Large Salmon
- Thread starter Theb55
- Start date
fishin_magician
Well-Known Member
What Yo Mama said... depends on where you are fishing.
There are a few things you can do...and there ARE ways to hunt that slab. Some of it is luck.....but for the most part...consistently hooking and landing that slab isn't "luck".
There are a few things you can do...and there ARE ways to hunt that slab. Some of it is luck.....but for the most part...consistently hooking and landing that slab isn't "luck".
scott craven
Well-Known Member
Agree with the other's "where you are fishing" is likely the biggest factor.
I have also fished local waters for many years with only a few over 30, none over 35lb.
Still waiting for that big boy !
spring time
Well-Known Member
location location location, if you want the big boys go to big boys runs ie rivers inlet ect.
Big Green Machine
Well-Known Member
Spend more time on the water later in the season?
codfather
Crew Member
Theb55, bigger lures = bigger fish. When I start fishing in the am I'll have a 5" tubby and a 6" spoon on the bottom two downriggers. My third downrigger out the back will be the shallow one down to a max 60 feet and most often will catch coho and a few springs. After we put a couple of fish in the box, I'll start changing to bigger and bigger lures. 6" tubby and a 7" classic plugs will be on and I'll have them close to the bottom.
Most often the biggest fish are on the big plugs and deep. 2 years ago in Nootka I caught 10 fish over 40 pounds and 9 of them were on the plugs and one on a spoon.
Most often the biggest fish are on the big plugs and deep. 2 years ago in Nootka I caught 10 fish over 40 pounds and 9 of them were on the plugs and one on a spoon.
Finished Business
Well-Known Member
Ya we are guilty of this method!
Couple years WCVI...nothing over 30....up to rivers and we put a 45 lber (scaled at Dawson's) or 51lbs by the Good Hope size calculations. This was the second Rivers fish for us. The first came up empty. It took about 5 days of HARD fishing, in peak times (12hr straight on the water). But we managed to land 1 Pig. We lost two, one which was DEFINITELY in the 50s (it was so close to the boat we could have measured it!) and the other probably in the same field as the landed fish, around 40-45.
Of course we didn't pull into rivers and drop gear...after getting into the inlet, it was another case of location location location. There are some big boys up there...but its up there! Maybe it was more, Location Location Planning. We had a great trip. Once we got back, the count began...364 days until Rivers...363 days...
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I've caught 33 fish over 40 including a 52. Most in Sooke where I spend the bulk of my time, a couple from Bamfield and a couple from Nootka. There are a few things that can be done to up the odds, the most important being time spent fishing. If I counted the hours spent fishing for those 33 fish the hour to catch ratio would be....well like the Lottery. Most of the fish out there (WCVI) are high teen and twenties, a few 30's and only a handful over 40. Put in the time, always have your gear working at its best, stay where these fish are found most often (close to shore) unless you are offshore, be prepared with the proper equipment. (like a net big enough) That is about all you can do, the rest is just waiting your turn. A competitiveness streak helps too, to prove it I'll be trying to get #34 before you get yours!!! 
FishBC.org
Active Member
I've caught 33 fish over 40 including a 52. Most in Sooke where I spend the bulk of my time, a couple from Bamfield and a couple from Nootka. There are a few things that can be done to up the odds, the most important being time spent fishing. If I counted the hours spent fishing for those 33 fish the hour to catch ratio would be....well like the Lottery. Most of the fish out there (WCVI) are high teen and twenties, a few 30's and only a handful over 40. Put in the time, always have your gear working at its best, stay where these fish are found most often (close to shore) unless you are offshore, be prepared with the proper equipment. (like a net big enough) That is about all you can do, the rest is just waiting your turn. A competitiveness streak helps too, to prove it I'll be trying to get #34 before you get yours!!!
Sound advice profisher. Any particular depth pattern you found? lure size?
FishBC.org
Active Member
Yeah I've stuck with running 6" or bigger only this last year, and did crazy well with it. Hit 4 out of 5 species a number of times. Depth again varied, and only in three areas was a consistent depth consistent.
IronNoggin
Well-Known Member
Lots of factors to consider... Many already noted in this thread.
Location plays a key role obviously - always found it's damn tough to catch what isn't there!
Rivers Inlet, Hakai, Queen Charlottes and Rupert are all well known to produce large springs.
