by JD on November 9, 2010
Fishing solo out of the boat is a challenge but it can be done!
Here’s a good
Ask JD question, coming to us from Rob, who’s looking for a way to catch some steelies while fishing solo from boat.
JD, I’m looking for a solo technique to fish for steelhead from a small raft on the Smith in Northern California. What do you think about adding a float to the side gliding technique and bobbergliding? I was thinking of using a 10′ 5″ rod with power pro and setting my rod holder to be almost vertical to keep as much line off the water as possible while I row. Since there are too many boats to anchor up whereever I’d like, it would be nice to have a solo technique to cover the runs in between where I stop to float fish or throw spoons.
Thanks for any advice in advance, Rob. Rob, my best advice would be to talk one of your buddies into buying a drift boat and have him row you around (you never want to be the friend who
owns the boat!). Short of that,
[click to continue…]by JD on November 4, 2010
You can't beat a fresh sardine!
Our latest Ask JD question comes from Rob Y. who’s looking to make some sense out of scents when it comes to fall salmon fishing with plugs. Rob writes:
JD, I have a quick question about fishing with Kwikfish for salmon. I heard or read somewhere that instead of doing a sardine wrap you can put some self-stick Velcro on the bottom of the plug and then smother it in gel sent. How well does that work? And, do you think a sardine wrap really works since the fish are on the move anyway? By the way, loved your steelhead book!
Thanks, Rob Hey Rob! There have been several methods devised over the years to avoid having to wrap plugs with sardine or herring fillets…some guys have done the Velcro thing, while others have glued sponges or stuck scent pads to the bottoms of their plugs and then doused everything in some sort of scent. Then there was Pro Cure’s Bait Butter, which was a scent concoction with a peanut butter consistency that you could just lather your lure in. All of the above worked, but…
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A nice surface bass from the CA Delta!
Catching big striped bass on topwater plugs is about as fun as those bikini Jello wrestling matches we used to have back in college…oh wait, did I say that out loud? Er, well..anyway, let’s just say having a jumbo striper blow up on your popper is pretty damn fun!
And it’s even more fun when you catch lots of fish! Here are a few simple tricks that should help you do just that!
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Okay, so what do Jessica Alba and a driftboat on B.C.’s Kitimat River have in common? Well, aside from a nice fantasy I just had…nothing. It’s just that we’re going to talk about sinkers for drift fishing this time around and I knew I had to get you sucked in somehow! Sinkers aren’t exactly the most exciting topic on the planet, but there’s a lot you really need to know.
So, my cheap advertising campaign aside, let’s get down to it. A lot of getting a proper presentation when drift fishing stems from your sinker selection, so you really need to pick the right stuff. In the old days, choosing which sinker to use was simple – there was pencil lead and, well, pencil lead and that was it. Now, we’ve got quite a few options to choose from. Let’s take a look at the three I use and the pros and cons of each. [click to continue…]
by JD on September 2, 2010
Well, I admit, I kinda just needed an excuse to post this classic shot of Ava Gardner, the original “Woman in Waders from filmnoirphotos. Seems like the Hollywood hotties back in those days were a little more willing to get a little fish slime under their nails than they are today. But I digress…It’s time for another round of Ask JD. This one comes from Chris L, who’s looking to emerge from the dark ages :)
JD, I’ve had my current BARE neoprene waders for about 10 yeas now and I think its finally time to retire them. I was looking into getting some breathable waders but don’t know what brand to get. I’m sure you have gone through your fair share and wanted to see if there was a brand that you favor over others. I’m also a pretty big guy (6’7″ with a size 15 shoe) and might need to get some custom made so if you have any recommendations I would really appreciate it. Thanks!
Hey Chris…ten years outta one pair, eh? Either you don’t get out much or BARE makes some seriously bad ass waders! [click to continue…]
by JD on September 1, 2010
Sometimes you’d swear coho salmon are related to piranhas..they’ll attack anything you put in their collective paths with reckless abandon. In other instances, however, they can be the most coy, brooding and annoyingly moody critters on planet earth.
Luckily, there’s a little secrete weapon you can hit ‘em with that seems to turn on even the most lockjawed silvers…
Read all about it in my article in the current issue of FISH ALASKA Magazine
The General and a mooched-up slab of yum...
Bill Herzog wants to make you a better salmon moocher, and when General Zog’s in a lecturing mood, you’re gonna want to pull up a chair and take some notes, son!
So, without further adieu, click over to our pals at
Northwest Wild Country for the scoop…
Mark Thiessen / AP
Two great tastes that taste great together…I think Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups were onto something with that slogan, but I’m not totally sure about this one: Alaska Distillery’s Smoked Salmon Flavored Vodka. Before getting it right, it apparently took 48 tries to come up with just the right blend of vodka and fish. “Definitely the first few times we had our heave bucket close by… It was pretty bad, and you know, greasy,” says one of the drink’s creators.
Read all about this new handcrafted and very pink vodka at
The Consumerist