Northwest Fishing Reports

I'm very knew to fishing for salmon and have read that a good way to learn or to aid the beginner is to fish with a float. Has anybody tried this technique and what do you use as far as bait or lures?

I'm intersted in this as a confidence builder. I just want to catch a dang fish

I've floatfished with jigs for salmon before. It works, you can use all sorts of other combinations...

If I were you I'd just tie a pink jig directly to your mainline or run a dick nite setup on a river that holds pinks if you want to catch somthing...

No pinks in the river as far as I know. Talked to the takle shop folks and the word is silvers.

Do you just bounce the rig on the bottom of suspend it with the float?

I'll google how to use a jig on the main line, but what works for you?

I do either. Sometimes a float isn't needed, and then I just twitch the jig right around the bottom. The float does that for you too, you keep it a foot or so above the bottom...

Thanks Sam I may have to give that a try. Sounds like it may be a way to lessen the impact of any errors I may be making in presenting other lures.

I'm not very experienced with the float fishing stuff, but I'm sure mallard knows a bit more and can help you out...

I have done well fishing slow water with a bobber and eggs for Kings and Silvers...

Sorry for not posting on this last night, I just noticed this topic. The easiest way for a beginner to use a float rig in a river is probably going to be like Sam said and just tie directly to your mainline below the float as long as you are using under 12# test. I would have said 10#, but for a beginner 12# should be fine. My favorite float to use in the river is a foam wrap around or a slip float. I tie my float rig a lot more complicated than you would need to as a beginner so I will keep it simple.

Use either a steelhead/salmon jig in pink, orange or red (you can use other colors, but these are the most common/productive). You can buy these jigs at most tackle stores (I tie my own) like Joes or Sportco. Instead of a jig you can use cured eggs or sandshrimp below the bobber or even a pink rubber worm for steelhead.

Just make sure to adjust your bobber so that your jig/bait is about 1'-2' off of the bottom of whatever hole that you are fishing.

@Mallard- Thanks man. You are a great help and an asset to this forum.