ermen wait all year for these months , monitoring forecasts for ideal surf and weather conditions conducive to a safe and successful venture off shore .
Successfully finding salmon in the vast ocean is a challenging priority from a kayak . Make it a rule of thumb to fish both sides of a tide exchange as fish activity increases during these times . Chinook can be unpredictable , spook easily and are less reactive to bite at just anything presented to them . They can be found close to shore or in deeper water . In 25 to 40 feet of water I target them a few feet off bottom . In deeper water I ’ m fishing in the top 35 feet of the water column . Coho commonly run several miles off shore in larger schools . Once you find one there will sure be more . They are known to be more aggressive biters and will readily take a variety of terminal gear . Often in the early morning coho can be found in the top 15 feet of the water column , potentially running deeper as the sun comes out . Look for ideal water temperatures , ranging from 50 ° to 55 ° F , in conjunction with feeding birds , bait balls , whale activity , rip lines , oil and foam slicks , or variations in surface water texture . Once you find these conditions make subtle changes to your presentation to tease out a strike . Sometimes simply changing direction or speed of troll can coax the fish into committing .
A long-time fishing comrade of mine showed me an old Dory boat rig that is highly effective , especially if there are schools of calamari . Tie a 2.5 ” squid skirt above a 5 / 0 Gamakatsu Big River hook on a 18-22 ” leader of 40lb . mono . Tip the hook with a chunk of herring or sardine and run it behind a Mack ’ s Sling Blade 9 ” Dodger . This rig is quick to deploy and has been very effective for salmon in the ocean . The side-to-side action of the Sling Blade lure can easily be adjusted with a slight bend in the tail end and it effectively trolls at a wide range of speeds up to 2.5 mph .
When bait is abundant in the ocean salmon feed and grow at a rapid rate which may hint at bigger fish eventually moving into the river systems . A good number of these engorged fish will make their way toward the Columbia River , numerous river systems in Washington state , and in Oregon . Where there are salmon runs , there is opportunity to fish from a kayak .
One of my favorite methods to target salmon is troll rotating flashers with spinners , or cut plug herring . I also have success trolling prawn spinners early in the year when the spring run salmon return .
Wind is an unwelcomed friend but can be combatted by using the kayak fins to your advantage . An advantage of fishing from a kayak is our ability to troll at slow speeds even with a wind at our back . With the newer Hobie Mirage 180 Drive I am able to momentarily kick the fins in reverse and flutter the pedals to slow my speed of troll . In a paddle kayak I simply back stroke to achieve the same effect .
It is important to note the minor differences in how these wide roll rotating flashers are fished . Relative to water speed , Pro Trolls achieve an effective
roll starting around 1.7 mph speed over ground ( SOG ). Leo ’ s Flashers are unique and versatile in that they can be fished inline or with a wide rotation at speeds ranging from 0.5 to 2.5mph SOG . In strong currents they are more effective going with the current or tide . Monitor the angle of your line for a more accurate representation of your speed of troll in changing currents . When fishing a slower presentation , I like to fish Leo ’ s Flashers . When covering water and searching for fish , I will fish Pro Trolls . In either situation try to present your gear 3 to 6 feet off the bottom .
Customizing the layout of your kayak with accessories that fit your individual needs can be a lot of fun . However , it is
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