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Flashers, hooks and hoochies

Chinook Salmon in the saltwater are at times difficult to catch as the ocean is vast, unlike a river.
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Chinook Salmon in the saltwater are at times difficult to catch as the ocean is vast, unlike a river.

Fishing for Chinook requires patience and a good fish finder.

First off try to find bait balls on your fish finder screen - once you see the ball of bait it’s time to rig up your flashers and your hooks.

Using the flashers to attract the fish to your bait or lure is key - I prefer to use one rod with herring or anchovies, the other rod with a coyote spoon or a hoochie.

What your flasher does is draw the salmon to your hook, which would otherwise go unnoticed in the abyss of the sea.

Your downriggers allow you to get down to the fish, which can be well over 100ft down, so play around with your depths to find the fish.

Another good sign while trolling is the elusive and all powerful killer whales, which arrived in the

Kitimat arm at the end of May.

These killers are targeting the Chinook salmon for their dinner, so if you see the whales the salmon are very near.

Trolling speed is also very important - check your gear as it gets sent down into the clear blue water so it looks presentable and your bait has a nice roll, imitating a wounded bait, and a easy target for the King of all Salmon, the Chinook.

When you get a hit, your rod will be dancing aggressively, so hang on and have fun, and keep your line tight as a slack line could make or break your chance of a catch.

Tight lines and good fishing.