Gator Advice request

5 Salt · 02-08-2005, 08:49 AM

I have a friend who wants to do some gator fishing this/next weekend. Neither of us have any real solid information about where or knowledge of simple bait/rig set ups, etc... but we are excited to give it a try.

Have boat and deep water anchor set up for Columbia. Not looking for anyone's zipper lip locals or baits just some solid advice on how to rig, basic bait, and general places to fish. Thanks - 5-Salt Fever

DinoHunter · 02-08-2005, 09:28 AM

First you will need to get sinker sliders and barbless hooks.
Put the slider on your main line then a swivel. Then tie up you leader w/hook. Some tie a piece of line between two swivels for the sinker slider. Like this - Main line-swivel-new line with sinker slider-swivel-leader/hook.
Most people use smelt. I like herring. Look at the link below for how to rig up the fish and other info. I don't remove the tail. The shakers will do that for you

Locations vary. A lot of people fish the Toyota Hole near the St. John Bridge. Also try the multnomah channel. Use your FF and look for Hole/dropoffs and fish them. Some will be 80ft deep while others only 55-60. I hear that fishing the upriver side of the hole is more lucrative. Don't be afraid to move. Generally if you haven't seen your pole dance in a hour you need to move. Look for other boats anchored up too.
I will be out of scapposse bay at day break on Sat if you want to meet up. I hope to have my boat in the water no later then 7am.

http://www.nwfish.com/images/graphic...hrig%20(1).jpg

FinFansea · 02-08-2005, 09:33 AM

I will be at St. John's Saturday at O-dark thirty if you would like to follow to a semi-productive hole on the Willy. I believe it's the Toyota hole.

5 Salt · 02-08-2005, 12:37 PM

Gentlemen,

Thank you so much for you offer for me to join you this weekend. Unfortunatly I will need to postpone my trip until the following weekend. Look for you then.

Regarding dropper weight, type and average amount? Leader length and line test? Green lable herring or other? Same rig for whole smelt? Any scent preferences?

Mainline test = 50lbs Tuff line should be suffient - yes?

Thanks - 5-Salt

Nalu · 02-08-2005, 01:00 PM

No dropper for me. You want the bait right on the bottom. If the current is running hard, I'll clip fins to keep the bait from moving around too much as well. 4 oz is usually enough in the MC, and typically no more than 12 oz in the faster deep water of the CR. Green label, works dandy. My tied up leaders tend to be about 24" from the loop to the hook.

Personally I only use the main line-weight slider line-leader line combo up at bonneville where heavy weight is required. Certainly nothing wrong with it, but I simply haven't found I needed it in less current areas.

In the MC and lower MC I simply put the slider on my main line, then a red bead (keeps it from ever sticking on the swivel), then the snap swivel, then the leader.

50lb tuff is fine. I run heavier line than that, either 65 or 80, but there's no prob with 50.