ANDYCOHO
04-01-2005, 07:25 PM
Well springers are finally starting to fill the rivers. While some make their way up many of the tributary below Bonneville. There is still lots of fish that stage just below Bonnie waiting for just the right time to make their way to their spawning grounds above the Damns.
Here is a proven technique of Back trolling Kwikfish that I use that has put many fish in the boat for me, just below Bonneville.
KWIKFISH: I like to use K-13 through K-15's up there.
K-13's have worked well for me in the shallower water 4 feet to 20 feet.
K-14's and K-15's I use everywhere else and even in the shallow stuff.
Tip #1: Wrap your Plugs the night before. This will save you lots of time and will get you fishing quickly once you hit the water. With only 3 days a week to fish this area, I’m going to get as much time in the water as possible. Also, it’s much safer just having to clip on a plug, rather than trying to run the kicker, dodge boats and watch others netting fish while your trying to cut your sardine and wrap it onto your plug. Wrap at least 3 plugs per person. Once you burn through all your pre-wrapped plugs. Pull over and wrap them again or have a passenger wrap them for you....please don’t try and wrap your own plugs while trying to run the boat!
LEADER: I like 6 feet of 30#-40# leader.
TERMINAL GEAR: 6 Bead chain swivel and Oregon Tackle weight slider and Duolock Snaps. That’s it. Keep it simple!
DIVER: Luhr Jensen Jumbo Diver. Lot’s of different colored ones, not because the fish care, but so you can tell who’s diver is who’s when you tangle...it will happen!
Tip #2: Cut the stock monofilament dropper off of the diver. Tie a new 14" dropper to a swivel and then attach a Duolock to the swivel to the swivel. This will save you $$$$$! By dropping the diver a couple more inches you will keep your plugs off of the bottom and out of the rocks and more into “The Zone”. I have yet to have to buy a Jumbo Diver since ‘00, as folks break off their gear their divers pop up down river and I’m able to find them along the shoreline or grab them as they float by. I have only hooked the bottom a couple of times since ‘00 since putting a 14" dropper on the diver.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/1513diver.jpg
ROD AND REELS: I like 8'6" 15-50 rod up there with a Trophy series 6501with 65# Tuff XP.. You need a stout rod up there, not just for the fast current and big divers, but to get your gear in, in a hurry. This is just not a place for light gear.... A power handle will really help bringing in your gear fast as you end the back troll or someone hooks a fish. Not being able to bring your gear in fast enough could put you in danger, if your still trying to bring your gear up and your at the end of hole, your going from 2-3mph current to 4-7 mph current with lots of obstacles.....bad times! Not being able to bring your gear in fast could also result in lost fish and tackle, as the person trying to fight their fish tangles with your gear as you slowly pull it to the boat.
DISTANCE: How far out do you run your gear? When there is lots of room I like to run my divers 90' from the boat, when there is a lot of folks up there 70' (2 1/2 boat lengths for me )seems to work the best.
How far should you keep from a boat down stream? My rule is twice the distance I’m running my divers.
PATIENCE: Tangles will happen up there, with others in your boat and with other boaters. Be it your fault or not, just be polite and patient. Once I have a tangle with another boat, I immediately tell them...sometimes they don’t know and/or may think it’s a fish. Then I them that I’m going to bring it to my boat and untangle it. I do this very quickly. If it is hopelessly tangled, I will cut all my gear off of theirs and send theirs back ASAP.
If you do snag the bottom. Quickly break it off! Dont waste too much time trying to get it free. More than likely you may have 5-50 boats working their way towards you very quickly, they wont be happy getting tangled with you when it could have been prevented.
Tip #3: Being quick and polite will almost always allow you to make new friends up there and you will be surprised how often you will see the same boat along side of you again. It’s much nicer to have a new friend that’s willing to maybe share a report, than a new enemy you are afraid to make eye contact with.
WHERE: Pretty simple....just follow the crowds! I like working the Washington side from the boater deadline all the way to the dolphin above “The Shad Rack” keeping in 30-35 feet of water when possible. Make sure to give the bank anglers plenty of room, some cast out pretty far, while others keep it close to shore...When in doubt just ask ‘m.
Don’t be afraid to try different areas. When the spinner fisherman start to clear out later in the day I like to run “The Shad Rack” and all the way down to Beacon Rock. I have also seen some folks work Tanner Creek to Moffet Creek area and fill limits. Some days it’s the location that you need to concentrate on, while other days as long as your running the best bait seems to fill a limit faster.
WHEN: Now till they close it....I have had excellent luck well into May on the years it’s closed and reopened or stayed open.
WHO: It will become very obvious who the “Experts” are up there, most of them guides, but not all. Don’t be afraid to book a trip or ask questions at the dock. I have got some excellent tips from plain old “Expert” Bonnie fisherman after the day is done at the ramp/dock, helping them tie up their boat or talking to them as they put their gear away.
