I asked a similar question awhile back regarding sockeye fishing and received an excellent reply from Iron Noggin. I saved the reply because it was an excellent primer for me on what/how to gear up.
Perhaps this will be of help to you.
SOCKEYE FISHING
There are really three runs worth mentioning when it comes to the Inlet, sockeye, springs and coho. Each require a different approach, and varying gear techniques to be amongst the Top Rods.
Sockeye:
SeanM and a Morning's FUN
these smaller salmon are generally described as the best table fare of the lot. Average in the Inlet runs ~ 6-8 pounds, but each year we also see a few topping ten and twelve! They occasionally start as early as now (3 years ago, a buddy and I hit 27 on the 26th of May while out speculating!), but the last couple of years, they haven't really turned on until mid-June. Last year it seemed even later than that to me. This year, the sockeye have been creeping in for a little while now, just not all that conducive to biting. This is a reflection of environmental conditions - when the Inlet is cold, and the river is running high and cool, the sox will literally bolt right into and up the flow. This makes for difficult targets, as they do not pause on the way in. When the water heats in the inlet and the river drops a tad and warms (as happens each year) the sockeye become reluctant to enter the freshwater. This has the effect of backing and schooling them up in ever increasing numbers, and that, exactly, is what in turn makes them much more susceptible to The Bite.
Most days, the action is very early, especially at the beginning of the season. First light = first bite definitely holds true. One of our local sayings is that if you're still out there when the Lady Rose steams by (9:00ish), you've missed out. So, be prepared to be early!!
At first light, the sockeye can be right on the surface. Later in the season it is not at all unusual to see large schools finning right on top! A word to the wise, don't run right over them, for they will surely sound! As the sun creeps higher, the fish generally drop down in depth. Usually this also means the bite slows, but not always - we've had some tremendous fisheries at noon!
Sockeye LOVE flash and glitter! The more of that you have down below, the greater your odds of success. I've managed to turn entire schools and had them follow the boat for miles, simply by running a LOT of flash down there!
Two methods of approach:
Standard:
It was the commercial troll fleet that came up with the method originally to target on these fish, always previously considered to be non-biters. Shortly after their success, sporties got in on the game, and the Inlet fishery was off and running.
Most folks deploy standard salmon rods/reels. Terminals are various colourations of flashers: red base / silver blade, green base / silver blade being the most predominant. With experimentation, we found those that have a green or clear base, silver foil, with a leading blue/green edge on one side to be extremely effective. Behind this the typical choice is one of the MP (mini-plankton) hootchies in bubblegum and various shades of pink and red. Leader length is dependant on boat speed of course, but the average is ~ 27 inches. Run your first set off the ball at ~ 20 - 25 feet out, drop 15 feet, repeat with the next. Some, recognizing the sox love of flash, add a 3rd rod another 15 feet above that. Then drop the ball down to just below where the fish are marking on your sounder. Repeat on the other side and stagger (i.e.: one side at 45 feet, the other at 32). This covers the water column well, and will result in more hook-ups. Sockeye like it a tad slower than most, so set the boat speed ~ 1.8 knots, sometimes a tad slower, sometimes a tad faster. Don't be at all afraid of making numerous twists and turns! The fish then tell you if they want if faster or slower than what you're moving the boat speed at.
UltraLight:
A few years back, a handful of us started experimenting with ways to make these little guys more fun. To that end, we experimented with literally dozens of small, light spoons, run off trout rods (standard spinning gear w/ 10-12 lb test). Eventually we determined that the then-in-production Krippled K's were THE diet of choice, and would pull the fish faster than most others. Since then, the KK's have been discontinued, and we have had to find acquirable replacements. The last couple of years, Coyote spoons 2 & 3/4" in Party Gal, Party Boy, Halloween and Cop Car have worked well, as well as a few of the Gypsy spoons (by Gibbs) in the same size and basic colours (reds, pinks, Army Truck, Cop Car and glitter). If you can find anything in that size range that shows PEARL one side, GET IT OUT THERE!!!
In this application, you need what we refer to as "False Flashers" to bring the sox into the gear. These are simply the same flashers as noted above, on an 8-10 foot tether of mono, clipped directly to the wire, and bearing no terminal. You'll need 4 of these, and 6 is better.
