Salmon Fishing

I'm going to be spending a couple of weeks in the area around the Rogue, Sixes and Elk rivers. I have never fished for Salmon. I have spent most of my life fishing for their cousins and most of that time fly fishing, mostly because thats what my Grandfather did and thats what I learned. I'll have my Kayak and I have spent quite a bit of time fishing on rivers, particularly the Colorado for stripers. I am a little concerned about current and tides with these rivers. It sounds like most of the folks on this site fish for Salmon in the Monterey Bay area. What does anyone know about the wild rivers area and how to fish them?

I'm sure Brian G. can share his "know how"........if he ever get's out of bed.......sometime today  

The rogue is where I hooked and lost my first salmon, errr got my arse wiped badly by a huge one is more accurate.  There is a lure called a buzz bomb. (No lodi terror jokes please)  It is a diamond shaped fluter jig/lure. The shops sell heavy ones, go lighter. The heavy ones don't spend a much time fluttering because they sink faster. Fluttering is what you want. You cast out, let it flutter to bottom. Crank and lift the rod up to bring the lure up as high as you can. Then let flutter down again. The salmon bite are suttle. It almost feels like tapping the bottom. One of the best spots is right off the jetty at the mouth. The whole rogue salmon rouge has to come through there and its a small!. On the surfside there is usually very good perch fishing. You can also catch perch with a smaller buzz bomb. I liked the white light orange color, but that might have changed as the most popular combo. Spinners will also work up there but you need to have a good amount of weight. Beyond the mouth there is a second that you can probably kayak fish but the current is almost always going out so it will be a good work out. To the north there is the town of newport on the Yaquina river. Awesome crabbing and flatties galore. I have never been to the sixes or elk so I can't help you there. Good luck and watch the rapids on the rogue. If you can, I recommend the mail boat tour in the jet sleds they have up there. When they joke about one of their boats getting smashed up a jumping sturgeon, they aren't kidding. You'll probably see one jump in the deep water canyon on the tour.

-Brian

Brian, Where should I try to access the jetty area? From the river? or from the beach. I was there for a night last year but did not have a kayak yet. I tried but did not have much luck at surf casting for perch on the fly. When I saw all of the boats at the mouth and all of the salmon they were catching, well lets just say that it helped me make a decision to buy a Kayak and try my hand at conventional fishing techniques rather then spending so much time "meditating" on my fly casting technique. My only worry has been what kind of dangers I might be facing in regards to tides and current on the river especially by the mouth. Thank you very much for the tip on the flutter jig. Any ideas where I might be able to pick one up on the way? You had stated that they sell the large ones there and that small ones are indicated. I will be taking 101 most of the way at least from San Fransisco on up.

Wow I just saw you are from you are from. One of my relatives own a trucking shop down there. Small world.

I found some shops online http://www.tyeetackle.com/buzzbomb.htm

and here are their tips:

Tips for Buzzbomb Lures
By Doug Field
 
Run line through lure, through enclosed black bumper and tie the hook on (Use 8 - 12 lb. test line for 2" and 2 1/2" Bombs, 15 - 20 lb. test for 3" - 5" Bombs). Use a good stiff 7 ft. rod and a medium to large spinning reel.
BUZZ BOMB MOOCHING


Lower rod tips toward water.
Lift gently on rod upwards about 18" - 24" and immediately drop rod tip again, creating slack line, whereby your lure sinks spinning horizontially. This rotation sends out vibrations that attract or annoy ALL fish, large or tiny, into striking.
Repeat. If you feel the least tick - hit hard! Fish just beneath surface feed or just above "haystacks" of feed on the bottom.
BUZZ BOMB CASTING

Cast lure out into surface feeding fish.
Lift rod tip smoothly, about 2 ft.
Immediately throw rod tip back towards lure creating slack line - reel in slack. Repeat.
BUZZ BOMB SLOW-TROLLING
Work the lure the same as casting. Drop back quickly 2 ft. of line and pull up slowly when line is taut; or simply troll fast.  



I would recommend fishing inside the bay if the water temps are cool, if the water temps are warm inside the bay the fish will stack on the outside in the ocean but it would take a pretty good paddler to enter and exit the bay. Watch that current though it will be ripping  and their is no real slack tide there. I would recomend fishing in the harborish bay there and stay out of the mouth current. Best of luck to you!  Acess to the sand jetty is on the south side of the river. I don't remember the parking access but I am pretty sure its right there too.

-Brian

Many Thanks for the tips Brian

I have a few buzz bombs that I ordered after Mendohead told me about them. I have not had a chance to try them out yet. I will give them a try this weekend for some RCG love.

Here's the company's site. I've been using these things in WA for 20+ years. I'vre even used them when visiting the East Coast. The prices on the website are the cheapest I can find. Stores are usually 1.00+ more. Free shipping for orders > $20.00. I'm liking the Holographic Zzingers better than the original buzzbombs. I'll show some when I come to Elk.

http://www.buzzbombzzinger.com/