Northwest Fishing Reports

ROUND 2...I'm heading to Baker Lake this weekend to take a shot at the sockeye that seemed to escape me on the Skagit. I'm planning on using a dodger (0 or 00), with red hook (14" leader) in addition to some wedding rings. What leader length do you guys use for the Wedding Rings and what size do you suggest? Any other suggestions on gear/techniques - I'm open? The plan is 30 ft in the morning (~5 am) and 50-60 ft in the daylight. Staying at Swift Creek. I really appreciate your help, in exchange, I'll post a full report when I get back.

Thanks
Brian

BAKER LAKE RUCKUS: Here's the drill for the morning: the morning "Ruckus". (He also killed em with this setup @ Brewster.)

-1/0 Gamaktsu drop shot hooks tied in tandem
-3-4 strands pink crystal flash
-3-4 strands hot pink “fish hair” or bucktail
-2 3mm beads
-1.1 hot pink Smile Blade
-14 ½-inch 18.5-pound Grand Max Fluorocarbon leader
-00 Luhr-Jensen Herring Dodger (white, with UV tape)

As an option, color in the stripes on the other side of the Smile Blade with a purple Sharpie.

Courtesy of Bill Herzog the "Sockeye Slayer" of Northwest Wild Country SportRadio KJR950.

dont forget the top hook tipped with a cured coon shrimp or sand shrimp tail!!!

Yep. Even the famous Fred Meyer tiger prawn on a good rig will kill 'em!

Sniper, thats my number one steelhead bait behind eggs, cheap and fish love um, even uncured, just cut in 3rds and cast out the white shrimp, deadly!

Thanks Guys! I'm on the plane headed home now and will get it together tonight. I'll be posting Tuesday.

Brian

Well, as promised, here's the report - I got shut out. We got into Swift Creek campground at 11 pm Friday and had an extremely cranky family on Saturday so no fishing that day but we did put the boat in. This was my first time seeing anything like this. There were several hundred boats in the water. No hotspots needed, just follow the lights at 4 am and you'll be all set! I did get one on with a wedding ring and hootch - the only modification was cutting the hootch skirt down to about 3/4". I did get out Sunday morning and got one on but lost it - helluva fight though. Overall, I'd say if you can deal with the boat traffic at 4-5 am, and you have a good weather window, you will do well. Good luck!

Brian

too bad you didnt go out saturday, i was out both, saturday was LIGHTS OUT and sunday was SUPERR tough.

Ts where did you get those bucktails or did you tie them up youself?

Those are Bill Herzog's rigs in my picture, but I make them myself too. It's just a few strands of pink bucktail and Krystal Flash wrapped with hot pink fly floss. Enough material to make about 100 of them costs less than $10.