~ <O))>< KINGS ON THE CUTTING EDGE

You can troll with either bait or lures from the fly rod setups described above. Common lures for trolling are the popular spoons known as Krocodiles, Apexes, and Andy Reekers. You can also use plastic squids, called "hoochies," tied behind a metal flasher. In the last 10 years, a colored plastic clip marketed as a Rotary Salmon Killer has become very popular. They hold the bait and slowly spin it to resemble and imitate an injured baitfish. Or you can simply hook a herring or anchovy bait on a 6-foot leader so that it will slowly spin -- this creates the same effect.

As for the custom bait rigs, I've taken the Rotary Salmon Killer and modified it by adding a plastic eye on the head that holds that bait, because over the years, I've seen that offshore lures with large eyes attract more fish. I then add a small day-glow hoochy on a Siwash hook. As mentioned above, adding the hoochy onto the hook gives better rotation to the bait as it moves through the water. This local luminary is nicknamed the One Eyed Jack.

I developed another trolling rig based on the premise that salmon aren't surface feeders. Knowing this, I felt the usual techniques of fly-fishing for saltwater game fish wouldn't be successful. However, determined to take a salmon with a fly, I had to think up a way for the fly to imitate an injured baitfish at a deeper depth. So, I replaced the hoochy behind the flasher with a saltwater streamer fly pattern. This fly pattern is the one used for tuna and other offshore game fish of the warmer waters of the Pacific, designed to imitate the predominant area forage species of sardines, herring and anchovies. In general, my most productive fly patterns are green-and-white with Mylar, blue-and-white with Mylar, and the classic red-and-white with Mylar, which I feel closely mimics krill. I use 30-pound test hard leader material with ball bearing swivels to tie the rig together. When a mature king salmon strikes the rig, this combination does the trick.

Keeping the hooks as sharp as possible on all of these rigs is also important; and be sure to bend your barbs down. Remember, the two rules for pursuing king salmon off California are (1) to use only barbless hooks, and (2) to use only circle hooks when "mooching."

Most salmon trolling is done with a 2-1/2 pound lead ball weight that you attach to a sinker release or "dog whistle," tied to the main line several feet in front of the lure, bait or fly. When a fish strikes the bait the sinker drops off allowing you to play the fish without the weight of the sinker. I find a 1 1/2 -pound weight is adequate, and my heavy fly rods have no trouble supporting the extra weight.

When its time to set out the baits, the fly rods are placed in Perko rod holders found on sportfishermen; these are removable stainless steel tubes which can be attached directly to the rail. Using this style of rod holder allows me to position the two side rods straight out from the boat like outriggers.

I usually start trolling in a straight line into the ocean swell. The typical speed is about 2.8 knots. Changing the trolling course into a zigzag pattern causes the bait to change direction and can bring on a strike. Speeding up and slowing the hull speed causes the bait to rise and fall, also attracting salmon. Remember, salmon rarely feed on the surface, so you need to control the depth of the bait.

How deep you troll your spread depends on the weather, sea conditions and depth of the bait present. The rule of thumb is the rougher the seas, the deeper the bait, hence the deeper the salmon. I usually set my lines at depths of 20 to 60 feet. The depth of the first strike will designate the depth that I'll set all my lines.

After the initial strike, keep the boat in gear and begin to work you prize toward the boat. If you shut the boat down while you're fighting a salmon, you probably won't be fighting him for very much longer. Generally, it is just the pressure exerted from the fishing line that keeps the hook in place in its mouth, and keeping the boat in gear will ensure the line is always taught.

Because salmon have such soft mouths and the slightest amount of slack will result in a lost fish, you cannot fight by pumping up and reeling down as you would other big game species. Instead, apply steady pressure to the fish, keep your rod tip up, and aggressively reel him in. While salmon do not dive like tuna, they make runs side-to-side as well as to and away from the boat, and can be a challenge to keep up with... especially with a fly rod. Once the salmon is boatside and within netting range, lead him into the net headfirst, and don't go swatting at him because this may be your only chance to land him.