If you are looking for an exciting fishing excursion, few fishing trips can boast of being as exciting as Alaska king salmon fishing. Whether you are a novice or a professional fisherman, Alaska king salmon fishing is sure to give the thrill you are looking for! There are certain tips and tricks which, if you adopt, will improve your chances of catching the king salmon (or Chinook). Once you learn these trips and tricks, you won’t need to hire any fishing guides or charters in order to find out the best fishing locations in the state. In this article I will tell you of some such tips and tricks.
1. It pays to know about the behavior of the salmon species you are going after, and Alaska king salmon fishing is no different in this regard. King salmons usually move closer to the shore during spring time. Your selection of lures and baits will largely depend on the water conditions, temperature and clarity or cloudiness of the water where you are going to fish.
2. In the height of Alaska King salmon fishing season, there is daylight throughout the twenty-four hours. This means that unlike other fishing locations, you don’t need to choose just the standard fishing hours in Alaska. In fact the ideal time for catching king salmons in Alaska is before the minimal dark or during the early hours of dawn.
3. Fishermen going for deep ocean fishing usually use cut herring or herring attractors as baits, and then use a slow trolling speed against the movement of the fish. In case you are not familiar with the movements of the fish, your best bet is to hire some expert fish finders.
4. Trolling speed generally depends on the tide of the water. If there is high tide then the trolling line would be longer than usual and the trolling speed will increase as well. Downriggers are usually used to discover the depths at which the salmons are feeding. Do note that such things can be done best by an angler who is experienced in king salmon fishing.
5. There are several different types of lures available for king salmon fishing. The best lure is the one which suits the water conditions of the area in which you are going to fish, and more importantly, the type of fishing you are going to pursue. Popular lures include egg clusters, t-spoons, Wiggle Warts, Kwikfish, flatfish, spinners and tadpoles using a smaller boat set on a low trolling speed across the mouth of rivers and shallow bars.
6. Shore tactics used for Alaska King Salmon fishing are slightly different. Tools like heavier weights and a large spoon are used in order to allow the lure to appear to “bounce” off the bottom. This weird behavior of the lure will most likely attract and irritate the salmon, and this will result in a hit on the lure.
7. If you are going for king salmon fishing in Alaska for the first time, I would recommend you hire a charter or a guide, even though it will add a bit more to your budget. Once you become expert enough in the different kinds of fishing techniques you will be able to handle the whole thing on your own.
If you need more information about Alaska king salmon fishing, we have a complete resource guide available for that purpose. In order to access the guide [adrotate banner=”21″]