Trolling for pinks

[Bob W]

Never really fished for pinks before, but they are starting to show up in our area. Anyone have any tips for trolling for pinks?

I understand that a small pink single hook hootchie about 2" long works well. Do you use a flasher? If so what color? Leader length? Fast or slow troll?

All advice is welcome and appreciated.

Thanks!



Edited by - Bob W on 09/22/2003 16:37:28

 

[halibut22]

Hey Bob,

Any red/pink hoochie or squirt will work. I used a red flasher with great success this year. Shorten your leader to 4 ft and your ready to catch all the pink you want. Here's a tip, pinks have soft mouths so don't even set the hook, you don't need to. The pressure of the flasher and downrigger will set the hook for you. Plus you never know when that huge chinook that's been swimming with the pink school will hammer your squirt. It happened to me this year, I was fishing off of beachy head and catching pinks all morning when I saw what looked to be another small pink on my line. Well as soon as I grabbed the rod....BAM it almost gets ripped out of my hands and the fight was on. It ended up being a sweet 25lb spring. Good luck Bob.

 

[halibut22]

Hey Bob,

Any red/pink hoochie or squirt will work. I used a red flasher with great success this year. Shorten your leader to 4 ft and your ready to catch all the pink you want. Here's a tip, pinks have soft mouths so don't even set the hook, you don't need to. The pressure of the flasher and downrigger will set the hook for you. Plus you never know when that huge chinook that's been swimming with the pink school will hammer your squirt. It happened to me this year, I was fishing off of beachy head and catching pinks all morning when I saw what looked to be another small pink on my line. Well as soon as I grabbed the rod....BAM it almost gets ripped out of my hands and the fight was on. It ended up being a sweet 25lb spring. Good luck Bob.

 

[halibut22]

Hey Bob,

Any red/pink hoochie or squirt will work. I used a red flasher with great success this year. Shorten your leader to 4 ft and your ready to catch all the pink you want. Here's a tip, pinks have soft mouths so don't even set the hook, you don't need to. The pressure of the flasher and downrigger will set the hook for you. Plus you never know when that huge chinook that's been swimming with the pink school will hammer your squirt. It happened to me this year, I was fishing off of beachy head and catching pinks all morning when I saw what looked to be another small pink on my line. Well as soon as I grabbed the rod....BAM it almost gets ripped out of my hands and the fight was on. It ended up being a sweet 25lb spring. Good luck Bob.

 

[halibut22]

Hey Bob,

Any red/pink hoochie or squirt will work. I used a red flasher with great success this year. Shorten your leader to 4 ft and your ready to catch all the pink you want. Here's a tip, pinks have soft mouths so don't even set the hook, you don't need to. The pressure of the flasher and downrigger will set the hook for you. Plus you never know when that huge chinook that's been swimming with the pink school will hammer your squirt. It happened to me this year, I was fishing off of beachy head and catching pinks all morning when I saw what looked to be another small pink on my line. Well as soon as I grabbed the rod....BAM it almost gets ripped out of my hands and the fight was on. It ended up being a sweet 25lb spring. Good luck Bob.

 

[Bob W]

Hey thanks to everyone for the info on the pinks !

Chris, good to hear from you again. Yeah, I'm still in Powell River. Had an excellent spring fishing, but summer was a bit slower. Did make it out on the west coast for one trip this year to Kuyoquout sound - salmon fishing was OK but the hali fishing and ling fishing was excellent.

I get out almost your way - make it out to Grant Reefs which is midway between us. My buddy in Comox gets out around all the areas you mentioned - he had an excellent summer for salmon. Last winter he was trolling deep for springs and he nailed a 60 pound halibut off Bates beach.

Just starting to give up on the salmon season now and getting into a prawning mode for the winter. Also found an awesome crab spot, so will be doing the winter trapping until the springs start getting hot in March.

Take care!

 

[Bob W]

Hey thanks to everyone for the info on the pinks !

Chris, good to hear from you again. Yeah, I'm still in Powell River. Had an excellent spring fishing, but summer was a bit slower. Did make it out on the west coast for one trip this year to Kuyoquout sound - salmon fishing was OK but the hali fishing and ling fishing was excellent.

I get out almost your way - make it out to Grant Reefs which is midway between us. My buddy in Comox gets out around all the areas you mentioned - he had an excellent summer for salmon. Last winter he was trolling deep for springs and he nailed a 60 pound halibut off Bates beach.

Just starting to give up on the salmon season now and getting into a prawning mode for the winter. Also found an awesome crab spot, so will be doing the winter trapping until the springs start getting hot in March.

Take care!

 

[Bob W]

Hey thanks to everyone for the info on the pinks !

Chris, good to hear from you again. Yeah, I'm still in Powell River. Had an excellent spring fishing, but summer was a bit slower. Did make it out on the west coast for one trip this year to Kuyoquout sound - salmon fishing was OK but the hali fishing and ling fishing was excellent.

I get out almost your way - make it out to Grant Reefs which is midway between us. My buddy in Comox gets out around all the areas you mentioned - he had an excellent summer for salmon. Last winter he was trolling deep for springs and he nailed a 60 pound halibut off Bates beach.

Just starting to give up on the salmon season now and getting into a prawning mode for the winter. Also found an awesome crab spot, so will be doing the winter trapping until the springs start getting hot in March.

Take care!

 

[Bob W]

Hey thanks to everyone for the info on the pinks !

Chris, good to hear from you again. Yeah, I'm still in Powell River. Had an excellent spring fishing, but summer was a bit slower. Did make it out on the west coast for one trip this year to Kuyoquout sound - salmon fishing was OK but the hali fishing and ling fishing was excellent.

I get out almost your way - make it out to Grant Reefs which is midway between us. My buddy in Comox gets out around all the areas you mentioned - he had an excellent summer for salmon. Last winter he was trolling deep for springs and he nailed a 60 pound halibut off Bates beach.

Just starting to give up on the salmon season now and getting into a prawning mode for the winter. Also found an awesome crab spot, so will be doing the winter trapping until the springs start getting hot in March.

Take care!