Brand New to Salmon Fishing (Lake Sammamish)

[sandybar]

Hi, I've only been fishing for 3-4 years, mostly trout and bass, so I still consider myself a relative newbie. Last weekend I tried salmon fishing for the first time on Lake Sammamish. I used what the guy at Joe's recommended for tackle: 25-lb. test for the main line with a 5-7 ounce weight, then a 2-3 foot 40-lb. line with a dodger, then 18 inches of 40-lb. test with a mooching rig (2 hooks) into which I put a herring. Didn't catch anything last Sunday altho' people around me were catching whoppers! Is this the right gear? How deep do I let the line out? Can someone give me a tip for knowing how to know how far out your line is? How do you measure it?

I would be grateful for ANY tips you experienced salmon fisherpeople could give me!

Sandy

[A9]

Red hooks. Plain. 2/0 or 3/0 red hooks about 18-24 inches off the dodger..Troll slow, and downriggers and the right electronics make fishing so much easier....

[mallard83]

Please, no one on this site listen to any information given by most Joes employees. I am not saying that they are all wrong by any means, but 9.9 times out of 10 they are talking out of their butts and don't have a clue how to even tie a knot. Some of them can be helpful, but most can't. Just be careful if you are unsure what you are doing.

[Jake Dogfish]

so you are using 25# main and 40# leader??? Switch it around, or probably better yet go lighter all together...

[Derrick-k]

30lb leader if you are useing red hooks

[Bodofish]

40# or 50# leader would be correct behind a dodger to get the correct action on your lure. Not sure why they have you put a herring behind a flasher. Sammamish, bare hooks, coyote's, kwick fish, herring. All works at any given time. Gotta try it all, watch what they'er biting on and change up. fish finder spot the fish and put it in front of them. Change it up till they bite.