Catch river king salmon by getting a plug or spinner into their face right off the bottom. On the Sacramento, guides back troll big sardine wrapped plugs, backing the boat downstream slower than the current so the plug works in the fish's face. A wrapped plug like Brad's KillerFish mimics that presentation. Or troll a salmon spinner on a three way rig with 2 to 6 ounces of weight, line at a 45 to 60 degree angle, just ticking bottom. Kings are not feeding, so keep the lure in the strike zone and wait out the bite before setting hard.
What is back trolling for river king salmon?
Back trolling means using the motor to hold the boat stationary or ease it downstream slower than the current, so a big plug works in the current and approaches the fish from the front. Kings hold on the bottom, so the plug backs into their face and triggers an aggression strike. Guides wrap big flatfish with sardines. A CA wrapped plug like Brad's KillerFish fills the same role.
How do you keep a plug from snagging when back trolling?
Do not just hold the rod still, or the sinker wedges in the rocks. Lift the sinker, feel it tap bottom, and set it down, over and over, while the boat slowly backs downstream. That walks the sinker along with the plug working behind it so it does not hang up. Start with 1 to 2 ounces and move up to 3 or 4 as the water deepens.
How do you rig a spinner for river salmon?
Use a three way rig. Run 40 to 65 pound braid to a three way swivel, then a 30 to 48 inch leader of 25 to 40 pound copolymer to a salmon spinner like a Hawken Colorado Spinner. Off the other eye, run a snap and a 2 to 6 ounce weight, about 3 ounces average. Free spool until the sinker ticks bottom and hold your line at a 45 to 60 degree angle, just off the bottom.
How fast should I troll for river kings?
Just fast enough to rotate the spinner or swim the plug. These migrating kings are not feeding, so you are not looking for a chase. You want the lure to sit in the strike zone and irritate the fish into biting. Troll with the current behind you and zigzag so the bait comes at the salmon from the front or side, never from directly behind, which spooks them.
How do you rig a shad for salmon?
Catch America guide Monte Smith ties a 5 to 6 foot 12 pound fluorocarbon leader to a ball bearing swivel, not a barrel swivel, to stop line twist from the rolling bait. He runs three hooks: a size 2 owner mosquito center driving hook, a sliding gamakatsu single egg hook at the head with black yarn, and an owner ST36 red size 6 stinger treble riding off the tail. Brine the shad overnight so the belly holds.
How do you set the hook on a river king salmon?
Wait. The strike feels like a couple of taps or slabs, and every instinct says to swing. Use all your willpower to keep the rod tip steady and let the salmon get the plug well back in its mouth. When the rod is buried and you cannot wait any longer, thumb the spool and set hard, then reel immediately to get the fish's head off the bottom. Do not stare at the tip and give slack.
When is the best river king salmon season?
On the Sacramento, salmon fishing runs through December 15. The fall run winds down in late October and early November, then a fresh late fall run of big brand new chromers moves in. Those late fall fish, often 20 pounds and up, bite through the cool weather right up to the December 15 close.
How do you land a big river king?
Landing salmon is a team sport. Carry a net big enough for a 40 inch fish. Wear the salmon down and lay it out on the surface before you scoop, and never net a fish whose head is pointed down, or it will bolt and tangle the swinging sinker in the mesh. Scoop head first, get the net hoop vertical, and drag the fish over the side.
Watch the technique
Trolling for river king salmon FAQ
Run 40 to 65 pound braid as main line. For spinners, use a 25 to 40 pound copolymer leader, whose stretch helps when you fight a big king. For wrapped plugs the leader can run heavier, up to 40 to 60 pound mono or fluorocarbon.
Anywhere from 2 to 6 ounces depending on depth and current, with about 3 ounces average. Start light at 1 to 2 ounces in shallow water and move up to 3 or 4 as it deepens or the current gets stronger.
Migrating kings are not eating, so the bite is not about hunger. A plug or spinner backing into their face reads as an irritant or a threat, and the salmon mauls it out of aggression. Keeping the lure in the strike zone is what draws the strike.
Troll with the current behind you so the bait approaches the salmon head on or at an angle. Salmon face into the current, and anything coming from directly behind them reads as a predator and spooks them.
Monte Smith uses a size 2 owner mosquito hook as the center driving hook, a size 8 gamakatsu single egg hook that slides to the head, and an owner ST36 red size 6 stinger treble that rides off the tail to catch short biters.
A rolling shad spins constantly. A ball bearing swivel handles that spin and prevents line twist, while a barrel swivel would let the line twist up on you.
Run the center hook through the body, then the egg hook through the bottom of the jaw and out the hard top of the head, and pull the leader to bend the shad. A tighter bend rolls faster, a slower bend lets you troll a touch quicker.
The late fall run brings the biggest fish, roughly November into mid December. Those big 20 pound and up chromers move in fresh with the cool weather before the December 15 season close.
