Fishing Techniques
Look at this amazing fish! It’s a native springer Chinook
that was caught using a drift-fishing technique of mine called “Seam-riding”.
This newly created fishing technique garnered the hard hit within two minutes
of using it. The gorgeous salmon was running deep enough in the slot of a pool
that traditional drift-fishing methods did not inspire it to strike. The reach
of water it was holding in was about a hundred yards long with visibility less
than three inches due to it being a glacially fed system where turbidity prevails
most of the year.
After using other profiles that offered sound, scent, size, and color what got
this fish to bite was the ability of my spinner being able to dart in and out
of seam at the head of the hold drawing the attention of this salmon with pigment,
acoustics, and profile presentations of the lure, which varied dramatically
from all the others. The different combination of these four elements was too
much for this chrome-bright salmon to pass up…but most fishermen don’t
know about these critical constituents that get fish with lock-jaw to bite.
That’s what this site and all the information is about; getting reliable
fishing data to those anglers who want to be in the know. Each premise of these
fishing methods is easy to appreciate without insulting the intelligence
of anyone who wants to understand advanced, yet simple, fishing techniques.
These are species of fish that all these techniques work on:
• Atlantic Salmon • Chinook
Salmon • Chum Salmon • Coho
Salmon • Largemouth Bass • Pink
Salmon •
• Smallmouth Bass • Sockeye
Salmon • Steelhead • Striper
Bass • Trout • Whitefish
• Arctic Char • Lake Trout
•
• Brook Trout • Dolly
Varden • Grayling • Cutthroat
Trout • Brown Trout • Rainbow
Trout •
Baits and lures can be intermixed with various fishing styles; however, anglers
should be constantly aware that baits often fall apart after a few casts or
nibbles from smaller species of fish. Care can be taken to ensure that baits
last for an optimal amount of time when background research is applied e.g.
herring, smelt, shrimp, eggs, worms, and crayfish. While some baits will last
longer with each discipline, more than others, it behooves anglers to use this
general rule of thought: the harder the cast is the sooner you’re going
to lose the bait.
As a side note, take care not to confuse what’s a bait versus
what’s a lure. If the lure you’re fishing with offers any kind of
natural physical presentation such as scent, fur, hackle, and feather then it
becomes a bait, for instance, lures that have scent applied to them become a
bait due the olfactory attraction of fish. If ever confused about what is a
bait versus what is not then consult a regulation handbook to be crystal clear.
In many areas the determination is set locally and supercedes all other regulations.
Leader Variable
Using a drift-fishing technique, a fisherman is fighting a
huge salmon. Here the salmon boils beneath the surface attempting to throw the
hook. Note the thin leader line that goes directly to the boil. The angler has
correctly figured out that leader line had to meet requirements of clear water
to successfully hook into fish, and the battle here is proof it has worked.
Immediately after it was landed it was released. Drift fishing is but one technique
that produces fish any time of the year.
An Example of:
Addressing the Hold to fish a Pocket
Reading Water
This hold, called a pocket, has been formed by a large boulder. Many species
of fish prefer to hold in front and to the back of these. To fish in front
of it every cast must be made several yards in front of the slick surface.
To fish the pocket behind the boulder casts are made several feet in front
of the boulder and then drifted on and around the boulder for optimal presentations
where holding fish can get a good long look at the offering. Flies are cast
towards the riffle where they can be fished on the surface, dry flies, or
beneath it, wet flies, to garner hard hitting strikes. Spoons are drifted
the same as corkies, spinners, and baits. Jigs are fished with tip-up bobbers
and short leaders. These are just some techniques that will get fish on the
hook in this particular hold.
Reading water is vital to getting fish on the hook. It is the way of many
fishing trips. Every hold can be fished with various fishing techniques, but
can you tell how to fish it by simply looking at the water? This is the question
that must be answered before a single cast is made in order to produce fish
reliably and often.
This is the meat-and-potatoes of this page. Each fishing technique will describe
where they can be used and what fishing gear is best for them.
To
Top of Page
Fly Fishing
One of the most overlooked ways to drift-fish salmonids, yet can be one of
the most productive is Fly Fishing. Address the river and find the best holds.
