Green flashers often outfish red. Whatever color you're using make sure they are all the same color. Purple Haze is often a good flasher too, as is Purple/Gold.
Don't be afraid to switch up tackle if no hits......one day one color is hot, the next could be different....leader lengths anywhere from 18 inches to 30.
Dummies and bling are over-rated. If only fishing two rods, extra bling is ok.
If fishing four rods, extra bling and dummies not needed.
When setting clips , put your Hotspot-type flasher about 5 feet back of the main...........for all four flashers.
Speed isn't critical with Sockeye......they'll hit from dead slow on up to Chinook speed.
They will respond to quite a bit of various lures.
We have found that regardless of what you see on the finder where it shows Sockeye up top and shallow in, say, 15ft of water it is still the deeper fish that tend to bite more. (deeper being anywhere from 35ft to over 100ft)
And in some areas the geographical direction of troll seems to make a difference. Geographical direction being WEST. Although it isn't always the case.
If slow works...then fish slow. If fast works, then fish fast. Try different things.
Once it works...don't fix it until it's broken.
Often times with Sockeye it's "all or nothing"........you troll and get no hits and then suddenly all of your rods go off, when you encounter a school.
Don't "play" Sockeye....as soon as their on, keep winding in (but not too forcefully)....that way they and the flasher will come to the surface and you can "surf" them in much easier.
Time is of the essence when you get them to the boat...every split second you waste time messing around there's a big chance they will get free.
This is when a good net-person is to die for.
Use a long handled net and co-ordinate the timing with the net person so that the fish comes in and with one scoop the fish is in the boat.
More sockeye are lost right at the boat than any other reason.
