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Thread: Planning a Possible Trip in September for Salmon.... Any Advice?

  1. #1

    Default Planning a Possible Trip in September for Salmon.... Any Advice?

    Hi everyone. I'm a lifelong So Cal trout fisherman who is considering a journey up North this Fall to try his hand at king salmon. Wondering what you all think about it? My Dad has fished the Trinnity river a handful of times up North in the 80's and 90's but according to him, it's verrrrrrryyy slow up there. He's never gotten a King, but would catch maybe 1-3 Silvers per week.

    We went to Alaska last year for Silvers and caught only about 5 silvers all week. We had a BLAST catching Pinks, though. The first day we went out there we had each gotten about 15-20 in no more than 2-3 hours. Probably the best day of fishing I've ever had. Every cast was either a bite or a catch. Each one was between 3-6 pounds, which is small for salmon, but big compared to the little stockers we have been catching in the Sierras all these years. Thank God for those several days of amazing pink fishing, because the silvers were very hook shy. No kings (we went in late July/early August so they were probably mostly gone by then), no chum, but we did catch a few Sockeye.

    Anyway, I hear the king fishing up in Nor Cal can be good, but has the recent drought caused numbers to drop off? Realistically, if I were to hire a guide service at a rate of 200 per person, what would be my chances of hooking up with a king salmon? I'm afraid of going up there and catching nothing.

    Looking for opinions and advice. Thanks

  2. #2

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Brewskier View Post
    Hi everyone. I'm a lifelong So Cal trout fisherman who is considering a journey up North this Fall to try his hand at king salmon. Wondering what you all think about it? My Dad has fished the Trinnity river a handful of times up North in the 80's and 90's but according to him, it's verrrrrrryyy slow up there. He's never gotten a King, but would catch maybe 1-3 Silvers per week.

    We went to Alaska last year for Silvers and caught only about 5 silvers all week. We had a BLAST catching Pinks, though. The first day we went out there we had each gotten about 15-20 in no more than 2-3 hours. Probably the best day of fishing I've ever had. Every cast was either a bite or a catch. Each one was between 3-6 pounds, which is small for salmon, but big compared to the little stockers we have been catching in the Sierras all these years. Thank God for those several days of amazing pink fishing, because the silvers were very hook shy. No kings (we went in late July/early August so they were probably mostly gone by then), no chum, but we did catch a few Sockeye.

    Anyway, I hear the king fishing up in Nor Cal can be good, but has the recent drought caused numbers to drop off? Realistically, if I were to hire a guide service at a rate of 200 per person, what would be my chances of hooking up with a king salmon? I'm afraid of going up there and catching nothing.

    Looking for opinions and advice. Thanks
    I've got an opinion about the northern most rivers. I use to do a lot of steelhead and Salmon fishing with guides using drift boats. We always caught fish when we would go!!!! With that being said, "we always cheated!!!!!" (No we didn't snag them) lol We would have a very flexible schedule, once the fish were in the rivers. I would into a Defcon 2 mood. I would watch the weather reports, when it rains it blows out the river. When it drops and clears we would launch our attack!!!! It worked every time!!!! If you have a flexible schedule it's almost a can't miss proposition!!! Just my two cents on the subject. lol
    Last edited by etucker1959; 05-08-2015 at 02:20 PM.

  3. #3

    Default

    So I'm probably the last person you should take advice from on this, but I have fished 2 times on the lower Sacramento, just below Redding. Both times we used guides, and the guide finds the hole in the river where the fish are holding, and you sit in place with the motor's power. You troll the lure in the current behind the boat and it sits infront of their faces until they bite out of anger. Both times we limited on fish, cerca 2005. No idea how it would be now, since I think the runs are super small lately. What I can tell you, is that the fish make runs a few times a year, like 4 I think. Both times we fished in the winter. I think if you pick a random time and try fishing, the river might be empty. You have to time your trip. Also, at least in the area we fished, there's zero chance you'd go out on your own and be successful. Knowing how to do the river trolling correctly, how to rig the baits, where the holes are, etc... is not an easy task to just show up and accomplish. One last thing, the locals all knew the spot, and there was a flotilla of boats out there jockeying for the better spots. Not for the faint of heart.

  4. #4

    Default

    I fished the sac two times and with no guide, on my boat. The fish finder makes the difference . A 20 dollar bill goes a long way ,for information at the tackle shop . Both times I gave the guy at the tackle shop a twenty , and said ( what would you fish with right now ? ) He hand picked our gear . We caught fish . You need to be on the water all day to bring up the odds . Our catches were in the AM and Pm . One Day on that trip we anchored at the head of a deep pool , no fish on the meter . As soon as the sun left the water that evening , a large school of kings moved into the pool . The sonar was black with fish , the big kings were rolling and jumping all around us . We got 3 before we had to pull out

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