Clip the first false flasher to the ball, drop but 2 feet. You want the flasher rotating, a mere few inches below the surface. Clip the downrigger release 2 - 2 1/2 feet above the point where the flasher is connected. Run the spoon ~ 5 - 8 feet out behind the revolving flasher, then drop 12-15 feet. Repeat with the next set of false flasher and spoon combo, drop again, and repeat (we quite often run 6 rods with this method). If you're not running the 3rd rod on each side, it is still a good idea to add in the 3rd flasher - remember, these fish LIKE the flash! Once set up, again drop just below where the fish are marking, rig the other side and stagger the depths, and HANG ON!
This method turns these little guys into Tigers! Reel screaming runs, soundings, and aerial displays any coho would be proud of! A REEL hoot! Two cautions: Run decent quality reels with good drags. That (and the occasional broken rod) is our biggest casualties! And, steer clear of other boats! While the fight is greatly enhanced, the buggers will almost always zone in on the boat next to you given half a chance, and wrap around their gear, losing both fish and terminal!
So, that's sockeye 101 for the Inlet. There's a lot of areas that produce, including Cous Creek, Lone tree, The China Wall, Arden creek, McTush and Nahmint Bays, and 10 mile that all work well. For the more adventuresome, Pocahontas and Points below also work right well, as can places out in the Sound. Last year, we got in on some real fun mixed fisheries, sockeye and spring combos at Pill Point, by running sox gear up top, and spring gear below. Don't be afraid to experiment, it often pays off!
Final hint: Sox also happen to very much like X-10
By the beginning of August, the water is generally quite warm in the Inlet. While it's still more than possible to tag a few sockeye, many of us wander out to Barkely Sound and offshore, searching for springs and halibut to while away the time waiting for the return of the largest salmon to the Inlet, the magnificent springs.
Zek with a nice Alberni Spring:
And FishHawk with another:
By the beginning of the second week of August (and sometimes earlier) the first of these great battlers will begin to nose their way in from the outside. Initially, the outer areas (Pill Point, Ten Mile, and Nahmint) will be the best spots, but that changes in rapid order. By mid-August, you can expect to find them anywhere from Pill Point right up into the Harbour. When this happens, the traditional hotspots are Holm Island (remember Single Barbless ONLY from Polly's Point and inside!), Coulson's Mill and up past the Scout Camp (cabin burned so no more landmark) to Lone Tree and around along the Wall towards China Creek. Cous can be OK, and Dunsmuir Point across form China Creek is usually fairly good. Dunsmuir Point out through the Narrows is a good producer as well, and quite often the mouth of McTush Creek is crazy (especially when the coho start to stack a tad later in the season!!) Nahmint and areas farther down will still be producing, but my thought has always been why run unless you have too (as in closer gets too crowded for your liking). Remember to check with either the Department's local office or Gone Fishin' for area closures! You really don't want to ruin an incredible experience by accidentally straying into a ticket!
As for the techniques and terminals:
Depth: 15 and 20 feet to TOP rods in the am, drop to a max of 70 - 80 to BOTTOM rods with increasing daylight. The larger fish get quite uncomfortable in the deep, and are nearly always taken up top. As with the sox, this Fishery is a definite morning show, so plan on leaving in near-dark (make sure your running lights are happening!)
Speed: 2 - 2.5 knots for flashers/hootchies. A tad faster for plugs and anywhere in-between for spoons.
Flashers: Coho Special (Blue base, blue/green stripe one side over scaled
silver foil - my Fav), or Purple Base/Gold Foil, or Green Base/Silver foil. The ones we use for sockeye with the blue-green stripe also work well, and last year the Purple Haze accounted for more than a few hook-ups.
