Trolling Winter King Salmon

Capturing great underwater footage via SeaViewers 950 drop camera package and a GoPro on chesty harness has been successful this fall and winter. Old Harbor, a village on the east side of Kodiak Island is where I grew up. My dad gave me a 13ft boat when I turned 13 and I’m still here! Looking back at all those learning experiences I swear he was trying to get rid of me, but I kept coming back regardless of being dried up because the tide went out or just plain ran out of gas. I managed to get home. When you’ve rowed a boat that is not a row boat you learn quick to not do that again.

Trying new fishing gear here is these waters is a blast, especially with an underwater camera to watch and record what we are trolling and seeing the fish bite our gear. In winter, as compared to summertime, the waters are much clearer with not as many jellyfish and plankton. The last couple of outings with new spoons to try and watch, we gathered some interesting footage. Of all the king salmon strikes and kings following the gear, I never before saw a king strike and run, or follow and move its head to the wobble of the spoon. That was awesome, kinda like a cat watching a ball swing back and forth.

Trolled whole herring out-fished all the gear we tested and of all the artificial gear we used, a big gold spoon out-fished the others in our arsenal. That was yesterday and the day before; but it’s probably different today. A fishing client I had last July said it perfectly ,”King salmon trolling is dynamic.” That’s why fishing never gets old, clients that have been fishing with me for a long time notice that I always get excited over big king salmon. Try all the gear, different speeds, locations, depths and see what happens, you never know!