Given my personal preferences, I'd wander up off the mouth of the Kenai myself as that area produces some Real Monsters each and every year. Ahhh, but trips such as those are damn pricey, and of course as you've seen, they don't guarantee you'll latch onto that Biggie you're seeking.
There are some larger fish caught a little closer to home each year too. Nootka, Ukee, Tofu, Bamfield etc all see a good handful, although it does seem that points south such as Sooke not so much. And within each of those areas, there are, at times, specific locations therein that can increase your odds. A couple would be the "Outside Corner' on the "Highway" out from Nootka, and the "Sawtooth" outside the Big Bank out of Ukee/Bamfield. Understanding the specific migration patterns (WHERE they will be EXACTLY) of stocks that can produce larger fish very much helps!
Timing is just as significant. In general, not many Biggies roar through the southern areas until August, mid to late August often being the best. While this obviously fluctuates from season to season, that general rule is worth paying attention to. Easy enough to determine, simply watch the Forums (many of those that catch the Big Boys often cannot help themselves) and / or pound the docks when the boats wander back in. In the case of Ukee, there's an even easier way. Since the inception of the Ladder Derby, it's never been much easier to determine just when the Biggies are rolling in. Results are tabulated daily, and posted to their website. Keep an eye on that, and you will know WHEN to strike.
The amount of time you can put in often makes a big difference as well. While you may get Lucky and bag one in the first couple of minutes (in the right place at the right time) for most that isn't the case. It is an odds game, and given those larger fish are the fewest in number, you'll likely have to go through a good handful of their more prolific buddies to tag that Big One. Simply follows that the more time you put in out there, the more hook-ups you see, the greater the odds of latching onto Walter.
Big Baits = Big Fish. An obvious one that somehow many seem to miss. Understandable. When chasing Hawgs, most of those who are consistently successful have a few "Favorites" to entice those oversized buggers to bite. And, in most cases those favorites are larger plugs and occasionally larger spoons. Running those has a couple of effects: They DO increase your odds of tagging a larger fish, and part of doing so is deterring the smaller fish from filling the vacancy as you swim by. So, if you can be satisfied with smaller catch numbers, running larger gear often translates to keeping the vacancy open when the larger fish are encountered. Less in numbers, more in SIZE.
Depth can also play a role. IMHO the larger fish will often orient to shallower depths. Yes, I understand they are occasionally caught deep, but the vast majority of larger fish I've seen over my span have come from 80 feet and up. In fact my best producing depth for a couple of seasons has been 77 feet - not often you will find me without one side at that mark through the peak of the season. For a reason. As salmon mature, their gonads swell and begin to fill their gut cavity. Any time those particular fish start to sound, the pressure on their bodies increases significantly. Too deep, and it becomes downright uncomfortable for them. Thus most will seek the zone where they are most comfortable, and for whatever reason, that does appear to be a tad shallower than the smaller fish.
LUCK! Let's face it, Lady Luck always plays a pretty strong role. Some are born with this, but most folks have to create their own. By paying serious attention to the details as outlined by several here, you actually will increase your own luck factor.
Here's a little incentive for you:
Good Luck!!
Cheers,
Nog
Location plays a key role obviously - always found it's damn tough to catch what isn't there!
Rivers Inlet, Hakai, Queen Charlottes and Rupert are all well known to produce large springs.
Given my personal preferences, I'd wander up off the mouth of the Kenai myself as that area produces some Real Monsters each and every year. Ahhh, but trips such as those are damn pricey, and of course as you've seen, they don't guarantee you'll latch onto that Biggie you're seeking.
There are some larger fish caught a little closer to home each year too. Nootka, Ukee, Tofu, Bamfield etc all see a good handful, although it does seem that points south such as Sooke not so much. And within each of those areas, there are, at times, specific locations therein that can increase your odds. A couple would be the "Outside Corner' on the "Highway" out from Nootka, and the "Sawtooth" outside the Big Bank out of Ukee/Bamfield. Understanding the specific migration patterns (WHERE they will be EXACTLY) of stocks that can produce larger fish very much helps!
