The Humpie Chronicles- Targeting Early Season Pinks

[Steelheadin360]

With 6 million pink salmon entering Puget Sound over the next month its easy to see why everyone is excited! But I have noticed a lot of people with some frustration when people around them are catching fish and they are having a less then stellar day. So I thought I would share some of my knowledge on this fiesty little buggers and hopefully help a few fishermen and women out!

Pinks are not as easy to catch as everyone thinks, even I have been frustrated on the river when fish are jumping everywhere and I can't get a hook-up. But I have learned a few things to get bites! First off, when your in a boat and your looking for a place to anchor up watch the river for a few minutes. Most of the time the schools of fish will take the same route up the river and the jumpers can tell you where the Humpie highways are at. I try to anchor casting distance away from them. Also, when in a boat, leave the jig in the water at the end of your cast and give it a few twitches, I have got alot of fish 5 feet away from the boat. From shore I try to find spots that are easy to fish from and there isn't a huge log or something sitting out there. I also look for pinch points (narrow spots in the river) and the insides of river bends where the fish will be running close to the bank. Also, don't be the guy standing armpit deep in the river, the fish will be running right where you're standing. As I move upriver i look for deeper pockets where the fish will hold for a bit and you can get a few casts at them before the move on. Remember that these fish like to hug the bottom. The other thing I don't do is blind cast. If there is no fishing jumping Im not fishing. Two reason for this, #1 they like hanging out by the snaggy stuff and there is no point in losing gear if the fish arent there, and #2 because those fish are hauling butt through most places on the river. Most of the time you only get one cast at a school of fish and you need make it count, When I see a jumper I cast 15ft in front of it and about 10 ft further away. Sometimes it might take 15 min for a new school to come through, that's when its a good time to check your knots, maybe retie a leader, and send photos to your buddies bragging about that monster buck you just put in the cooler.

As far as gear goes, my favorite thing to use is a 7'6" light action trout rod, loaded with 20# braid and a 12" 15# leader at the end. I like the braid for jigging a lot because 99.9% of the time the fish is going to grab your jig on the drop. When you go to jig up there is no stretch in the braid and you will set the hook every time on that fish. With mono there is that stretch and you gotta be quick to bury that hook or that fish is gone. When I'm jig fishing I only move my rod tip about 12" and i don't snap it, I do a quick lift, then I slack up the line on the drop and reel in the slack, about 2 seconds later I lift up again. Its a lot of fun when you go to jig and as soon as you start to lift you get a headshake! If the water I am in is less the 10' deep I use a 1/4 oz jig, I like the slower fall of the lighter jigs and you will get hung up less, If the water is a little deeper I will step up to a 3/8 oz. I have found a new thing from Joel's Jigs and its a jig with a little blade on it. and they have made all the difference for me this year. I think that added attraction of the flash helps anger the fish enough to cause them to strike. Another great way to catch pinks is with a Dick-Nite spoon, a size 1 50/50 on a 5 foot leader with a weight will help put a lot of fish in your boat. Those are the only two things I fish with, they both work great, but 80% of the time I'm twitchin for passing schools.

I think the biggest piece of advice I can give is just to get out and fish, be friendly with people on the river, and do not give up. I, along with other people, am very happy to help someone out that is having a tuff time on the water, Ill even give you a jig or two. The odd years are a great time for everyone to get out and have a great day on the water. Also remember to bleed and ice your catch right away. Pinks have very soft meat and letting them bake on the river bank (even in water) will turn them to a nasty mush. So in short- Find the fish, cast to jumpers, and remember to have fun!

[Bodofish]

I concur whole heartedly! The biggest thing I see people doing wrong is not getting the gear to the bottom. If the rivers moving you may need to go to a 3/8 or 1/2oz jig or put a bigger piece of lead on what you are offering. If it's not on the bottom, you aren't fishing. Big advantage in a boat as you can move till you see the fish.

[fear_no_fish]

If your going to fish a Dick-Nite spoon work it SLOW! A nice slow wobble is what you want. Pretty much just drift fishing with a super slow retrieve. Or you can plunk it.
Plunking sand shrimp behind pretty much any spin glo is a good bet as well.

[NimmunDay]

If your going to fish a Dick-Nite spoon work it SLOW! A nice slow wobble is what you want. Pretty much just drift fishing with a super slow retrieve. Or you can plunk it.
Plunking sand shrimp behind pretty much any spin glo is a good bet as well.

Pretty much, no wobble no fish. Spinning spoons are a no-no.

[oneshot]

solid post!
thanks for breaking it down.

I'm with Bodofish, gotta keep it low and i fish DN's mostly so slow as well.. slow and low that is the tempo..
if they see it low, many times they will follow it up out of the pocket and bite at the swing or even closer to the boat ..

i'm still waiting for my early season pink.. gonna happen any day now and my son will finally get to bonk his fish too!

[Steelheadin360]

Saturday we were a little wore down from friday evening. So my buddies were plunking dick-nites right at the edge of the boat and were killin um!

I think the biggest thing for these lower river fish is smacking them right in the face with something.

[schoechert]

I'm pretty new to fishing with jig/bobber combos and quarkies for salmon as from being from out of state where all we would use is spoons or spawn and/or crankbaits and have lately grown very fond of using #3 blue fox spinners for both steelhead and trout. Does anyone know if pink salmon can be caught on spinners or little cleo spoons? I will returning from overseas in a few days and would like to get on a fish or two. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

[racfish]

Great thread. Im heading to the river right now.Good luck all.

[wussfacekiller]

I've caught a silver using a blue fox spinner. Never tried them for pinks, but I don't know why it wouldn't work.

[fear_no_fish]

I catch more then a few on blue fox spinners some days, and some days i just cant get hit to save my life with them.