The king salmon (chinook) is Alaska's official state fish and is also the largest species of Pacific salmon. When it comes to fishing for king salmon in and around Anchorage, Alaska, the water dictates which approach a fisherman or angler will use. King salmon may be fished in fast or slow water streams, in classic holes of a river, in staging areas of shallow water, hugging a shoreline, in Eagle Bay or in the chilly ocean waters.
Drift Fishing
Drift fishing might be the most common salmon fishing method in Alaska because "it can be done from the bank or the boat, and allows a wide variety of water to be covered," says Scott Haugen of Fish Alaska Magazine. You will need to cast in a precise spot, using caterpillar or pencil-lead sinkers with small metal spoon lures in slow-moving gravel bottom streams. Remember that casting and recasting too frequently will not only take a lot of time but may also spook the salmon. If you are fishing from the bank, consider using a spinning lure along with a teardrop-shape bank sinker that is less likely to get hung up on rocks and is easily controllable, and you can feel how it is behaving under the water. If you are casting upstream near the shoreline try using coho flies. For still water fishing try a spin-n-glo lure in pink or orange.
Trolling
If your plan is to catch king salmon by trolling, spoon lures are a good choice since they will wobble, flicker and mimic the action of fish as the lures are pulled through the water. Three-dimensional lures called plugs will also work as effective fish imitators. Plug lures are categorized by their function, such as surface fishing, diving or bottom trolling. Trolling allows you to cover a lot of water in a short amount of time. To make the most of your trolling time, use a grim reefer lure---a blue/silver lure that flashes even in low light or murky water. The grim reefer also looks like one of the king salmon's favorite foods---needlefish. Other good choices for trolling include spinners for their vibration action and minnow lures (such as one called thunderstick) to entice the king salmon.
Downrigging
Downrigging, used to catch fish at a certain depth of water, requires a secondary reel with a heavy steel fishing line and a lead weight of up to 10 pounds. The heavy line and weight hold your fishing line and lure in place until a salmon takes your lure. Then, by using a release mechanism, your fishing line pulls away and you can reel in the king salmon with your light rod and line. Because you will be fishing in fairly deep waters, you will want to use a large spoon, spinner or minnow lure; while trolling, these lures will mimic small fish normally found swimming in the water. You can also add a flasher or a dodger to the line, two to three feet above the lure. Flashers and dodgers come in many colors and sizes and effectively attract king salmon by flashing and shimmering underwater and by adding lure movement and vibrations.
Jigging and Mooching
Jigs, small metal fish-shape lures, are the same size and shape of small bait fish such as herring and anchovies. To a hungry salmon, a jig looks like a quick tasty meal. Lures used in a "jigging" way include buzz-bombs, crocodiles, stingsildas, pixees, reef raiders, strikers, pirks and rip tides. According to Terry Rudnick, author of "Keys to Jigging King Salmon," jigging (mooching) is a well-accepted salmon-fishing technique as far south as the northern California coast. It is important to keep the fish line slack while letting the lure drop rapidly. Salmon are most likely to strike when your lure is dropping, so be ready to act quickly.
Luring Effects
One thing to remember when choosing lures is that colors change depending upon the depth of the water. For example, red is filtered out of the color spectrum at about 30 feet of water. Aim for lures that match your fishing environment. Ask yourself---or your fishing guide---what types of small fish or food sources king salmon usually feed upon in the area where you will be fishing. Think about practical matters such as whether you will fish in water that is clear or murky, if the sky is full of sunshine or clouds, if wind will affect the water movement or if the outdoor climate and water temperature will affect your fishing strategy.
References
- Alaska Fishing Vacations: Fish Alaska: Alaska King Salmon Information
- Fish Alaska Magazine: Trophy King Techniques
- Alaska Outdoor Journal: Threading the Needle: A Trolling Technique for Saltwater Kings and Silvers
- Salmon University: Your Complete Saltwater Fishing Resource: Keys to Jigging King Salmon
- Fish Alaska Magazine: Gear Review: Heavy Metal: Spinners and Spoons for Kings
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