Each segment of rivers and lakes tell a different tale. When you can walk up
to water without the aid of hiding in brush or hunkering near the waterline,
then you are truly in the midst of hundreds of fish. That is what it takes to
carelessly view fish that can see you easily. When fly fishermen, or any other,
can see fish then the school has long seen the fishermen. The best way to approach
fly-fishing is to fish downstream from the hold. Being behind fish is an amazingly
effective way to hide from them when visibility is unlimited; however, some
of the best fishing conditions are during water stages most fly-fishermen avoid,
and that means turbid water fishing. With a sinking tippet, cast directly upstream
and mend the line as it makes its way downstream. The fly, regardless of what
you use, will get down to holding fish fast. At the first sign of stress on
the floating mainline set the hook, and that's just how easy it is. The only
real hard part about fishing this way is convincing fly fishermen that it can
be done. Ironically, the more turbid the water is the more on the bite fish
tend to be and that means fishing overcast days with the skies threatening rain.
Have you ever seen a fly fishermen in the rain? With all the good fishing available
there should be more than just me on the water. Universally, fly fishing does
not involve using scents, but with the clarity of the river being zero, it will
need to be applied. The best place to put scent is either on the head or the
hook. Make sure to use a gel that will stick to the area it's applied to so
as not to ruin fur, feathers, or hackle of each fly. The other great option
is a single egg on the hook. The scent from the egg can be useful for about
ten to fifteen casts, which eliminates the threat of scent destroying beautiful
flies used for clear water conditions. When fish are in abundance make sure
to have plenty of tippets for quick fly changes, especially if you're scouting
out the area for the first time. You never know what you're going to run into
when on recon. It has happened to me, and it will you, a few times where there
were hundreds of fish and I only had a few leaders and flies. As a consequence
I only fished for a short time before I was out of gear while fish were everywhere
and not another fishermen in sight. The very next day I returned to find the
banks full of fishermen and the water severely depleted of fish. Don't let that
happen to you.
Bobber-Jig and Jig Fishing:
Bobber-jig fishing is Drift-Fishing and is one of the most productive ways to fish for Anadromous species of fish. Drifting with a bobber offers a range of fishing slow to nearly stopped water that other drift-fishermen cannot since their drift largely depends on speed. Bobber-jig fishing can be done in fresh and saltwater environments any time of the year.
The fish picked up from bobbers are almost always lethargic and tired from being in the main current, so the offerings need to be right in their faces. If fish are in the water and you're not getting hits right away, then your jig is probably not at the correct depth.
One of the more critical aspects of drifting the bobber is to keep your eyes on it! It only takes a few seconds to adjust the depth of your leader to keep it just off the bed of the river. As the bobber makes its way through the drift continually mend the line to keep it straight. If the line has a bow or bend you won't be able to get a good solid hook set.
Before heading to the river invest in some Gel scent that will stick to the head of the jig. Those anglers who use fur, feather, or hackle know that they can become laden with liquid scent rendering them useless after the first application.
Occasionally the bite will go off and everything you try seems to fail. Take a look at the jig and see if it has eyes. You'd be amazed at how doting some eyes on the side of jigs can garner strikes from fish. In many cases the only thing keeping you from bites is that one little thing.
Drift Fishing/Freshwater
(Rivers, Streams, Lakes, Tributaries, Coves, and Creeks)
This is the single most productive way to fish for all
salmonids while drift fishing freshwater. Where there is current these
fish can be drift-fished. Drift fishing can be done any time of the year anywhere
in the world. Most of the fish picked up will be active but the strikes will
be subtle; with that in mind it's essential to learn what the strike feels like
to ensure more fish on the hook. The two critical factors to consider are the
mainline and the leader. The mainline needs to be highly visible for anglers
to watch throughout the drift and the leader needs to be invisible, which will
aid in enticing fish to bite the offering without being spooked by the visible
line. Make sure to keep the mainline as straight as possible throughout the
drift. If done properly, hooking into fish can actually be done at the beginning
of the drift as well as the end of it. Since this kind of fishing is so wildly
popular, it can also put fish off the bite. This kind of pressure is better
known as combat-fishing. When anglers are shoulder-to-shoulder and the offerings
outnumber the fish they will go off the bite until something changes. To put
fish back on the bite move down or upstream and either cast further out or closer
in. Most of the time fish are pushed out of their favorite spots they'll fight
to defend the less preferable spots by striking at almost anything that invades
it, especially in the face of heavy fishermen presence. Drift-fishing can be
done with just about any kind of lure and bait and the scents that are applied
are as diverse as the offerings.
