Chinooks like "structure" what kind of Structure?

[Topcheese]

Hey Everyone,

I hear many guides and experienced fisherman talk about structure when fishing for Salmon (chinooks). Obviously it is to do with the way the bottom and the shoreline are laid out. Can someone explain it a little better? What exactly should we be looking for with Structure? What kind of structure do they like or congregate around?

cheers,

 

[Charter Tofino]

Structure holding bait...

 

[spring fever]

X2 with Kelly-Structure could be a point of land causing a back-eddy on an ebb or flood causing bait to congregate or mill due to confused water. Could be a pinnicle in deeper water-bait might hold there. If there is no bait-then chances are pretty good there are few if any salmon. If you were the bottom of the food chain wouldn't you try and hide around structure-rather than swim in the open.

 

[spring time]

kelp beds so they can ambush feed

 

[Topcheese]

Great guys, thank you very much. I figured it was all of the above just wanted to confirm.

cheers!

 

[Kramer]

Structure also combined with the right tide/current to move/push/hold the baitfish.

 

[Karma-Kazi]

Ah Yes and also slack water areas to help those big fat boys hide out of the current aswell!

Try Charlie Whites 101 fishing tips to catch salmon!

Read it 5-6 times when I was 10. Now look what happened!

-Steve

 

[Seafever]

Migratory Chinook swim in the "open" a lot.

That said, when structure is present they seem to like being up close to it, whether there is bait there or not.

Long extended rock walls, extended ledges, dropoffs, "step" dropoffs, seamounts, lees and the like provide "holding" spots from the current (as well as the availibilty of bait/food).

Flat sandy extended bottoms with no structure, the current is slowest right down on the bottom.

Also..... think of a river.....the current is fastest in the middle. At the sides where there is rocks and structure and obstructions:- the current is slower.

Migratory fish will "hold" in said places...waiting for the next tide in the right direction to move on.