Timing is just as significant. In general, not many Biggies roar through the southern areas until August, mid to late August often being the best. While this obviously fluctuates from season to season, that general rule is worth paying attention to. Easy enough to determine, simply watch the Forums (many of those that catch the Big Boys often cannot help themselves) and / or pound the docks when the boats wander back in. In the case of Ukee, there's an even easier way. Since the inception of the Ladder Derby, it's never been much easier to determine just when the Biggies are rolling in. Results are tabulated daily, and posted to their website. Keep an eye on that, and you will know WHEN to strike.
The amount of time you can put in often makes a big difference as well. While you may get Lucky and bag one in the first couple of minutes (in the right place at the right time) for most that isn't the case. It is an odds game, and given those larger fish are the fewest in number, you'll likely have to go through a good handful of their more prolific buddies to tag that Big One. Simply follows that the more time you put in out there, the more hook-ups you see, the greater the odds of latching onto Walter.
Big Baits = Big Fish. An obvious one that somehow many seem to miss. Understandable. When chasing Hawgs, most of those who are consistently successful have a few "Favorites" to entice those oversized buggers to bite. And, in most cases those favorites are larger plugs and occasionally larger spoons. Running those has a couple of effects: They DO increase your odds of tagging a larger fish, and part of doing so is deterring the smaller fish from filling the vacancy as you swim by. So, if you can be satisfied with smaller catch numbers, running larger gear often translates to keeping the vacancy open when the larger fish are encountered. Less in numbers, more in SIZE.
Depth can also play a role. IMHO the larger fish will often orient to shallower depths. Yes, I understand they are occasionally caught deep, but the vast majority of larger fish I've seen over my span have come from 80 feet and up. In fact my best producing depth for a couple of seasons has been 77 feet - not often you will find me without one side at that mark through the peak of the season. For a reason. As salmon mature, their gonads swell and begin to fill their gut cavity. Any time those particular fish start to sound, the pressure on their bodies increases significantly. Too deep, and it becomes downright uncomfortable for them. Thus most will seek the zone where they are most comfortable, and for whatever reason, that does appear to be a tad shallower than the smaller fish.
LUCK! Let's face it, Lady Luck always plays a pretty strong role. Some are born with this, but most folks have to create their own. By paying serious attention to the details as outlined by several here, you actually will increase your own luck factor.
Here's a little incentive for you:
Good Luck!!
Cheers,
Nog
kenai used to be stellar for big chinook. largest up there was 74# with many, many over 50. unfortunately, the increased pressure, increased number of guides and so on, with the continued emphasis on killing all of those monster fish, guilty, has collapsed that fishery. once you harvest the really big spawners, you change the gene pool considerably. its a lesson all of us should pay attention too as so many continue to place emphasis on 'trophy' fish, salmon and halibut with no consideration for the future.
Theb55
Active Member
Interesting you should say that. I have not fished plugs since the 60's and don't know where to start, colours or depths. I guess glow patterns and uv have taken over the market since I last used them. All I can remember about plugs is to tie them on and not use snaps. What are good colours off Sooke. Suspect the larger bait fish there will be herring and pilchards. Permutations based on green seem to work down deeper along with an assortment of octapus, and squid. I can remember using a plug many years ago and catching shakers about the same size as the plug. Almost damaged the shaker trying to get the plug out of their mouths. Maybe start with a quick note to Tomic.
Red Monster
Well-Known Member
I was on the Kenai in 2010 and it was a blast. We caught one 35 pound spring in one day of charted fishing and about 80 sockeye from shore. We saw one 65 pound hawg taken. It's not expensive if you plan well.
Saxe Point
Well-Known Member
hooktender68
Well-Known Member
I have been fortunate enough to cross paths with a couple fish WCVI that I guided and would put in the pig catagory. In my experience the biggest thing is being prepared for the Pig. The bigger the fish the more the little things start to stack up not in your favor of landing it. Always pay attention to the little things and deal with them the moment you notice them. How many fish have you already got on that litre? When is the last time you stripped off some mainline and re-did your knot?, can the net you carry even deal with a pig? Hows the mesh? Are you good with a gaff? on and on.......Also something cool Ive learned over the years guiding, is any fish Ive ever lost, figure out why you lost it, what went wrong and never let that particular thing happen again. Like everyone else sofar, big tackle means big fish!! Less quantity, more quality. My personal favorite, when I know there is some size larges around, is BIG Canadian Wonder spoons on the rocks!
Cheers
Cheers
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