Drift Fishing/Saltwater
(Bays, Coves, Inlets, Estuaries, Spits, and Tributaries)
While currents are still used, drift fishing in saltwater
and the Great Lakes is very different from that of freshwater rivers
and smaller lakes. Most of the time, currents found in estuaries, bays, coves,
and inlets are far too slow for shore fishing using the drifting methods. Even
if you fish bobber-jig rigs getting the offering to stay away from the shoreline
is nearly impossible. So, out into the water we go by any boating means necessary.
If it floats, can hold a man, and you can fight fish from it, this fishing technique
is for you.
Find a seam of water and fish the slow side of it. Jetties are perfect for
finding seams you can see, but if you want to find as many of them as possible
consult a nautical chart to find Vertical Eddies (Where there is an eddy
there is a seam).
Regardless of the offering you choose to use, always cast in the direction
of water current, even if the wind blows against it. Your boat will move
with the wind, no matter how strong the water current is because two-thirds
of it is exposed to the wind and not the other way around. So long as your
presentation moves with the current of the water it will look natural and
fish will pick it up. If the wind and water are moving in the same direction
it makes fishing pretty easy, but if there’s a cross-current, you’re
going to have to think about it, but it’s really no that hard.
Never anchor off when drift-fishing. Being immobile makes the entire effort
moot, more than that. By deploying and weighing anchor you create noise
that put fish off the bite, and they stay that way for hours on end. If
you’ve fished long enough you know that fish off the bite means the
foreboding of a terrible day.
Carpet on the deck is the single best way to ensure no sound. Prearrange
all your gear to ensure minimal movement; this doesn’t mean that you
shouldn’t talk or carry on to have fun; rather, it simply means be
cautious with your feet.
To
Top of Page
Crank-Bait (Diver) Fishing
Crank baits are awesome. You can cast them in any kind of
water and they’ll forgive you if you make a bad cast. You can reel
them in fast or slow depending on how deep you think the fish are. You can
fish them in lakes, stream, rivers, coves, bays, and estuaries. Best of
all, in the spring you can fish the tributaries of the Great Lakes.
Yes, this form of fishing can be done using drifting methods making it one
of the most diverse forms fishing. Because the crank bait has action you
can sure that the clarity of the water means nothing to Steelhead, Salmon,
Bass, and Walleye. The list goes on and on.
The best way to use a crank bait in rivers is to simply let the current
do all the work. From a boat, cast out from transom and put the rod in a
rod holder. What could be easier than that? Put the bait in deeper faster
water if you want it to go deeper and the reverse if you want it closer
to the surface.
Scent is really not an issue here. Most of the time scent is used it to
replace action found in those baits that don’t have any; however,
if you decide to use scent then it should be a gel to stick to the sides
of the body.
Most of the time these baits come with a set of treble hooks that have six
points or more. Check to see what the regulations in your area say can be
used. Sometimes you have to take off the treble hooks and replace them with
singles. Personally, I prefer to use single hooks because it makes fighting
fish more of a challenge, and the hook sinks much deeper than trebles.
Don’t ever take a crank bait from the package and throw it in the
water. “Tune” your bait by twisting the eye on the head or when
you retrieve it it’ll have an unnatural look to it and fish will let
you know it by avoiding it altogether.
Spinner Fishing/Fresh & Saltwater
Spinners were used while drift fishing this boat. The cast was made "with"
the current to ensure that it got down to holding fish as attested by this
great looking salmon. This particular fish struck a No. 3 chartreuse Vibrax
spinner.
Spinners are an outstanding alternative when the bite goes
off. They can be used in slow to completely stopped water. The nature of
the blade allows them to be used in fresh and saltwater environments; however,
make sure to rinse them off each time you fish marine waters.
Did you know that spinners can be use in torrential water as well? It’s
true. As with all drift-fishing techniques, the hard work is done by the
current.
Each time you cast out let the river take the entire line, including the
bend. As it falls to the bed it will straighten out. When the mainline gets
in front of you give a quick yank of the rod to get the blade going and
wait. Most anglers who use them almost always use a straight line with a
swivel. The advantage of not having the joining terminal gear is the sensitivity.
No matter how big or small a fish is you’ll feel the strike and when
you do set the hook hard!
Whenever using spinners just remember the old school of thought. The bigger
the lure is the larger your fish is going to be. The best spinners come
with a selection of either single or treble hooks, but you can change them
on your own in a pinch with a pair of needle-nose pliers and split-ring
pliers.
