Rouge River Rainbows

[OldTimer]

(10-02-2014 03:28 PM)MuskieBait Wrote:  I don't buy the line shy theory that much anymore. If a fish is aggressive, you can still induce a violent hit with heavy line.

I'll go a step farther with that thought:

I don't buy the whole concept of expensive braids and fluoro's over every day plain jane brand name mono for "pleasure" fishing

I use neither braid nor fluoro............ it's hyped up angler bling to me.


I seem to catch the odd fish here and there.........

Cheers,

OldTimer

[MuskieBait]

(10-02-2014 04:18 PM)OldTimer Wrote:  

(10-02-2014 03:28 PM)MuskieBait Wrote:  I don't buy the line shy theory that much anymore. If a fish is aggressive, you can still induce a violent hit with heavy line.

I'll go a step farther with that thought:

I don't buy the whole concept of expensive braids and fluoro's over every day plain jane brand name mono for "pleasure" fishing

I use neither braid nor fluoro............ it's hyped up angler bling to me.


I seem to catch the odd fish here and there.........

Cheers,

OldTimer

I agree. I still do a lot of fishing with straight 6-8lb mono.

I only use fluoro when it is absolutely needed. It is way too expensive to use on the regular.

I will have to say I do prefer braid though. I can use heavier line and smaller reels and still get the same capacity. But my need is a bit different. I do not have a lot of money to get a huge pile of gear for everything that I fish for. My spinning reel usually do multiple duties from float fishing to regular spin fishing to ice fishing on occasion to light saltwater fishing to pier chucking. For some of these, I need 300+ yards of line as a just-in-case. I need strength in some cases, while I need thin, sensitive line for others. So now I usually get a 4000 size spinning reel and spool it with 20lb so I can somewhat have a compromise between all sorts of situations.

I've hooked fish in the past on a 4000 size spinning reel where 8lb mono would not have sustained the fight...but if I were to put 15-20lb mono, I would not get enough capacity on the reel to even last through the initial run...

But then again, would you classify me as a "casual pleasure" angler?

[Toasty]

(10-02-2014 02:07 PM)Rayomatic Wrote:  Knowledge being half the battle, I thank you fellows!

So any suggestions on how to fish for them? Line, terminal tackle/bait, techniques, etc? There seems to be a lot of info online. Too much, really. I'd rather trust some of my fellow locals! The fish congregate in a pool about 6" to 2ft deep.

I use the same rig for salmon as I do for steelhead. mainline with a float (bobber) and split shot under that to a swivel. (Distance between float and swivel is determined by how deep you want your bait to drift). Attach a leader to the swivel (2-3' never longer than that is needed) and bait it with a bead, or roe bag, or pink worm, or a fly. For salmon I run either a bead or a fly and for trout I'll use a bead above a roe bag.

But to tell you the truth, it aint that great a fight in 2' of water (salmon that is). Look for pools that are at least 3-6' deep. Massive difference in fight. But a steelhead in 2' of running water, well that's a different story.

[MichaelAngelo]

Love this thread, thanks for sharing your experiences Rayomatic. I went through the same dilemma two or three years ago when I first discovered the wads of salmon that clog up our rivers in the fall . Finally after those two/three years of not really know what to do with them, I found the answer just a week ago. Spinners, kwickfish, and keeping your distance!

[Giuga10]

To add Crankbaits as MB said work very well, I caught a lot of Salmon last year fishing large 5"+ Jerkbaits for the salmon, and I would just canst and retrieve like it was a crankbait. I also caught a few this year on Crankbaits, but I find the fish will strike more often when presented with a bigger more obnoxious lure, IMO. Spoons work too, but I've found that jerkbaits produced the best for me.

[MichaelAngelo]

(10-02-2014 11:37 PM)Giuga10 Wrote:  To add Crankbaits as MB said work very well, I caught a lot of Salmon last year fishing large 5"+ Jerkbaits for the salmon, and I would just canst and retrieve like it was a crankbait. I also caught a few this year on Crankbaits, but I find the fish will strike more often when presented with a bigger more obnoxious lure, IMO. Spoons work too, but I've found that jerkbaits produced the best for me.

Nice! I should try this, I've got some larger kwickfish and jerkbaits in my pier box I can try. There isn't much more obnoxious than a big kwickfish .

I find that I get more follows than actual hits, and that once I get a fish from a pool I need to move on because they all spook. I'm new to this. I've only had three river outings where I've targeted them with lures, but each outing has been successful.

[Giuga10]

(10-03-2014 07:46 PM)MichaelAngelo Wrote:  Nice! I should try this, I've got some larger kwickfish and jerkbaits in my pier box I can try. There isn't much more obnoxious than a big kwickfish .

I find that I get more follows than actual hits, and that once I get a fish from a pool I need to move on because they all spook. I'm new to this. I've only had three river outings where I've targeted them with lures, but each outing has been successful.

Ya lots of follows but not as many strikes, what works for me is a slow retrieve, they don't concern themselves with the faster things, nice and slow and they'll usually catch up to it. Another is find a fish you wanna target cast behind him and retrieve it right along side of him, as soon as it passes it's eyes it usually strikes, just be careful not to get a hook stuck on the side of the fish while retrieving it, when this happens I usually just give the line slack and the river current takes it out since the hook doesn't bury itself.