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Re: Re: Re: Re: Need help skunked again.

Hey, Newbie, take it easy on yourself. Relax. Everybody strikes out and I've learned the hard way that there are periods of time when they (for whatever reason(S) known only to salmon) just won't cooperate. Hey, some salmon SEASONS I've only caught a few fish no matter what, or where I went.
Last Thursday afternoon there was a great salmon chop, it was fairly cloudy & dark...Great conditions right!??...except...no strikes. Next morning, flat calm, sunny, lousy conditions right...BINGO My girl & I limit out in <2 hours. Go figure.
I know that what I say here will be contradicted by other guys advice (& their advice will probably work just as well as what I do, go figure.) That's fishing. Everybody thinks they know "the way" to catch fish & they do (or don't) depending mostly on the fish! LOL.
Figure it this way. A lot of things have to come together for you to catch fish.
First, your have to be where they are, right now. (Sounds easy...it's hard.)
You have to be over the fish when they're hungry enough to strike (you don't control that one at all.) The lure (or whatever) has to be reasonably close to them in the water, side to side & especially in depth, as I think they'll strike up but, not usually strike down.
You have to "present the lure" (or bait, or whatever) in a way that is natural & so it fools them (again sounds easy...not.)
And then, maybe, if they feel like it..they'll strike.
Often times there are fish I mark at 10-15 feet that won't strike no matter what I do. Seems, they're just not interested. Happens.
I figure the hungry one's (& with few exceptions they HAVE to be hungry to strike) are not usually marked on the screen this time of year. During the morning & evening "bitetime" (if it's sunny, that's from before light to a couple of hours after & a couple of hours before dark to dark. Cloudy days these hours are generally extended.) the salmon are just a few feet down & they're "boat shy". They'll move out of the way of the passing boat (which is one reason guys use, outriggers or plainer (otter) boards.) So, the "biters" are off to the sides of the transducers usual 20 degree cone. Which, at shallow depths, isn't very wide. (I used some graph paper & put a 20 degree angle on it and saw how narrow 20 degrees really is a few feet down.)
Here's a few things you can do to get over these boat shy fish.
1) Try slow, wide "S" turns, rather than straight
line trolling.
2) See how your lure (or whatever you're using)"looks in the water" next to the boat at various speeds. Find a speed where the lure "dances" (not only moves side to side but, acts erratically. Then go that speed (to start.)
3)Vary your speed. Try real slow(or fast).Generally, live bait works best at a slower speed than lures.
4) Vary the depth of water you're trolling over. Go
from shallow water to deep water & back again.
5) Try different "spots." I usually try near bouys, shoals or points of land.
6) Try LONG lines (or long leaders on lead core.) Give the fish time to 'forget' you went by.
One "rule" I have is: IF you get a hit, GO BACK THERE! Circle around and go over that spot a couple of times. I think salmon tend to hang together. Maybe there's more there? Like deer hunting, finding where they are, right now, is the biggest challenge. Why rush away from an area where you got a bite to go to another spot, where there's likely no fish? Conversly, I try not to be "wedded" to one spot (no matter how hot it "was") if it's not producing today.
Sometimes, fishing a smaller area of the lake thoroughly is better than trying to fish "all over the lake".
I've found that there are certain "hot spots" on the lake (& they're usually well-guarded secrets & for good reason). I know these spots usually change from year to year (or sooner) and I think they are often associated with wind direction (plus, other things I can't figure out, like baitfish and deep water currents and probably other stuff too.)
A fishin' diary helps. If there's an East wind I can look back and see where, at this water temp.& weather conditions ie: with a East wind, I've caught them before and try that area. At least, it's a place to start.
If salmon are holding at 10 - 15 ft I'll often try to find shallows (shoals) about that deep and (because "The Tank" doesn't draft much water) I troll or drift over them (this is where the wind direction comes in) often when nothing else works I get hits this way. Sometimes I have to kinda "hunt" salmon. Figure likely places they'd try to ambush bait fish. Hey, maybe I'm giving this way tooo much thought but, it's how I get to thinking about salmon.
Sometimes, I do much better in much in deeper water (still fishing with my flies or bait near the top.) Just cause "everybody knows" they're in the shallows this time of year, doesn't mean the salmon have been notified of this and are complying with our human notions! Or, if it's been sunny all day, in the afternoon I'll look for places, bays, coves or beaches, where the sandy shallows have warmed up and try there.
Try the downwind edge of islands where the wave actions is strong. Go back and forth in 10+ feet and then on the next pass try 20+ feet and so on.
Or, try the "straits" of water between islands.
& If you fish with bait (as I usually do) watch out for smells, Yes, fish can smell!!!If you bait your line with "gasoline hands" (or suntan lotion or whatever) you'll likely get a lot less strikes.
All the above might be too much advice??? Heck, the more I fish (& even the more I catch) the LESS I'm convinced I know anything about them & the more I know I have yet to learn.

Hope this helps some,

all the Best,

Gary

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Need help skunked again.

Thanks for the help guys. It just seams that I'm doing something wrong and the only thing I can think of is my speed. I'm trolling faster than most. I really can't afford a kicker motor this year so I will have to make do. I just bought my boat last year. It is a 186 Sea Hunt with a 115 yami on her. I have a radio and will go by the handle scout. I'm trolling lead core line at various depths. The very first weekend I went out was opening weekend and landed one short and lost another. I was trolling live smelt. The next weekend I took a friend out and he caught a 20" salmon. Since then I have been out three times and haven't even had a strike. I hope to try again this weekend. I look foward to talking to all of you out there on the water. I launch out of Meridith Bay. I troll aroung goveners island and was talking with someone this morning, but did not get there handle. I put my e-mail up there so if anyone wants to send me info they can. Thanks for all your help.

Mike

Re: Re: Re: Just Joking Rinnnng!!!!! Rinnnnngggg!!!!

Hey there John, Travis is a big boy he know's I'm just joshing him LOL We've all done it it's just kinda funny how there was all of you waiting for him LOL Just picking on ya Travis!!!!!!!! No meaness involved LOL Take Care God Bless and Tight Lines Dave!!

Re: Re: Re: Need help skunked again.

Oh well if ya put it that way John, I wouldn't have answered the phone either LOL Take Care God Bless and Tight Lines Dave!!!