Not many things work better for river kings than a sardine-wrapped plug!
For some reason, there seems to be a lot of mystery out there regarding sardine-wrapped plugs for salmon. It may be a bit intimidating to the uninitiated, but there’s really nothing to it. Here’s a quick crash course on how to do it…
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Do you know your landlocks??
While California’s ocean salmon stocks were down in the dumps the past few years, it was an entirely different story inland. Thanks to the efforts of the DFG and organizations like Project Kokanee and Kokanee Power, landlocked salmon are thriving in more Golden State waters than ever before. Of course, they’ll never be able to outgrow or taste better than their ocean-going cousins, but these pint-sized inland salmon provide anglers with plenty of good action throughout the year.
While there are similarities between the three, each species has its own attractive qualities – and unique fishing techniques attributed to it. Let’s take a closer look at California’s Inland Salmon Slam and get to know landlocked kings, kokanee and coho a little better.
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Going bendo with a Lamiglas X711 MTS
This round of Ask JD comes from Kevin P. who’s looking for a 4-trick pony rod that will cover several fishing situations.
JD, I’m looking for a spinning rod that I can to use for side drifting, boondogging, drifting minnows, and maybe some swimbait action. I guess I’m looking for a jack of all trades…It’s kind of hard choosing a rod when you have never fished with it. I really like the Rogue Rod Hot Shot series but then again those are the rods I have the most time on and, at $250 a pop, they might be a little steep for me. Do I really need that? I do want something quality that is built to last…so where is the happy medium? Am I asking to much for a 3 or 4 in 1 rod? What would you spend your money on? Thanks for your help! –Kevin P., Auburn, CA
Kev, well…yes, it’s definitely difficult to find a rod that that’s perfectly suited for several techniques. Most of the time when you try to find one of these multi-taskers you end up with something that does a bunch of things okay but nothing well. It ends up being, as trusty sidekick Reilly often says, “A little bit pregnant.” But there is one stick that I can think of that just may cover ya pretty well…
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Unless you're looking for extra fiber, it's probably best to fillet fish before cooking!
With striper season in full swing, I figured it was time to talk about one of my favorite aspects of these fish — and that’s eating ‘em! Stripers have mild, white fillets that are absolutely delicious. In fact, I have a lot of clients tell me that they like ‘em better than halibut. I’m not totally sure I’d go that far, but they’re pretty close.
To get some new ideas on how to cook ‘em up, I talked to our man, Scott “The Sporting Chef” Leysath, the world’s leading authority on cooking stuff you catch and shoot (and also co-host of the popular TV show
Hunt Fish Cook and he suggested his super easy One Pan Striper with Asparagus recipe.
“This one’s quick, easy, colorful and only requires a big skillet or wok and a handful of fresh ingredients,” he says. “When asparagus isn’t in season, substitute any green vegetable like broccoli, sugar snap peas or green beans. Check out your local Asian market for the best price on fresh vegetables!”
Click here for the recipe 
The Westport cut-plug is deadly
The California ocean salmon opener has, not surprisingly, sparked a lot of interest in saltwater salmon fishing and I’ve received quite a number of emails this weekend from folks asking about how to rig up for kings in the salt. Well, that’s a subject worthy of a book and I could literally go on for days, but here are a couple of my favorites. These two are super quick and easy — and effective!
Before I begin, a quick word on bait selection. Regardless of the rig, you need good, quality bait. Buy only the tray variety if it’s available! There are lots of trick things you can do with baits like brining and dyeing them, but this time around, let’s stick to the basics. The anchovies this year are pretty small, so herring or small sardines are going to be your best bets.
The rig above is a basic “Westport” cutplug rig. Starting with a whole fish, make a “double 45″ cut just behind the gill plate. Place the knife on the fish and rotate your wrist so the blade is at a 45-degree angle to it’s body at the same time, remove the head with a cut that angles 45 degrees from top to bottom. Remove the guts and you’re ready to follow the instructions above.
[click to continue…]by JD on February 26, 2011
Like most fish that have to swim through the CA Delta, shad numbers are on the decline
This round of Ask JD comes to us from Dave E., who’s obviously got spring on the mind. His question pertains to American shad and it’s relative health in the rivers of Northern California.
JD, How healthy is the shad fishery in Northern California? I fished for shad a good bit 15 to 20 years ago and remember great runs. Has the shad fishery suffered like the salmon collapse? Thanks, Dave
Dave,
Well, I assume you’re talking about the rivers of the Central Valley — the Sacramento, American, Yuba and Feather, right? While there are mini runs in the Klamath and Eel rivers and a remnant population in the San Joaquin River, most of California’s shad come from those listed above. [click to continue…]
by JD on February 3, 2011
Kinda like using crawdad tail meat on your sardine-wrapped Kwikfish is a non-secret “secret” these days, the use of salmon roe for sturgeon is also one of those “things that nobody really talks about but everyone kinda knows about.
Still, it is worth mentioning that diamondbacks do seem to really have a taste for the orange caviar in certain situations. Capt. Jay Lopes of Right Hook Sportfishing in San Francisco Bay tells you what you need to know… [click to continue…]
by JD on January 21, 2011
Plugging for steelies...the lost art???
Now that side-drifting’s all the rage for steelhead, pulling plugs is rapidly becoming a lost art. Not too many years ago, most steelheaders who fished from boats backtrolled wigglers like Hot Shots and Wiggle Warts. Then, side-drifting eggs got popular — thanks in part, to some schmuck who wrote an entire book on the subject — and a lot of anglers…well…pulled the plug on plug pulling.
There’s no denying that drifting eggs will almost always produce more steelhead than any other method, but pulling plugs does have its moments. They can be a real day saver in high, off-colored conditions but also often yield spectacular results when things are low and clear as well. In tight quarters, you can sometimes put a plug into a spot that no bait drifter could reach – and, generally speaking, plugs also give you your best shot at a really, really big fish. In addition, plugging is a cool way to get people who maybe can’t wade or cast all that well — kids or older folks — into some steelies.
But all of that’s really just a bonus.
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