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[Ambassador]

I've recently upgraded to a better kayak and can now take on some local saltwater areas to fish for salmon. I have seen a few decent vids with guys using different flasher/weight/presentation combos, but not sure about the fine details like minimum mainline weights, flasher size, preferred weights and such. I assume my Calcutta 400D with 20lb Ultragreen is a bit light for the task (possibly good for a 3oz and a spoon)?

Thinking I likely need heavier line to account for the flasher and added weight, plus perhaps a reel with a counter? Dont have a fishfinder at the moment - but will likely be adding one in the next month or two.

Springs and Coho are the goal. Any tips are appreciated!

[Fish or cut bait.]

Well, your being rather general.
With a Kayak you're set OK but it will depend on where you plan to fish.
Don't have to give out too much info,
but banana weights worked well for me before I invested in downriggers, just fine tuning, knowing the tides.....
Local Vancouver will be different than Howe sound which will be different from Island destinations, yada, yada,

Good luck.

Remember, it's a KAYAK.
Electric downriggers and dummy flashers are for the larger vessels.

[Tylsie]

You can use a diver, but I found they pull you can feel the drag. As was stated earlier a banana weight (keel sinker) or a sinker release with weight works well. Also, although they are out of favour, a good old fashion dodger and herring strips work well at the slower speeds a kayak prodices.

About 2/3rds of the way down this page http://www.datalaneexpress.com/tips_menu_004.html you will find a great diagram. Although not exclusively designed for kayakers, it is great for showing how to fish for salmon without a downrigger. Best of luck

[Tenz85]

If your yak has the pedal drive it's a huge benefit for trolling. Inline flashers have much less drag such as the hot spot's agitators although sometimes cutplugs or teaser heads without a flasher work when flashers aren't working. Braided line can reduce drag as well. Spoons can be good too and much simpler than trying to get the roll dialed in on bait. Best thing to do is researcher, cover safety precautions and time it right with the tides. Currents can be disastrous if youre yak is hard to move.

[canso]

20lb mainline is fine, forget about flasher combos and run a simple bait setup with a 6oz. weight and 5ft leader. you can do the same thing with a teaserhead and anchovy if you prefer, but cutplug herring is the norm.

count the pulls (one pull=2ft), start at 12 pulls and change up from there. change your speed, slow down bait sinks, speed up bait raises.

this was the first video i found, but lots more. "power mooching"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0DvMfBeCXg

[BananasQ]

Well, good luck Ambassador! I am in a similar boat (har har) this year.  Mine will be run from a clipper tripper with rod holders, paddling the calm waters of the Sechelt Inlet.

My setup will be this 9ft Okuma Classic Pro 9ft Mooching rods with chartreuse tips, with Magda DX30 linecounting reels running 30lb spectra braid.  Linecounting for ease, spectra for less drag. When I troll, I plan to troll using kitetail flashers (http://kitetaillures.com/ - local BC product) using disco deeper divers.  This rod, reel and line set up looks good for trolling, jigging or mooching.  For fish finding (necessary really for jigging and mooching) I have a Fishin Buddy 110, but I am looking at the new Fishin Buddy Max DI (http://www.humminbird.com/Products/Fishin--Buddy-MAX-DI/) with all kinds of want.  I will be giving this a thorough water test next month - traveling for work at the moment.

Tight lines!

[Voyager]

Check out Northwest Kayak Anglers forum, those guys have it dialed in, lots of great info, there is a BC section as well.

[fisharoo]

Like @Fish or cut bait said. Remember you are in a kayak, there are many advantages you have over power boats. However, if you pretend that you are a powerboat and fish the same style, you will tire out quick and not get much success. Hardest part is finding the fish. But once you find them in a kayak, you can stay on top of the fish and limit out in 60 minutes or less using jigging or mooching. I like to jig up my own herring and put them on the line LIVE, which requires understanding how/where to catch baitfish. This is a lost art on the powerboat guys. If you can learn how to catch herring, you will slaughter.

[Dogbreath]

But once you find them in a kayak, you can stay on top of the fish and limit out in 60 minutes or less using jigging or mooching. I like to jig up my own herring and put them on the line LIVE, which requires understanding how/where to catch baitfish....If you can learn how to catch herring, you will slaughter.

Some days maybe-but the reason people got away from using live bait is Dogfish; 20-25 years ago Dogfish populations particularly on the Inside seemed to explode and using bait became pretty much a waste of time.

Subsequent commercial Dogfish fisheries (for dog food or sold overseas) meant populations have stabilised but downrigging proved to be much more effective than live bait given reduced Salmon numbers-a person has to move to find feeding fish these days.

This is a lost art on the powerboat guys

LOL-I doubt you've been on a powerboat in this decade-everyone still has Sabiki  rigs and knows how to use them they're just more bother than they're worth.