Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[NiceFish]

I hooked into a few rather large chinooks today, but found it quite difficult to have any sort of control over them in the faster waters of the chilliwack river. I am fishing 15lb main, 12lb fluorocarbon leader. One snapped my mainline (first time thats happened), and another rolled around one too many times after a 10 minute battle and was able to cut the leader line on his teeth. I suppose this is the problem that happens when you run out of real estate to chase after them.

Maybe they just have a mind of their own and it depends entirely on how determined they act, cause I have brought in 20# before on 6lb leader line. Of course the long liners have no problem, just grip and rip them into shore 

[frozensalmon]

I guess it depends on which part you hook into the fish, on the tale...no...
and on the mouth is good, body, belly, they tend to roll around I guess?

and maybe 15 lb leader is better for chinook, I was told by a guy who hook a 28lb chinook the other day on vedder, he was on 15lb fluoracarbon

[Fish Assassin]

Apply side pressure

[mistermongz]

Apply side pressure

+1 side pressure always works...

[mistermongz]

I guess it depends on which part you hook into the fish, on the tale...no...
and on the mouth is good, body, belly, they tend to roll around I guess?

and maybe 15 lb leader is better for chinook, I was told by a guy who hook a 28lb chinook the other day on vedder, he was on 15lb fluoracarbon

if you hook a chinook in the tail or anywhere but in the mouth u will have no control over the fish... he will take you for a nice run and you will have no choice but to point your rod tip towards him and snap him off...

[Copper Koski]

I usually try not to "piss off" a big chinook early in the battle or they will just take off. Side pressure works well and try to keep the fish off balance.

[NiceFish]

Side pressure is great and all, but I'm talking more about situations where you've run out of useable space to "chase them down" and they are heading for the faster flowing water, which is like being hooked onto a log as it drifts on down, it's probably not going to decide to swim towards you anymore.

I think like Copper Koski said, do your best to not piss them off....although they are angry to begin with.

[Tex]

If you're targeting big chinook salmon, 12lb test is possibly too light, especially if you're fishing fast deep runs.  Try bumping up your mainline and leader strength by a few pounds, it might make a world of difference in turning a hot fish.

If that fails, the following may SOUND crazy, but I can guarantee it does work - I've tried it:

If a fish is running long and hard downriver, and you're worried (s)he's going to hit the tailout rapids and leave the run, and side pressure can't stop it, try freespooling your line.  Upon doing this,  the fish will stop feeling the pressure/tension of the line in its mouth, and often when the fish stops feeling pressure, it will slow/stop and turn back upriver.  

I tried this for the first time after hooking a 40+ chinook near mid-river that going hellbent for Japan.  If it left the run, it would be a lost cause, so I freespooled my baitcaster.  Immediately I could see the rate of speed with which the line was leaving the reel slowed down, and finally stopped.  All of the slack then began pulling from DOWNRIVER of the fish, and feeling this tension coming from downstream, the Chinook turned and began swimming back UPSTREAM!  10 seconds later, he was back in the run (I could see my line heading back up behind him), so I clicked the reel back into gear and tightened up to the fish.  He was so tired by this point that it was a short battle after that, and I reeled him right into shore.  

This isn't foolproof, and may not always work, but it's saved the day for me more than once.

Good luck!

[Derp]

got this 31lb white spring yesterday, 10-6 (10-25 action rod) with a 20# main and 15# leader, short floating with jig.

one word...side pressure!! 

[milo]

got this 31lb white spring yesterday, 10-6 (10-25 action rod) with a 20# main and 15# leader, short floating with jig.

one word...side pressure!! 

You kept that fish? 
The belly is turning black, the skin is turning green, fins' ends turning white...it's well past its prime, IMO.

[Tex]

one word...side pressure!! 

Four words... learn how to count!  LOL 

[milo]

You kept that fish?  
The belly is turning black, the skin is turning green, fins' ends turning white...it's quite past its prime, IMO.

But don't feel bad, you should see what some beeks on the Vedder keep when they don't know what they are doing:



Can you believe anyone would want to eat this?!?!

Thank God for the Internet! It sure shortens the learning curve.

[Tex]

But don't feel bad, you should see what some beeks on the Vedder keep when they don't know what they are doing:



Can you believe anyone would want to eat this?!?!

Thank God for the Internet! It sure shortens the learning curve.

Hahaha... I was almost going to call you out on your previous comment, Milo, as it wasn't too long ago you were that guy (as was I way back when), but I knew you didn't mean it as sharply as it came across.  Great job calling yourself out anyhow! 

[66TWH]

X2 on tex's method. Freespooling a hell bent big chinook has been the only way to "possibly" get him back into fighting range on faster parts of river. The fish will go down until he feels no pressure and 9 times out of 10 they will travel right back up to calmer waters.
I think we have all taken pleasure in trying to control and land one of these beasts but to keep them is another story. For the newbies I can understand the satisfaction of having a big fish but i think as you experiance more - you will understand that its much better to wait for a prime Coho that will be enjoyed way more for consuption . I cant even risk touching a White spring because of the lingering order for days but to each there own.         

[Fish Assassin]

If you're targeting big chinook salmon, 12lb test is possibly too light, especially if you're fishing fast deep runs.  Try bumping up your mainline and leader strength by a few pounds, it might make a world of difference in turning a hot fish.

If that fails, the following may SOUND crazy, but I can guarantee it does work - I've tried it:

If a fish is running long and hard downriver, and you're worried (s)he's going to hit the tailout rapids and leave the run, and side pressure can't stop it, try freespooling your line.  Upon doing this,  the fish will stop feeling the pressure/tension of the line in its mouth, and often when the fish stops feeling pressure, it will slow/stop and turn back upriver.  

I tried this for the first time after hooking a 40+ chinook near mid-river that going hellbent for Japan.  If it left the run, it would be a lost cause, so I freespooled my baitcaster.  Immediately I could see the rate of speed with which the line was leaving the reel slowed down, and finally stopped.  All of the slack then began pulling from DOWNRIVER of the fish, and feeling this tension coming from downstream, the Chinook turned and began swimming back UPSTREAM!  10 seconds later, he was back in the run (I could see my line heading back up behind him), so I clicked the reel back into gear and tightened up to the fish.  He was so tired by this point that it was a short battle after that, and I reeled him right into shore.  

This isn't foolproof, and may not always work, but it's saved the day for me more than once.

Good luck!

Not crazy at all. It works.