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Salmon love to hide in deep pools, spoons and spinners are very effective at covering this type of holding water. Make sure your lure is getting to the bottom to maximize your coverage of the hole. Big salmon can bite big lures!
King Salmon are bottom huggers so it is important to be close to the bottom. Coho will chase the spinners from longer distances.
When the river conditions are low and clear change your tactics by going to smaller lures. Blade colors can be changed by placing colored tape on the inside of spinner blade or back of spoon.
Spinners can be tipped with bait (night crawler, roe or shrimp ball)
DO NOT TIP SPOONS........this will ruin the action of the lure.
Spoons and spinners can be scented with oils or smelly jelly. (remember the keen sense of smell) Salmon will stage behind a bait before they strike......scent them
Single or Triple hook?..........Single Siwash!!! Holds the fish better.
Do not buy cheap hooks!!! Why spend three dollars for a spinner and lose fish because you saved 10 cents on your hook.
When the water visibility is poor do not use nickel finish on your spoons and spinners. Nickel finish appears black in color a couple feet under the surface.
On black blades (spoons and spinners) take a file and stroke paint off blade to add small amount of flash.
In Clear water if you get a short strike .......change colors or size.
Try a trailer hook if short strikes become a regular problem.
Spoon and spinner blade shapes really make a difference in how they fish in the current. Elongated blades will sink faster than wide blades. Adjust the type of blade to match your fishing area.
To fish spoons and spinners cast directly across stream and allow it to sink to bottom. Do not slack line lure or it will hang up. Retrieve lure so it has just enough action to scrape bottom occasionally. As the lure starts to swing across river, dip rod to counteract the push of the current that makes the lure rise to surface.
| Salmon | Water Conditions | Spinner Blade Color | Spinner size | Line test |
| Coho | low, clear | black ,tarnished brass, copper | #1,#2,#3 | 4-12# |
| normal flow,5-8 ft. visibility | Red, yellow, orange, green, blue | #3,#4 | 8-15# | |
| high | gold, silver, brass | #4,#5 | 12-20# | |
| King | low | black, tarnished brass, copper | #2, #3, | 8-15# |
| normal flow, 5-8ft visibility | red, yellow, orange, green, blue, gold, silver, brass | #4, #5, #6 | 15-20# | |
| High, 6 inches to 3 ft | gold, silver, brass | #5, #6,#7 | 20-30# | |
| Humpy / pink | low | black, tarnished brass, copper, pink, white, red, yellow, | #1,#2 | 4-8# |
| Salmon | Water conditions | Spoon Color | Weight | Line test |
| Coho | low clear | Black, copper, tarnished brass | 1/4 oz | 4-10# |
| normal flow 5- 8 ft visibility | red, yellow, orange, green, blue, pink | 3/8-1/2 oz | 10-15#
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| High, 6 inches - 2 ft visibility | silver, gold, brass | 3/4-1 oz | 12-20# | |
| King | low | black, copper, tarnished brass | 1/4--3/8 oz | 8-12# |
| normal flow, 5-8 ft visibility | blue, green, brass, silver, nickel, gold | 3/8-3/4 oz | 15-20# | |
| high, 6 inches - 2ft | silver, gold | 3/4-2 oz | 20-25# | |
| Pink (humpy) | low | pink, yellow, white, black, copper, tarnished brass | 1/4 oz | 4-10# |
| normal flow, 5-8 ft visibility | all colors...pink my favorite | 3/8 to 1/2 oz | 8-15# | |
| high, 6 inches - 2ft | silver, gold | 1/2 oz | 10-20# |
| Hook Chart | ||||||
| Lure Size | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 and 6 |
| Single Hook | #6 | #4 | #2 | #1 | #1/0 | #2/0 |
| Treble Hook | #8 | #7 | #6 | #4 | #3 | #2 |
Siwash hooks should be placed with point towards the concave side of spoon
Books
Spoon
Fishing for Steelhead
by Bill Herzog, William T. Herzog
This book is a excellent primer on spoon fishing. The techniques used for steelhead apply for salmon.
Spinner
Fishing for Steelhead, Salmon and Trout
by Jed Davis
This book is a excellent primer for making custom spinners. Truly a must read if your interested in using spinners or making them.
