Targeting Chinook

[BIGALSURF]

Can anyone share their success if any targeting chinook and avoiding coho in the big blue? I've wondered about getting a thermometer that I can drop and find the thermocline, wondering if chinook dwell down there. I've heard people catch them at 30 feet, 100 feet, where are they off Astoria? They've got to be somewhere down there. I don't like catching native coho and releasing them, worry that a lot die anyway and it seems a waste. So anything I can do to target chinook only would be great in my mind.

[Zodiac-Fisherman]

Al,

Most fish finders have an inverted/reveal option which allow you to distinguish the thermoclines.

Folks have been doing good dragging spinners right off the bottom. 5ft dropper and 5ft leader. 30-50ft of water. Keep your eye on the fish finder so you dont get hung up.

[Mark Mc]

1) Large baits (i.e. whole >6" herring) on a large single hook, trolled slow

2) Large Tomic plugs (6 inch)

Stay off (under) the top 30 feet. Stay away from warm (>55 deg) water.

[Zodiac-Fisherman]

Mark,

Tomic plugs as in J-plugs?

[Mark Mc]

Dylan, here you go: http://www.tomiclures.com/color_chart.htm

There are other brands, "knock offs" out there, but..... 4 out of 5 commercial fishermen & women prefer Tomic.

When you use a 6 or 7 inch Tomic, you will hook very few coho. And the coho you do hook are usually the very large models.

[BIGALSURF]

Just want to make sure, this is ocean fishing in the summer that you're referring to? I thought I had to go out to 100+ ft. deep water, but Zodiac is saying 30 to 50 ft water close to shore?


Under 30 ft. and under 55 degree water sounds sensible. Also, my fish finder shows nothing in the ocean, do they just not work out there, or do I need a more powerful transponder?

[Zodiac-Fisherman]

Al,

I was refering to the river.. Astoria.. I believe the ocean is closed and has been for awhile..

[BIGALSURF]

Oh, know that, was asking about how to do this for next summer. I have a one track mind. It is stuck recreationally on catch more chinook. I am sure skiing will dislodge it, but until then, I'm still trying to figure out what I could have done better last summer.

[Nalu]

Fish deep, use hardware, large single hooks, troll slow.

I like Apex's. Still will catch some coho, but catch a lot more kings.

[Mark Mc]

When I get time this winter, I will re-post my chinook tutorial, chock full of decades worth of secrets :grin:.

[BIGALSURF]

Dude! You're the dude!
Thanks so much. Will watch the board.

[Maverick Maxcat]

This year was different than most in that there were fewer fish and they were even deeper than normal. Most of our fish were caught between 2-300' down. Flashers and hoochies will catch the most, but they are also coho magnets. Large spoons and plugs will minimize coho hookups and catch as many large kings as anything else. I also troll pretty fast, 2.5-4 knots.

[BIGALSURF]

Could you see them on your fishfinder?

[OuterLimits]

The secret to catching Chinook.....First you have to fish where the fish are!. More importantly Chinook can be catch in all sorts of depths from 10’ all the way down to 165’ or deeper. It all depends on the time of year, Blackmouth or migrators. It all depends on the location, terminal fishery or migrating. It all depends on water temps. Each area you fish have their own “uniqueness. And as we all know tidal movement affects the bite as well.

Chinook normally will be feeding closer to the top water column early morning and move to deeper water as the sun rises. Where I fish in Canada, you catch fish at 25-35’ most days. When the water is warmer, the fish will be lower. On the west coast of Washington, early season you will find the Chinook 60-120’ while during the later summer I have caught Chinook as shallow as 15’. Find the bait and you will find the fish.

Also, if you happened to be in an area where you are catching both Coho and Chinook and having trouble getting the bait down below the Coho, go to a larger presentations with 6” Tomic Plugs, Spoons, and larger herring, etc. Hope this helps.

[tomictime]

I never fish tomic plugs..

I lie

see Moniker..

5" Tomics w rubber bands on line (see posted site for rigging directions) are Known BIG Coho killers...but then tiny Coho killer spoons tied 6' behind a hot-spot are demonstrated King killers..confused?

I have caught a few Coho on the 6-7" Tomics. They are sweet for BIG kings and that big plug banging away on the side of the noggin just dives them nuts - BIG runs...My wife and I caught 7 Kings between 30-40# one am bite off WCVI..Fish got bigger as we moved upsize...

I cut the tow bars off 90% of the Tomics I run. I use flouro leaders 6'-8' and a small sampo swivel 50-100#. Goop liberally the lip and top of plug w secent of choice..I mix anchovie and herring smelly jelly and gel krill. I use Gami open eye siwash w Mcmon swivel appropriately sized for plug. 7/0 gamis on the big plugs. I tune the hook to plug by adding small beads between mcmon and the plug body - I use red, green or glow beads..sometimes all three.

I also like mav troll pretty fast. Run plug 30-75' off ball.

Good Tomic colors for me: 601, 602, 84FLG, 232, ...more...

