Opinions on a drop shot rig for salmon

[OldTimer]

Well said.


EDIT:
From the Ontario 2012 regulations:

   

[beaser]

I have been trying legitimately and I haven't caught anything. Like I said I'm getting into fishing after 40 years and I never fished for salmon. I also never had the standard of gear that i have now either.

If you go up to Coldwater there are a herd of guys all huddled on the town dock all swearing about goby swiping their bait, most are dedicated fishermen and at days end they haven't caught anything. For the past 3 or 4 weeks all I've seen caught is a few pike. Last weekend I made the rounds up around Coldwater, the Nottawasaga, Clarksburg and Thornbury and there were a few people fishing for salmon and they all seemed like very conservative and thoughtful people, there were however, no salmon caught.

If fishing for Salmon is unethical than why are the MNR people not reacting. I don't believe all of these people that are trying are unethical. All that I saw were using a slip float, a single hook and a roe bag. Unethical to me is use of too much force and un necessarily maiming a living creature. One young fellow offered that the fish are cold blooded, that is true but that doesn't give anyone license to rip the fishes face off unneccarily with multiple hooks.

My other concern at the moment is am I wasting my time fishing for salmon and the answer looks to be yes

Where might I more spend my time more productively. I'm told there are trout and pike in the rivers as well. I'm a newbie and any advice will be well received. I listen and I learn.

[MuskieBait]

Fish with float, single hook and roe bag is fine. It is when you intentionally aim the line to pass right into the mouth and snag the mouth that is questionable. There is a difference there.

I was just fishing for salmon tonight at a rivermouth. I was tossing spoons after dark. I was skunked, but my friend hooked and landed a salmon that was 21lbs. It had taken the spoon much like salmon takes spoons out on the lake. Fishing rivermouths with lures for salmon is completely fine as you WILLL get a reaction/predatory strike from these staging fish. It is when the fish are further upstream that they do not bite. Once the salmon travels upstream of the rivermouth, the chance of a salmon hitting is much less.

Saying that, I do have salmon chase spinners, spoons, flies and even roe bags in the river, but very rarely. I have personally seen my friend (twice!) caught salmon on nightcrawlers where the worm was swallowed so completely that only the tip of the worm was showing and the hook was down the stomach. It does happen, but that is maybe once in a blue moon.

As I mentioned, you should concentrate your efforts at the rivermouths casting spoons and crankbaits for salmon that actively respond to these presentation. If you persist, you will eventually catch your salmon.

[beaser]

I'm assuming that the fishing at the mouth of the waterway is not affected by situations down stream. I do have cleos, cyclops, canadian wigglers and a few flatfish that might fit the bill. i did get a few glow in the dark cleos and cyclops, I'm assuming these would be best at or after dusk.

I do appreciate the suggestions.

What species are in the river this time of year and catchable. A trip to the mouth of these rivers is a fair drive and I may be able to do 2 trips in a week. The nottawasaga and the coldwater are 20 min and 35 min trips and very handy.

[MuskieBait]

Sorry, have not fished in the Nottawasaga or Coldwater. I can't help you there. Glow spoons are your best friends

[MichaelAngelo]

Another thing to keep in mind is that salmon will fight a LOT better off the pier than in the river. The river fish are already exhausted and have no space to make big runs. Salmon at the mouth of the river... well that's just a crazy fight. I once hooked one at a river mouth and lost it... hook came out... but it was like holding on to a derailing freight train.