A real fishing question....

[Deleted User]

OK - I'm heading to the coast this weekend and need a little advice about fishing diver/bait setups.

In the past I've used a number of methods, which include, (but haven't been limited to!)

#1 Diver as a slider above swivel, with about four feet of leader.

#2 Diver hooked on a three way

#3 Diver with line attached, then hooked on either a three way or a slider.

BAIT:

#1 Straight Eggs
#2 Eggs and a sandshrimp tail
#3 Eggs with a whole sandshrimp threaded on the line with a worm threader. (looks like a nasty sandshrimp is taking off with a good ball of roe)

I've also heard people on this board talking about using a spin-glow or birdie as well. Any suggestions? Thanks

[Tanner]

Eastside,
I fish diver and bait alot. Artwo has hit it right on the money, follow his instructions and you will do just fine. If you are going to use a quickfish instead of bait, make your dropper on your jet planer longer, you don't want your quickfish digging into the bottom of the river the whole time.

If you are fishing shallower runs - 8 feet or less - go with Neutron's suggestion and use a Hot and Tot with about 5 - 6 feet of leader tied to a swivel (That you will attach with a split ring to the belly hook ring on the diver). You should always attach a swivel 1/2 way down your leader (so use two 3 foot sections for leader) so your line doesn't get all twisted up.

Forget about threading the sandshrimp with a threader, takes too much time and you have to re-tie after every bait. Take your hook and run it through (the top) the first joint(where the main part of the tail meets the end fan part, pull it and the line through and then run it through again several joints up towards the body, pull it and the line through again and then run the point and the bend through the side of his head. Pull it tight and half hitch his tail twice. Voila... Takes about 10 seconds to rebait once you get it down.

In my experience, it doesn't matter if you use a spin n glow, birdie, cheater or corky as long as you get some type of color and floatation up there. If you do use a spin n glow or birdie, be sure to put some beads on so they don't get all fouled up.

Good Luck.

[ 05-23-2001: Message edited by: Tanner ]

[ 05-23-2001: Message edited by: Tanner ]

[rags]

This is a sure bet to hook fish. If you can find them buy some of the jumbo hot and tots. Paint them black. Remove the hooks and run leader from the bottom eye. About 3-4 ft. Use tandem 3/0 hooks. Put a small bead and then a green spin n glo. Use sandshrimp.

[Sand Shrimp]

I would use a hot n tot as a bait diver instead of the jet diver.They dive better than the jet divers.Take the hooks off and add a barrel swivel to the split ring on the belly.I would use some type of drift bobber to keep your bait out of the rocks.Eggs and or shrimp work good but don't forget about prawns.

[David Johnson]

And use a heavy leader. I don't know why so many guys use light leaders, put in all that time to hook a fish and then break it off.

I've been running 25# the last several weeks and have had no problem.

Today we even caught a summer on 25# and 4/0 hook, he swallowed it past the gills with no problem.

I would never go less than 20# for springers.

When a fish is looking at a diver/bait rig it will usually be looking at it from behind, never seeing the leader.

[rags]

Dave is absolutely right on the heavy leader. I was using 15lb last week on the Clackamas (I don't know why I usually use 20lb) and had on a nice 20+lber. Got it to the boat and the leader broke. Sawed right through it. Got a 25lber on the coast and this time I had 20lb leader. I don't think Springers are leader shy.

[NEUTRON]

E.D.--- I use jet planers on sliders.
Do you have any Hot-n-tots? Main line to bill, snap swivel on belly with 4-6' leader.

[willierower]

ED,
For salmon I use a #30 jet diver rigged sliding on a 12 to 18" dropper. I use a Wordens Easy Glider that I attach the dropper to. I use a bead between the slider and a beadchain. Attach a 4' leader rigged with your favorite spinning drift bobber and a 4/0 hook. For bait its usually eggs or a combo of eggs and sandshrimp.
A #30 jet diver will get down in almost any water you will be fishing for chinook. With the dropper your bait will stay up off the bottom if your diver starts digging the bottom. I like single hhoks over doubles because they are less likely to hang up. I havent seen much of a difference in hook ups between single or double hooks.
As for line and leader. Braided super lines rock for this kind of fishing. I use 35lb tuff line. The thin diameter really lets the divers work good. Leaders should be no lighter than 15lb test.
For steelhead, Just use a Hot-N-Tot. Remove the hooks and the tail hook split ring, Sand it and paint it flat black. To the belly split attach either a QUALITY #7 barrel swivel or a short bead chain. Use a 36 to 48" leader with a #1 or 1/0 hook. Most of the time I dont use any kind of drift bobber, Just a sandshrimp.
Now here is the important part. rigging the sandshrimp. you will need a worm threader, Kalins are the best. Take the shrimp and run the threader in its mout through the body and out its butt. Put the hook in the hollow end of the threader. Take the line and pull the line tight towards the handle of the threader. The trick to this is keeping the line TIGHT. Now slide the shrimp up over the hook and up the line stopping when the shrimp head gets just past the bend in the hook. Now put a half hitch around the shrimps tail between the fan and first joint. This will help hold the bait straight and keep it from sliding down and balling up on the hook. Now you are ready to fish. Word of warning: Do not use this method if there are a lot of wild steelhead in the river. Almost all the steelhead Ive caught using diver and shrip have been hooked deep.
Hope I didnt confuse you too much.

[Artwo]

Dave,
I don't fish the coastal rivers much this time of year but my typical diver and bait set-up is as follows:

A size 20 jet diver on a Barrel swivel slider above a barrel swivel on the main line off of a 8" dropper of 25lb line (use two medium sized beads between the slider barrel swivel and the main line barrel swivel).

4 to 6 feet of leader (depending on water clarity, even somtimes 8 foot if real low and clear) to a 1/0 hook. Above the hook I use two small red beads and a spin-glo above the beads.

I usually just use shimp as bait but will occasionally use shrimp/egg combo. Sew the shrimp up the line so the hook ends up at the head position and reverse hook the hook thru the head (if I include eggs I put them thru the egg loop) then put a half hitch around the tail to keep the shrimp straight and from bunching up on the line when backtrolled.

Hope this helps,
JK

[Deleted User]

Thanks for the help! This isn't something I do often - so I'm currently printing this out!


thanks again guys,
Dave