This fishery is not for the inexperienced boat person as any Bonnie fisherman will tell ya’ but we all have to learn sometime and so if your feeling adventures, make sure to follow what everyone else is doing and quietly slip in at the top of the hole and watch that rod!
Here is a proven technique of Back trolling Kwikfish that I use that has put many fish in the boat for me, just below Bonneville.
KWIKFISH: I like to use K-13 through K-15's up there.
K-13's have worked well for me in the shallower water 4 feet to 20 feet.
K-14's and K-15's I use everywhere else and even in the shallow stuff.
Tip #1: Wrap your Plugs the night before. This will save you lots of time and will get you fishing quickly once you hit the water. With only 3 days a week to fish this area, I’m going to get as much time in the water as possible. Also, it’s much safer just having to clip on a plug, rather than trying to run the kicker, dodge boats and watch others netting fish while your trying to cut your sardine and wrap it onto your plug. Wrap at least 3 plugs per person. Once you burn through all your pre-wrapped plugs. Pull over and wrap them again or have a passenger wrap them for you....please don’t try and wrap your own plugs while trying to run the boat!
LEADER: I like 6 feet of 30#-40# leader.
TERMINAL GEAR: 6 Bead chain swivel and Oregon Tackle weight slider and Duolock Snaps. That’s it. Keep it simple!
DIVER: Luhr Jensen Jumbo Diver. Lot’s of different colored ones, not because the fish care, but so you can tell who’s diver is who’s when you tangle...it will happen!
Tip #2: Cut the stock monofilament dropper off of the diver. Tie a new 14" dropper to a swivel and then attach a Duolock to the swivel to the swivel. This will save you $$$$$! By dropping the diver a couple more inches you will keep your plugs off of the bottom and out of the rocks and more into “The Zone”. I have yet to have to buy a Jumbo Diver since ‘00, as folks break off their gear their divers pop up down river and I’m able to find them along the shoreline or grab them as they float by. I have only hooked the bottom a couple of times since ‘00 since putting a 14" dropper on the diver.
http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/1513diver.jpg
ROD AND REELS: I like 8'6" 15-50 rod up there with a Trophy series 6501with 65# Tuff XP.. You need a stout rod up there, not just for the fast current and big divers, but to get your gear in, in a hurry. This is just not a place for light gear.... A power handle will really help bringing in your gear fast as you end the back troll or someone hooks a fish. Not being able to bring your gear in fast enough could put you in danger, if your still trying to bring your gear up and your at the end of hole, your going from 2-3mph current to 4-7 mph current with lots of obstacles.....bad times! Not being able to bring your gear in fast could also result in lost fish and tackle, as the person trying to fight their fish tangles with your gear as you slowly pull it to the boat.
DISTANCE: How far out do you run your gear? When there is lots of room I like to run my divers 90' from the boat, when there is a lot of folks up there 70' (2 1/2 boat lengths for me )seems to work the best.
How far should you keep from a boat down stream? My rule is twice the distance I’m running my divers.
PATIENCE: Tangles will happen up there, with others in your boat and with other boaters. Be it your fault or not, just be polite and patient. Once I have a tangle with another boat, I immediately tell them...sometimes they don’t know and/or may think it’s a fish. Then I them that I’m going to bring it to my boat and untangle it. I do this very quickly. If it is hopelessly tangled, I will cut all my gear off of theirs and send theirs back ASAP.
If you do snag the bottom. Quickly break it off! Dont waste too much time trying to get it free. More than likely you may have 5-50 boats working their way towards you very quickly, they wont be happy getting tangled with you when it could have been prevented.
Tip #3: Being quick and polite will almost always allow you to make new friends up there and you will be surprised how often you will see the same boat along side of you again. It’s much nicer to have a new friend that’s willing to maybe share a report, than a new enemy you are afraid to make eye contact with.
WHERE: Pretty simple....just follow the crowds! I like working the Washington side from the boater deadline all the way to the dolphin above “The Shad Rack” keeping in 30-35 feet of water when possible. Make sure to give the bank anglers plenty of room, some cast out pretty far, while others keep it close to shore...When in doubt just ask ‘m.
Don’t be afraid to try different areas. When the spinner fisherman start to clear out later in the day I like to run “The Shad Rack” and all the way down to Beacon Rock. I have also seen some folks work Tanner Creek to Moffet Creek area and fill limits. Some days it’s the location that you need to concentrate on, while other days as long as your running the best bait seems to fill a limit faster.
WHEN: Now till they close it....I have had excellent luck well into May on the years it’s closed and reopened or stayed open.
WHO: It will become very obvious who the “Experts” are up there, most of them guides, but not all. Don’t be afraid to book a trip or ask questions at the dock. I have got some excellent tips from plain old “Expert” Bonnie fisherman after the day is done at the ramp/dock, helping them tie up their boat or talking to them as they put their gear away.
This fishery is not for the inexperienced boat person as any Bonnie fisherman will tell ya’ but we all have to learn sometime and so if your feeling adventures, make sure to follow what everyone else is doing and quietly slip in at the top of the hole and watch that rod!