Spinners come in such a huge array of styles and sizes it would be a very
long list if I were to attempt it here; but, they can be narrowed down into
two fundamental categories: one with a rooster tail and the other without.
Spinners with tails seem to hold onto scent far longer than those without.
The problem with adding scent is the same as will all fur, hackle, and feather.
They tend to get sticky and clump together after the first use, but most
of the time liquid scent will do fine. Another school of thought to consider
is that the colder it gets the more you’ll want to consider gel, conversely,
the warmer it gets the more liquid scent should be used.
Spoon Fishing/Fresh & Saltwater
This outstanding Coho Salmon was hooked using a Daredevil spoon and running
a double rig swivel setup with four-pound test.
Spoons are an awesome way to fish water just beneath the
surface of saltwater and deep when fishing freshwater.
With spoons you have to remember that they wobble, which is also why they’re
sometimes called wobblers.
There are some different thoughts that come with spoons that might not be
known to most; for instance. Spoons can be jigged but are not jigs. Spoons
can wobble without being called wobblers. Spoons can be fished deep or shallow,
but the one thing all anglers can agree on is that they move slowly. Dynamically,
the faster the water is the closer to the surface they will be forced. Also,
the faster you reel the faster they’ll get to the surface as well
so it really depends on what the conditions of the water are as to whether
or not to use them.
Fundamentally, spoons are used to get the attention of fish from some distance
away the exact same way flashers are used. The color and shape of each spoon
should be matched to the barometric pressure, water speed, and water color.
The narrower a spoon is the quicker it will sink, conversely, the wider
it is the slower it sinks. If the day is overcast you’ll want to use
either a copper or nickel plated spoon where as during bright sunny days
silver and chrome are best.
Terminal gear is not necessary, but a swivel will cut down on line-twist
from the wobbling action of each spoon. Without a swivel the fishing line
could become hopelessly tangled in a matter of just a few casts, so fair
thee be warned.
Flutter Baits & Lures/ Fresh & Saltwater
Fishing
While the bait is physically considered a lure it is also
classified as bait since it offers a natural attractant of fluttering. The
subsonic vibrations created by these baits offer an attraction that no other
bait and lure can offer. They actually make a sound to call fish to the
bait and not the other way around. As these baits fall they mimic the sound
of injured baitfish. As with any bait or lure, the bigger it is the bigger
the fish is going to be that bites into it.
This type of fishing can be done in just about any large body of water.
They can be used in freshwater systems but the water should be of significant
size. The Great Lakes are ideal for this type of bait.
Saltwater fishermen have long known about the special triggering acoustics
that bring fish to the bait, and in many cases you can tell when the fishing
is good by the amount of shore fishermen using this fishing technique.
Never attach a swivel to this bait or tie off a leader. Anything that interferes
with the falling action of the bait renders it non-functional and fish will
disregard it.
Most of the time hooks are packaged with the body of the hook, along with
a snubber to absorb the impact of it to the hook. The hooks tend to have
a curved tine and make it difficult to set it properly, so you’re
better off buying straight-tine hooks separately. Before casting out touch
up the points until they look sticky- sharp. Don’t test the hook on
the thumbnail. Yes, you will be able to see that the hook “was”
sharp, but as you do so too does it become instantly dull. Depend on your
eyes to test the sharpness and the fish will let you know how well you’ve
done.
Top Water Baits
Top Water Baits offer action at the surface making it a
truly effective way to fish, especially for Bass. The action of each
bait is largely due to the size and tuning of it. Most plugs are stout at the
nose for the popping action needed to call fish to it.
The best places to use them are near lily pads, weed lines, seams, and drop-offs.
Vary the action by the way it is retrieved. For fast action reel fast, for slow
reel slow. When the bite goes off change up the action by moving the fishing
rod side-to-side or up and down.
These baits are most effective in the morning and at dusk. Anglers will use
them around stumps during the heat of the day.
A good school of thought is to fish deeper the warmer it gets. Some of the best
times to fish for Bass are during May and June. The best times to use them for
salmon fishing is during the early fall in tributaries as these fish make their
way upstream.
These baits come ready with treble hooks, but make sure to have single hooks
ready since many regulations forbid them in freshwater systems. The single fastest
way to change out the hooks is to buy split-ring pliers. Siwash hooks are the
best replacements hooks because they don’t break under the stress of setting
the hook, and when fish are hooked they’re solidly hooked. If you lose
a fish using a siwash it won’t be because of the hook.
|
