guys for the info.

I have to admit ... it seems like alot of gear in the water at once ... and those leaders (24 in) seem very short
given my chinook fishing instinct lol

 

[anorthernhunter]

Stick with small red hoochies or run some red spoons (red devils)?

 

[Foxsea]

All of the above except slow down for sockeye and hit the water early.

 

[Rain City]

This is 14 flashers in the water.

 

[anorthernhunter]

Wow Rain ...

1. What depth were you fishing with those ... not all on the rigger?
2. No issues with tangles?
3. All with small red hoochies ... any spoons?

 

[anorthernhunter]

Rain:
4. Is it worth me trying with just 4 lines and 6 flashers?

 

[Confused]

I just use 2 red beads and an 18 inch leader. Works well........green flasher has always been my most productive.

 

[Rain City]

Wow Rain ...

1. What depth were you fishing with those ... not all on the rigger?
2. No issues with tangles?
3. All with small red hoochies ... any spoons?

All on two riggers and all with pink squirts. We ran one set above the other from about 120' to the highest at about 20' deep?. Yes we got tangles here and there. This was early season when they weren't as stacked and we were a little excited. Once we got into them and of course later in the season when there was a rolling boil of fish at the mouth we only ran 4 rods and even got rid of the dummies. Last year I switched all my sockeye gear to blue flashers, I needed to change things up to get a funk off and it worked for me. This was only my second season fishing sockeye though and the first I used one side all green and one side all red. Most guys on here would say the blue flashers are a waste of money but I limited out the 5 trips after I swapped over Was probably just a timing thing but whatever, I'm a baluever now.

 

[Pippen]

All of the above except slow down for sockeye

THIS........as a general rule.

 

[Four-Reel Drive]

finding the schools and staying on them is the most important in my opinion. Once you find the schools troll slow and make turns. they tend to bite once you start turning and you will get double and triple headers.