Hootchies: One of the very few places I know where springs target HARD on red and small gear is the Alberni Inlet. For whatever reason, as many are caught on this (what I've always previously considered sockeye gear) as any other! MP-15 or likewise (small pink/red miniplanktons), Straight glow, but even better glow with gasoline back (for a neat producer, put one of the small pink MP's up inside a gasoline back glow - REALLY worked well the last 2 years!!), and Yama****a's Octopus 3.5 # CA12R - this one looks white/translucent, but turns an amazing purple/UV color when in the water, also proved deadly last year. Run all at 38-42" knot to knot with tandem DE-BARBED 4/0 or 3/0 Gammies (except inside Polly's Point!). Again boat speed is what determines length, so again, try the turns, they'll letcha know what they desire
Plugs: The #'s 500, 602 and one I can't remember the number - white glow with a gasoline back, all 6" - all produce well. If plugging it, remember to increase the speed a tad. Loads of FUN with no flasher between you and 30 pounds plus of Rollin' Anger!!!
Spoons: Coyote's Cop Cars & Nasty Boy in 3.5 or 4", Gibb's Gypsy Spoon 1/2 silver/ 1/2 forest green in 3.5", either 4 - 5 feet behind a flasher, or 6 - 8 feet behind a false flasher. Others work, so don't be afraid to experiment!
Bait: Medium anchovies, green/glow, white/glow and blue/chrome teaser heads, same rigging distance as spoons. We often run these above/behind a false flasher, or no flasher at all - right enhances the scrap!!
Rods and reels of course MUST be beefed up to handle the stress these monsters will put on the gear! I did try one with the ultralight 2 years ago - 5 seconds was all it took to be spooled!! Due to ease of deploy, I greatly prefer medium weight rods in 9 - 9.5 feet (and it makes it a LOT easier to deal with the fish boat side over longer rods when you can put horizontal pressure on him, rather than trying to lift the bugger into the boat!!). Reels come in many configurations, with the most predominant being the moocher type produced by Shimano amongst others. I always carry a few of the ol' KnuckleBuster Peetz onboard for the more adventuresome (and I do love that sound in the morning: rap-rap-rap-rap-rap EEEEOOOOOOUUUUCH!) Of course the best of the lot IMHO are the beautiful Islanders, a literal work of art, that truly shine when engaged in what they do best - Taming MONSTERS!!
We see springs anywhere from the mid-teens, to absolute monsters over 50 pounds here! Running for a month, well into September most years, the fishery produces right well most years, and is truly an experience worth getting in on!!!
These guys seem indifferent to attractants, but what the heck, experiment! If you find one they like, I'd be right interested!
Final Hint: Bring a BIG net!
Next up: Mental Coho
Cheers,
Nog
PS: Heavier lines required obviously. I run mainline from 30 to 50 pounds for these guys, dependant on the reel it's on. These fish get LARGE (see the 62 POUNDER below!) and will indeed rip through line like thread if it's too light! For terminals, I generally run 40 lb test
Looked around a bit for a few salt-chuck coho shots, but was unable to find any just this moment So a couple from the creek will have to suffice
Me with a couple:
And a Buddy "Brownie" with another:
At the same time that the springs are still pouring in, we begin to see the first returnees of our large coho run to the Inlet. These fish are numerous compared to many other system's and LARGE by any standards (a 28+ POUND specimen won the local derby here a few years back, my personal best = 26.5 lbs to date!).
These fish are often referred to as The Darlings of the sports enthusiast - for a reason! They are almost always ready to bite, and once hooked, little compares with the way they battle! While they are indeed capable of blistering runs, their most spectacular feature is the amount of time they usually spend AIRBOURNE!! And that of course is but one of the reasons we call them MENTAL!! The Inlet is no exception to this, and one can expect these flyin' tigers to perform well beyond satisfaction!!
Starting late in August, and running through a lot (if not most) of September, most years realize 1/4 of a million of these feisties coming back to our waters. Again, at the start, the outside areas such as Pill Point, Assetts Island and below produce best. And again, that changes seemingly overnight! Just into September the usual hot-spots are McTush, The Narrows (usually VERY good), just inside of there, and all the way into the Harbour.
These fish like glitter almost as much as sockeye, and compared to most, like the presentation FAST! Generally on top at first light, they don't seem to drop as fast, or as far as the others, often remaining in the top 40 feet of water throughout the day.
