Summer Salmon

[pickardjw]

Hoping to hit the summer salmon season pretty hard the next couple of weeks. I'm down in Pendleton, OR currently so Lake Umatilla (McNary Dam) or above in Lake Wallula are my target areas.

Would love a king but also happy with sockeye. I've fished sockeye a bit in lakes, but never for kings or on rivers. So I'm used to trolling. Trying to school myself up real quick here before the weekend. Any suggestions on rigs / technique?

Currently thinking either the 11" pro troll dodgers if I'm focusing on the kings or an 8" macks or similar for sockeye. Maybe smile blade rigs with prawns, or a brad's plug.

[ASHQUACK]

For summer kings I run an pro-troll, shortbus or Leo flasher and either a superbait original or cut plug.
Sockeye I fish just like I'm fishing for kokanee, only exception I do is I cure up cocktail shrimp in red and orange.

[metlhead]

Below a dam in good current, anchor in about 4' of water. Flatline 2.5" maglips with shrimp wrap or spin n glo for sockeye

[pickardjw]

Below a dam in good current, anchor in about 4' of water. Flatline 2.5" maglips with shrimp wrap or spin n glo for sockeye

Local shop owner said similar, but deeper. Fish finder is back up and running, so that should help. Kind of wish I had side scan right now.

[PointBlank]

Can’t go wrong running three sng rigs of the bank into 10-12ft of water… dark colors and your choice of coon shrimp

[pickardjw]

Currently set up in 19’ with a 9” dodger and pink smile blade setup with shrimp. Didn’t see any marks shallower and everyone else out here was about this depth. About to switch up to a cut plug.

[pickardjw]

On the board. First WA king for me.

[ASHQUACK]

Congrats! And the boating footwear is appropriate.

[TommyH]

   I really want to get out after some.

[Dan-o]

On the board. First WA king for me.

Thata a good way to get on the board!   

[pickardjw]

Got a couple more this weekend. Buddy was the good luck charm apparently, only caught when he was on the boat. Tough fishing. Couldn't stop marking kings but couldn't get them to bite other than in spots where I was marking fewer fish.

[pickardjw]

Got a personal new species as well. Dude broke my brand new kwikfish. Then I dropped my other brand new one in the river right after and couldn't find it downstream in the current.  :'(

Anyways I'd say he was at least 4', maybe 4'-6" max. Thought the rod was going to snap a few times. Going to build a couple king rods. Can't bring myself to buy rods when I can build one to the exact specs I want. Will definitely take more time though.

[cavemann]

Where did you decide to go?

Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

[pickardjw]

Below McNary. Read a little about above and thought about trying it but decided to stick it out the whole weekend below.

[Blacklab]

Great stuff!!! 😉🥃🇺🇸. Love the bend🤑🤑🤑