Rigging up for Nehalem

[Oakie Drifter]

Just wanted to ask how others rig up for trolling herring on the Nehalem. My way has not been so successful in past years. Not sure on the length of the leader and dropper. Do you use a banana sinker in line or dropper or??? I heard that white bantail spinners are good to for the coho.
Thanks!

[Gone Fishin]

o.k.,o.k. This is what works for me, it isn't gospel and there is absoltely no money back guarantee if not completely satisfied;

12"-18" dropper with enough lead to keep it close to the boat. (I use 6 ounces in the Wheeler/Nehalem area) I like to keep my lines close to the boat when trolling in the crowd.

I use a minimum 6' leader and sometimes as much as 8'. When using a longer leader it makes it difficult to get the fish in, but it does seem to help me.

I run anywhere from 1 to 3 cranks off the bottom. That is, drop your rig down, bounce your lead on the bottom, then crank your reel up 1 to 3 full revolutions. EXPERIMENT WITH THIS! Sometimes the biters are at a certain depth and you need to find that area!

I also constantly watch for depth changes on the finder, if the depth drops 2 feet, drop your lead and hit bottom again and reel up your designated cranks.

Keep it in the zone! Also, experiment (and watch) to see if other fish are being caught with or against the current. If you see a pattern develop, troll the same way.

I hope this helps, I'll be out there on Thurs and Fri for sure, if you see me...don't hit me!!! -Marty P.

[Oakie Drifter]

Thanks Marty! We will be fishing there Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning. We'll be in 16' Alaskan smokercraft with a Mariner 9.9 four stroke on it. You'll probably know us as more than likely, as we will probably be the only boat out there with two women in it I enjoy fishing the area above Nehalem down to just below Wheeler a little ways. If ya see us, give us a HOLLAR, and we'll give you our report and what we've seen caught.
Sorry about the skunk.....Im getting real familiar with that feeling lately myself.

We are hoping that this rain will change the bite and bring it on!!!
Hope to see ya Thurs : )

Marty, I saw you scream by us today in Garibaldi. Were you on a hot tip? Was that you I saw out in the Ghost Hole?

------------------
LW

[This message has been edited by Leaky Waders (edited 09-04-2000).]