"Just say no to flashers"

having said that, plugs were not hot for me this year - had better luck w bait busters - match the hatch!!! Gut a fish and see what they are eating..match that size and color wise and you are on to something

Jim

[OuterLimits]

I agree with TomicTime. I run my Tomic plugs the same way and use the same colors. At times caught Coho on the larger plugs, but for the majority of the time Chinook are the ones that take the strike. I also use #639s...Light blue (glo).

Cutting the tow bars has save my plugs on several occasions. Nice technique.

[slabhunter]

I agree with the big bait deep in daylight for chinook. I'm fishing whole purple or black label herring off the downriggers.
Up here, out of Westport(WA), I like to find the forage fish along the 250' contour. Early in the season we're running 120-180ft on the wire for the feeders, late season only 60-90ft for the migrating fish.

I also like to check the stomach contents; some of these fish eat sardines that are 11-12".

[Skipper]

OuterLimits and Tomictime,

Do you cut the tow bars off so the plug will surface if the leader breaks?

[Maverick Maxcat]

What do you guys mean by cutting off the tow bars? Could you post a picture? I've only run them stock, with a 12/0 siwash on the 7" models. Hookups are pretty poor, but they seem to stay on once they're hooked. I'm always looking for ways to improve!

[Beer Waggin]

Mav-
See the rigging instructions on the Tomic site
or https://www.tomiclures.com/rigging/pulled_pin.htm

This allows you to set the hook back a bit further. Use a tooth pick in the hole or beads to get the hook in the desired position. Hopefully this will improve your hook ups!

[ron m]

BW, thanks, I had no idea was meant either until you posted the link.
ron m

[Moldy Mike]

I also troll "pretty fast" my crew is always telling me to slow down..until the pigs start showing up!! This will start an argument...BUT.. faster is BETTER!!! Catching up to bait is a big fat King's business!!!
I tend to keep my terminal gear simple..a big chrome flasher with a six foot leader and a "nose clip and rudder lashup" (single hook) with a great big herring!! I haven't "plug cut" a herring in years! I keep my flasher and herring pretty close to the ball less than 20 ft, I believe this helps with hookups...Fish ON!! MM
BTW.. Thanks for the link... Beerwaggin

[tomictime]

OuterLimits and Tomictime,

Do you cut the tow bars off so the plug will surface if the leader breaks?

both - but broken off is rare - I use Islanders w light and silky drag. I do ocassionally break the leader w 4" plug - there I use 30# flouro, which when you are trying to release a big fish can get a bit iffy - so when they break they float - netting one in surf gets interesting - but I willdo almost anything to keep the heavily scarred ones - those are killers.
Cutting the towbar off changes the action of the plug - which I think works if you are moving fast and pulling a flasher setup on the other rigger(s) Tow-bar on works for slower get in face and stay there - like at River mouth or say at Port Alberni.

I throw the Tomic hooks away

note also some guys forgo the sampo on the leader to mainline and just run mainline to the hook swivel..

oh, since we are sharing secrets - for winter BM, I tie up custom length 2 siwash rigs w dual 1/0 red hooks for the 4" plugs - seems to look like the small winter bait we get where I fish in the Sound.

[BIGALSURF]

In reading this advice I realize why the saying "You can't teach an old dog new tricks" is actually true. It's because the dog can learn, but he will run out of time and die before he learns the trick.

By the time I decipher the following, I will be 109 or dead!

I cut the tow bars off 90% of the Tomics I run. I use flouro leaders 6'-8' and a small sampo swivel 50-100#. Goop liberally the lip and top of plug w secent of choice..I mix anchovie and herring smelly jelly and gel krill. I use Gami open eye siwash w Mcmon swivel appropriately sized for plug. 7/0 gamis on the big plugs. I tune the hook to plug by adding small beads between mcmon and the plug body - I use red, green or glow beads..sometimes all three.

Although I think I heard the line "... use Gami open eye siwash" in an untranslated Japanese Godzilla film once! The scientists actually did, and Godzilla was duly defeated!

Thanks for the advice though!

[OuterLimits]

Yes, like TomicTime I use Islander reels and 10.5' mooching rods which gives lots of play with the fish.

On occasion, especially fishing Coho with 30# line, I sometimes yard the fish in with the line and on occasion the line will break. Removing the tow bar does 2 things; 1) plug will surface, and yes I have recovered the Tomic Plug, 2) it give the plug a more erratic pattern then using the tow bar.

There are two versions of Tomic Plugs. The standard plug and the “Tubby” plug. The Tubby is different in that it is shorter and fatter than the standard plug. Example, Tomic takes a 6’ standard and cuts it down to 5” retaining the fatter body diameter and shorting the length by one inch. The tubby was designed to be trolled slower, thus providing the same action as the standard at higher trolling speeds. The Tomic Web site will provide you lots of information and I encourage you to visit that sight.

[tomictime]

attention to detail puts mo fish in the box, you can skip the lesson and dinner if you want..

[BIGALSURF]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I really appreciate the detailed advice. Amazing how helpful you are out there! Hope I catch more big boys next summer.