Swimbait for Salmon?

Lately the quality of anchovies and sardines have been poor and seem to fall apart too quickly.  I was making some swimbaits the other day for rockcod and was wondering if anyone uses rubber swimbaits trolling for Salmon?  I am wondering if a 4" basstrix style bait would work well replacing the real deal.  I made some in an anchovie color and some with a little blue glitter I was thinking of trying.

I am planning to soak these in some sardine or anchovie smelly jelly and rigging them on my barbless hooks just like an anchovie, putting them 3 ft or so behind a flasher.  These have a hook slot do should hold some scent.  I wonder if the paddle tail will make it look more lively and add to the strikes, or am I thinking too far out of the box, LOL.  The rubber baits are just easier to make and store in reality.

Anyone else try this?

Time for some fishing.....errrrrr......I mean research! 

I've caught salmon jigging, casting, and trolling swimbaits.  I see no reason why running one behind a flasher wouldn't work.

-Allen

I half assed tried a alabama rig at shelter. No luck

I think you definitely have a chance with that rigging, Matt.  The salmon game can be cruel though - if you're on a typical bite you may be lucky to get a few strikes in a session even on highly reliable straight bait, or, if you're on a rare and exciting hot bite, you might get hit on just about anything for 15 or 20 minutes - if that happens with your swimbait you'll be sure it's the next best thing!     ...and it may well be, but chances are it won't work as well the next time out, no matter what "it" was when they bit.

I'll hook you up with quality chovies for $3.99/bag if you're in Humboldt.  Let us know how the swimbait works.   

I agree, nothing like chrome to break your heart.  I think I am going to give these a try and see what the results are.  It is amazing how quick the salmon change what they want.  We have been using watermelon apex with good success then they suddenly wanted an ugly gold apex my dad was using.  Then anchovies!  If I could only figure out how to predict their moods.

I definately will not give up on the real bait as that does seem to be the best producer.  We are going to do some trolling in Shelter Cove this weekend.  I will try and stop by Englunds on our say through Eureka for some better grade anchovies.  I think ours here have been re-frozen to many times.  I did salt some with good success one time but would rather find good bait.

I have my deep divers, flashers, hooks, apex, spoons and swimbaits.  Hopefully the salmon gods smile on us.

There was a video I saw once by "The Informative Fisherman" that showed he used the same sort of swimbait to troll for brown trout in lakes.  It was kind of an alternative to rolling shad he said. 

I will have to look up that video.  Thanks!

You can put the swim baits in a rotary salmon killer and troll them. I have had luck with salmon , halibut. 5 inch big hammer type or MC swim baits work !   As far as colors go white, anchovy patterns get the job done . Brighter colors like chartreuse work excellent for halibut in S.F. bay.