Bait Action
The Secret of the “Krippled” Lures
Fishermen have used small fish for bait for as long as they have known big fish eat little fish. The Pacific coastal Native Indians rigged baitfish such as herring on bone-barbed hooks and caught any amount of salmon, cod, and halibut. Pioneers, on coming to the coast, copied and refined the Natives’ techniques, so that by trolling herring behind a dug-out canoe or row boat (on a basic handline, with a sinker) they could easily catch one's winter supply of salmon.
The Evolution of Bait Rigging
In the 1930s, rod and reel anglers caught salmon by using baits rigged behind a herring dodger—an 8" to 10" flat, shiny metal plate that swayed or wobbled when trolled through the water. The swaying motion of the herring dodger caused the bait to sway or dart, resembling a wounded baitfish—an action which enticed salmon to strike.
In the 1940s, herring minnows were processed in salt brine and packed in small glass jars specifically for sport anglers. By the early 1950s, fresh frozen herring were available for bait. These baits were netted and packaged specifically to fit into the first plastic bait holder heads, designed to make rigging easier for salmon anglers. Sports fishermen could now combine the simplicity of an artificial lure with the effectiveness of live bait.
Mastering the Spiral Roll
Rigging the bait is simple, but controlling its action is another skill that requires some basic understanding. Possibly the most common misconception among neophyte salmon anglers is thinking that just having bait on the end of the line is enough. What they don’t understand is that the bait must have action. The most productive bait action for salmon—whether herring minnow, herring, herring strip, anchovy, or sandlance—is a spiral roll.
Actively feeding Chinook salmon in coastal waters with strong tidal currents (3–6 knots) usually prefer a bait with a fairly fast roll (faster than one revolution per second). These same Chinook salmon, after moving into inside waters (bays and inlets) with little current, prefer a slower spiral roll. Feeding coho salmon usually prefer a smaller bait with a snappy, loopy roll. The spiral roll can be influenced by varying your troll speed: faster speed yields faster revolutions; slower speed gives a slower roll.
The curvature of a rigged bait determines the speed and type of spiral roll. A banana-shaped curve will impart a corkscrew fast roll. A slight curve in only the tail portion will often result in a tighter, slower roll.
When fishing any bait, spend some time rigging and observing the bait’s action in the water before letting it out. Be prepared to adjust your troll speed, hook position, placement, and bait curve. The time spent fine-tuning bait action is often extremely productive.
Feeding Behavior and Timing
Salmon aren’t exactly intellectuals, but they *are* fussy feeders—especially when there’s a buffet of natural baitfish around. They don’t feed constantly but instead go through bite periods where they gorge themselves, then stop feeding for hours or even days. During these times, your bait must be rigged and presented like an irresistible wounded fish: easy prey for even the most bloated salmon who just can’t resist that one last snack.
Learn to observe the subtle differences in bait action and be able to replicate it when the bite is on. Fine-tuning your bait is one of the main reasons why 90% of the salmon are caught by 10% of the anglers.
