Adjust them downward in ten to fifteen foot intervals, and continue lowering them every twenty minutes or so until they catch fish. Don’t be afraid to go very deep, it is not uncommon to take kings 175 feet down or more.
What depth do you fish salmon?
They can be anywhere from in the top 20′ of water to down on the bottom at depths of 200′ or deeper. Usually they will move deeper during the day as the sun gets brighter. A good starting depth for open water is between 40′ and 80′.
What depth do king salmon live?
There’s also a good chance that your lines will tangle and make for a bad afternoon. Chinook salmon can be found as deep as 150 feet in the summer months in the Great Lakes, which includes Lake Ontario, Lake Erie, Lake Huron, Lake Michigan and Lake Superior.
Where is the best place to fish king salmon?
Some of the best places to fish for King Salmon are at the mouths and tidal waters of many major rivers such as the Alagnak, Susitna, Kenai, Nushagak, Copper, and the Stikine. For freshwater fishing, all of these rivers and many of their smaller tributaries make outstanding locations to catch king salmon.
What size hook should I use for salmon?
No particular type of hook is needed. However, the traditional salmon or steelhead hook, which is a strong, short shank, eye-up hook, is often used. The hook size depends on the river conditions and the type of bait used. A size 4 should be big enough under any circumstances.
What is the best bait for salmon?
Salmon eggs
Salmon eggs are the top choice for bait, although sand shrimp are very popular for chinook salmon. Some anglers like to fish both at the same time. Marabou jigs (Photo 10) can be used instead of bait and can be especially effective on pink salmon, or other salmon when the water is very low and clear.
How big can a king salmon get?
Chinook/King salmon are the largest salmon and get up to 58 inches (1.5 meters) long and 126 pounds (57.2 kg). Pink salmon are the smallest at up to 30 inches (0.8 meters) long and 12 pounds (5.4 kg), although they average 3 to 5 pounds (1.3-2.3 kg).
What is the life cycle of king salmon?
King Salmon Life Cycle
On average, King salmon spend three to four years in the ocean (though sometimes it’s as little as one or as much as eight) before returning to fight their way upstream to spawn at their home rivers.
What do king salmon eat in the river?
Some common prey include plankton, insect larvae, insects, small shrimp, crabs, and more. Adults hunt for larger plankton, such as krill, as well as squid, shrimp, herring, pilchard, sandlance, and other fish.
What temperature do king salmon like?
Using Temperature as a Starting Point
| Species | Preferred Temperature (F) | Optimum Temperature (F) |
|---|---|---|
| Rainbow Trout/Steelhead | 55 – 65 | 60 |
| Lake Trout | 42 – 52 | 48 |
| Coho Salmon | 52 – 58 | 53 |
| Chinook Salmon | 52 – 58 | 53 |
What’s the largest king salmon ever caught?
The biggest king salmon ever caught was this 126-pound monster that was caught in a fish trap near Petersburg, Alaska in 1949.
Can you catch salmon in a river?
Chinook salmon head into California’s rivers to spawn every year, and many rivers host multiple runs, often one in the spring and one in the fall. Fishing for spring-run salmon often peaks from June through August, and fishing for fall-run salmon can be excellent from August through November.
Where is king salmon caught?
Many of the chinook caught in Alaska originate in Oregon, Washington and British Columbia. Hot ocean fishing for kings can occur as far south as Los Angeles and as far north as Nome. Chinook are the biggest of the Pacific salmon, historically reaching a maximum weight of nearly 130 pounds and a length of 5 feet.
Do you need barbless hooks for salmon?
Where this hook varies is the barbless design that satisfies the California Salmon fishing regulations. The regulations state that when using fishing methods other than trolling, “No more than 2 single-point, single-shank barbless circle hooks shall be used…”.
What time of day is best for salmon fishing?
In general, the magic hours of early morning just before sunrise, and late evening just after sunset are the best for salmon fishing. The phases of the moon come into play, high and low tide, and even low-pressure systems moving in can enhance your opportunity.
What color lures do salmon like?
Use a lure that has sight, sound and smell. Use any color, as long as it is green. The colors that show up in the deepest water are greens, blues and blacks. All glow lures glow green.
How fast do king salmon grow?
In the rich ocean environment salmon can grow rapidly, gaining more than a pound a month. These salmon mature and return to freshwater within 2 – 8 years.
How long can a king salmon grow?
Chinook salmon are the largest of the Pacific salmon, hence the name “king salmon.” They can grow as long as 4.9 feet and up to 129 pounds, but typical length and weight of mature fish are about 3 feet and 30 pounds.
Where can you catch king salmon in USA?
Where to Catch Salmon in the US
- Lake Ontario, New York. Lake Ontario is a good place to go fishing for salmon, as chinook and coho salmon abound in its waters.
- Kenai River, Alaska. If there’s one place that you should go salmon fishing in the US, it’s Alaska.
- West Branch Penobscot River, Maine.
- Lake Oahe, South Dakota.
Where do king salmon lay eggs?
Salmon lay their eggs in many streams and rivers. Depending on the species, a female salmon will lay anywhere from 1,500 to 7,000 eggs in a nest or redd she has created by making a shallow depression in the stream bottom. The male fertilizes the eggs and then both fish push gravel over them to protect them.
How many eggs are in a king salmon?
A female salmon will lay anywhere from 3,000 – 17,000 eggs depending on her size. Only 20 of 100 eggs survive to become fry.
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