Just bought a salmon rod/reel... Now what?

[yooper_fisher]

After seeing all the pink's in the white today (I know it's closed, I just looked) I got excited and went out and spent a day and half's wage on a rod/reel combo. I have that now, but now I'm not sure how to really use it.

I fished pink's and king's back in Michigan, but that was a whole different ball game. I experienced combat fishing for pinks, but it was on a dock using 6.5' rods casting spoons and the king fishing was with downriggers from my boat.

I live close to the Puke and the upper green, so those rivers are my options. I know the puke is good, but the combat fishing scares me since I don't want to mess things up and be "that guy." I don't know how to fish with corkies and I'm not sure how to control a rod of this length (8.5' okuma).

Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated, or better yet if I could meet up with someone at the Puyallup and have them show me the basics (I wouldn't fish, I'd just want to be shown since I only have a couple corkies and no waders or proper lead yet) that would be great.

My work schedule is a bit screwy right now since the WA wildland fire season finally got here, but I will make time if anyone is willing to help.

[Toni]

What lures do you have? Next thing is to go out and cast, cast, cast.

[yooper_fisher]

right now, nothing really. In MI I would use pink swedish pimples for the humpy's. I do have a couple corkies now and was going to pick up some pink jigs, buzz bombs, and more corkies. Figured I'd start with the humpy's as they are more numerous and I can get a feel for this river fishing. I have no real Idea on how to rig up the corkies. I have read numerous posts on here, but without really seeing it in person I have no idea

[flinginpooh]

What Ive been using and its working wonders is a uv pink trout bead. You can get them at sportco for around 1.69 for like 50 of them. And some pink uv yarn. Add atleast a 5ft leader with a #2 hook and your set. Ive been using 1/2 oz cannon balls cause I bought alot of them or just use pencil lead. Cast out and keep your rod tip down. Start to slowly raise it. Repeat until you feel the fish then set it. Dont require a huge hook set. Pinks mouths are soft. They are fun and easy when ya get it down.

[yooper_fisher]

Thank you pooh, much appreciated. My biggest concern is fishing that close to people I don't know. I've read some horror stories here and being a newb to this whole thing I really don't want to ruin someones day of fishing. I've been the guy who's had his day ruined, and I've been patient and helpful, but still... some people aren't... well... kind fishermen

[chefjake99]

right now, nothing really. In MI I would use pink swedish pimples for the humpy's. I do have a couple corkies now and was going to pick up some pink jigs, buzz bombs, and more corkies. Figured I'd start with the humpy's as they are more numerous and I can get a feel for this river fishing. I have no real Idea on how to rig up the corkies. I have read numerous posts on here, but without really seeing it in person I have no idea

Yooper Fisher-

Here is a link to a website with some pretty good info on how to rig up different set up's.
[url=http://www.steelheaduniversity.com/education_index.html]

I suggest looking through this website as there is some good info on it.


One suggestion for a new guy on the river I wouldn't necessarily go out tossing buzz bombs. It is questionably legal and many people will be employing this method it is not always looked too highly upon. There are many other ways to catch the pinks that are just as effective without looking like a bush league snagger. Just my 2 cents.

[yooper_fisher]

Thank you for the insite Jake. I will keep a few in my arsenal, but I def won't use them if it's not appropriate. I was reading the reports from dash point and it seemed they were using them there so I figured I had better pick up a few. The pink lead headed jigs really caught my eye in the store today, but for a first timer I figure I better go with the flow. I know a guy can't cast spoons if everyone around him is drift fishing.

[chefjake99]

No problem Yooper fisher. I don't know how things are on the rivers too much down south as I mainly fish the north end rivers but in 09 a pink worm tail jig or a pink hoochie jig were my goto's. As far as buzz bombs out in the salt I think that is a bit of a different story as it is a much wider used technique than it is in the river. Or maybe just more acceptable in the salt as it is in the rivers.

[Sthao92]

Hey yooper fisher i was reading the other comments and i thought i would give you a detailed description of the drift setup i use since no one has yet. First i tie a snap swivel to the main line and put my piece of pencil lead or canon ball weight onto the part that opens on the swivel. For the pencil lead i have a pair of pliers that puts a hole through it. then take my 5-6 feet of leader and tie a size 1 hook on with an egg loop and slide my corkie on before i tie the leader to the hole that the snap part of the swivel part is connected to. Then i take about a 2-3 inch piece of yarn and put it through the loop part of my egg loop and fisnished. Also forgot to mention that i cut off the tag ends of the knotts. for the color corkies and yarn anything pink basically for humpys and just play around with the colors till you find your own secret color combination. I use 12lb mainline and 10lb leader liner. Also sportco has pretty good prices on their corkies, i think they are like 14 cents each so i usually experiment and get all kinds of colors and play with them. I wasn't sure if you knew how to setup a drift setup so i hope this helped and just ask if you have anymore qeustions.

[natetreat]

I'd be happy to show you the ropes, we can meet up some morning on the duwamish, when it opens next week. The intimidation factor with rivers is what keeps a lot of guys away, but playing a big strong fish in a lot of current that tastes delicious when you get them home keeps the rest of us coming back. Pinks are dumb, and some of the easiest to fool, so they're great to learn on. I'm going to take my wife out to the river to get her hooked on 'em later this month when they get thickest. She's only ever caught small trout and blue gill

[yooper_fisher]

Thanks Sthao and Nate! That rig sounds simple enough, I'll probably tie up a couple like that tonight when I get home from work just to give it a shot.

Nate, thank you for the offer. I'm not that familiar with the Duwamish area but I just may take you up on the offer if I can swing a morning away from work. I'll send you a pm sometime soon.

[Fish_Bait111397]

Hey yooper_fisher, first thing to know is dont start, if you dont want to get addicted ! =p~

For pinks, this is the set up I would use out in the Puyallup (never fished the green).
Small Bead
Snap Swivel
1/2 Oz Cannonball (snapped onto the swivel)
5-6 foot leader
Corky or bead (I'd use small corkies)
Yarn (UV fluff yarn)
#1-#2 Hook.

Some tips for combat fishing, always let the guy down river from you cast first, then you cast and so on.
Alot of guys will be out there ripping there rods back, snagging. Its not neccessary at all, at the end of your drift just raise your rod tip up slowly. When walking behing people, say something like "Im behind ya" so they dont hook you on there back cast.


There is also a Puyallup River-Get Together thing thats gonna be goin on on the 27th of this month.
You can look the details up on the first page of that thread.
Good Luck !

[natetreat]

Thanks Sthao and Nate! That rig sounds simple enough, I'll probably tie up a couple like that tonight when I get home from work just to give it a shot.

Nate, thank you for the offer. I'm not that familiar with the Duwamish area but I just may take you up on the offer if I can swing a morning away from work. I'll send you a pm sometime soon.

Mornings are when my wife lets me go out and when I've had the best luck on the Duw. I owned that river last season the first three weeks it opened. I haven't been down there yet, but I reckon it'll be the same as last year except with pinks in the system, so it should be a cakewalk. I guess the fish are running late everywhere, so we'll see what's what when it opens. Send me a PM when you're ready and I'll send you a google map of where we'll meet up.