Techniques & Terminals:
Start SHALLOW! As in right on top! We've had a lot hit the offering as it was being drug on the surface, while the line is being set in the release clip! For that reason, BuckTailing works quite well, and it's not all that uncommon to see boats smokin' along at 3 to 5 KNOTS, dragging streamers barely subsurface! It is a REEL rush to watch that bow wave zooming in behind your offering when doing this, and suddenly erupt in an explosion of spray at the hit!! Awesome!
As noted, they don't seem to go as deep, so we generally stick to the top 50 feet or so when working these guys. Again, early is better, so plan on that
Speed: One word: FAST! We usually troll bucktails at 3.5 knots or so. Spoons at 3. If you're gonna fly blades, the Coho Special does live up to its name (although the Purple Haze has created itself a following after last year) and drag at 2.5+ knots. In my mind, it's tough to go too fast for these ones.
Flashers: Not really necessary for coho, but they can and do work. As noted, the coho Special is good, Purple Haze, and standard green/silver all work well.
Hootchies: Anything with glitter (mylar inserts). Best seemed to be the CR # noted above for springs, some reds (they aren't as keen as springs on the MP's though) and green, green/glow - all in standard sizes.
Plugs: While these can work, there are better offerings. If you're gonna try them, I'd suggest the 4" in glow, blue/silver or 500's. Move FAST with these. Not a lot of point to the larger plugs, they do seem a tad gun-shy on them most of the time.
Spoons: GLITTER! Any shiny / glittery spoon 3.5 - 4.5 inches works. One of the better ones we found was the 4" Coyote with a silver base, red stripe up the center, a few blue dots, and covered with that stuff that looks like cookie glitter. Can't recall the name on that one, but it certainly produced! That said, manastees (commercial spoons), green/silver, green glow, cop cars and army trucks in Coyote, Gypsy or similar shapes all produce well. Run behind a false flasher, or solo, and move 'em quick!
Bait: Again, not usually necessary. Coho are generally quite aggressive by nature, and as willing to attack a bucktail or spoon as much as bait. Should the doldrums set in, medium 'chovies in blue/chrome teaser heads often will reawaken them, and it is generally (only) under those conditions I'll drag out the Meat.
Rods and reels can be the same employed for springs (DON'T try the utlralight trout stuff here!!) but I greatly prefer lighter. Light to medium rods, equipped with single action moochers (again, the Islanders shine at this!) very much enhance the battle! Lines can also be a tad lighter, reflective of the size of your quarry. I generally run 25 lb mains, and slightly heavier leaders (to prevent teeth chaffing). Fly rods REALLY shine when bucktailin'
Well, that about sums up this ol' Redneck's understanding of how to fish the Inlet. I'm certain to have missed a few items here, and it's very likely that others will have favorite techniques that vary from my own. But, I think that presents a decent "starter", and should get you into a few. As for the original question: What gear to have along? You can likely pick from FLYH20's list and glean from what I've babbled on about enough to get you started. IMHO, you can never have enough
1.Two or more Shimano 2000 GT reels about $80.00 each.
2 Two or more 10.5 foot med mooching rods . $80.00 each
3.Hot Spot Flashers in colors of red about 8. $10.00 each.
4.Hot Spot Flashers any color as long as they are green about 4. $10.00
5. Mini Plankton glo head hoochies about 10. $2.00 each
6. Assorted hoochies. Army Truck, Purple haze and others about 10. $3.00 each
7. Cut plug leaders about 20 $ 2.00 each
8.Rhys Davis frozen Herring about 5 doz. Market price
9.Tomic Plugs #5 about two in color 602. $13.00
10. Package of beads $2.00
11. Snaps with swivels about 10. $5.00
12. 800 yards of 25lb Maxima or half backing.
13. Sliding ball mooching weights 6oz about 6.
That would be a very basic kit for Salmon on the west coast. You can change things up to fit what you like as far as color and what have you but I just gave a base line.
Note: Sockeye like lots of flashers and a slow speed and red hues work the best. When you start hitting Sockeye don't turn around if you stop hitting them because they will keep going. Try to zig zag until you find their path again.
If this was something I was going to do long term I would invest in an Islander MR2 or MR3 reel it will make a world of diff.
