Hot Weather vs. Hot Fishing By Lance Merz

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1 August 2015 Salmon season is upon us and as most anglers, rivers have been inundated with boats where the Sockeye and summer run Chinooks can be found in abundance. What happens though, when it becomes too hot to fish? We ve all done it before; scorched ourselves on the water waiting to catch our limits. Just as we are trying to beat the heat, so are the fish. High water temperatures in the rivers this year have made it a challenge to catch these fish who rely heavily on oxygen levels in the water as well as water levels. All around the Pacific Northwest, the snow cap this past winter has been futile at best, so the water levels in all lakes and rivers have dramatically dropped. So how do you fish them? Each year of fishing has its own challenges in and of itself. It always seems that a different color, rigging, bait, speed, or location is something that we have to take into consideration. These higher water temperatures play an instrumental role in how fish react to all of the above. So what can we do to catch them? My best answer is to spend time on the water and not be afraid to try different things. If you are fishing for salmon using a flasher with a three to four foot herring rig, don t be afraid to try something different. Hot Weather vs. Hot Fishing By Lance Merz Mack s Lures very own Dawn Wooten holding up a Sockeye during a recent fishing trip. A perfect example of this is when I was recently fishing for Sockeye. Normally when fishing for these fish, less is more. A simple dodger with a leader tied to two 2/0 hooks with some beads and a Smile Blade usually does the trick. What I ve found however is that this year, things have changed. I now have four downriggers on my boat, which has been a fantastic tool when fishing for Kokanee. This year however, I have put my downriggers away and decided to use lead. Of the times I ve been fishing this year it seems that the bite is more subtle. Eliminating a downrigger can make a big difference and in my opinion, it has. My change to this subtle presentation is really quite simple. First, I ll put on either a 1.5 or 1.1 Mack s Lure UV Glo Burst Smile Blade with a 4mm glow bead just under the blade. Next, I will attach three to four ounces of lead (depending on the depth you are fishing) to the line. Then, I ll attach a bead chain swivel and put on a Mack s Lure Hot Wing and attach it directly to a Double D Dodger. The Hot Wing is lightweight and doesn t affect the action of the dodger at all. It provides more attraction in the water, which is exactly what you need when the fish aren t biting; more attraction. This type of attractor is much different from that of others in that it has 80% less drag when in the water. This allows more sensitivity when you re playing a fish from the boat. The hot wing blades themselves counterrotate from each other, providing extra flash. A pink shrimp Mack s Lure Cha Cha Sockeye squidder has been my lure of choice tipped on the top hook with a piece of coon shrimp. As far as scent goes, Pro- Cure s Bloody Tuna has been my scent of choice. Fishing for Sockeye has been a challenge, but limits can still be obtained. Photo courtesy of Moon s Guide Service. Continued on Page 2 Page 1

2 Continued from Page 1 The bottom line of this article is to not be afraid to try different things. I know that we all have our favorite lure, but thinking outside the box may help you catch more fish. Don t be afraid to set that traditional flasher aside and try using a 7.6 Double D Dodger with Mack s Lure s Hot Wings on top. It could make all the difference in the world. Tips & Techniques to increase your catches with the The Sonic BaitFish (SBF) By Captain Pete Rosko fish attractant. More line tension on the lure is supplied by longer casts. This line tension increases lure action. Once your cast lure hits the water, point your rod tip directly where the lure hit the water, not sideways to it, for best line control. Immediately point your rod at an 11o clock position then constantly alternate an upward rod twitch with one full turn of your reel handle as you retrieve the SBF. This rod action increases the erratic action of the lure. Always cast down-wind for best line control, better lure action and more strikes. Minimize any bow in your line as it ruins line control and attributes to missed strikes and poor hook-ups. reach your target; the smaller the lure, the slower the fall. I favor silver finishes on sunny days in clean water and glow white or glow chartreuse on cloudy days. CONCLUSION This technique can salvage a poor day on the water. It s simple to use and is deadly when used properly! Practice in clear water to view its action. As always, proficiency leads to greater success. And, as always, thank you for taking the time to become better anglers through the Mack Attack articles. Pete (Capt. Pete Rosko) Mack s Lure Sonic BaitFish Captain Pete Rosko, Inventor of the Mack s Lure Sonic BaitFish. Casting a Sonic BaitFish (SBF), on a tight line, is a deadly technique for triggering strikes in shallow water and for suspended fish in deep water. It is a highly effective search bait! A tight line causes the SBF to dart & flutter more lively and to fall more slowly versus a loose line. Slowing the fall enables the lure to remain suspended longer in the strike zone. A tight line also detects strikes more easily and improves hook-sets. TECHNIQUE I personally have consistently out fished other techniques that went dead while this tight line casting technique never missed a beat. The increased lure vibration, of a lively darting SBF, is the main The Sonic BaitFish is an effective lure which resembles a Herring better than any other lure on the market. EQUIPMENT 6 to 6 ½ ft medium / fast action tip spinning rods, equipped with 10 to 20 lb braided main line, work best for controlled casting. A swivel, to connect a fluorocarbon leader to the main line, is not necessary because braid has minimal twist. Always use the factory-supplied snap to attach the leader to the nose of the SBF for maximum lure action. As a leader guide, I personally use a fluorocarbon leader for chinook and coho salmon generally, 10 to 25 lbs for most fish under 50 lbs. Cast the smallest SBF to effectively Page 2

3 Stan s Space Some Bits About The Basics Part 2 of 4 By Hall-of-Fame Angler Stan Fagerstrom You know, the old guy in the front seat of the boat grunted as he held up the lure he d just used to boat a dandy trout, they sure picked the right name for these things. I ve heard they are great little trout catchers, I replied, but what s the big deal about the name? They call em Wedding Rings, don t they? Yeah, my companion grinned. I got married to em when they first came out ages ago and I reckon I ll still be dragging em around until death doth us part. You re looking at a Mack s Lure Wedding Ring Classic. Trout all over the world could tell you about this little beauty. I have to chuckle a bit every time I think about what that old timer had to say that morning. I hadn t done much trolling at the time for trout or anything else. My older friend, however, was a recognized trout trolling expert in the area where I then lived. Just being out with him was an educational experience. It didn t take long for me to realize what my friend had to say that morning contained more truth that poetry. Certainly no lure has established itself more firmly in the ranks of anglers who troll for trout than the fabled Mack s Lure Wedding Ring spinner. It would be interesting to know just how many hundreds of thousands of trout they ve put in the boat. Tens of thousands of these wondrous little lures have been sold ever since they were first put on the market. There s no question that Wedding Rings are a favorite for trollers who go after trout as well those good eating little landlocked salmon called kokanee. But while trolling is where most Wedding Rings are utilized, there s no reason in the world why you can t use them for other approaches to angling such as casting from the shore or from a boat. The lure building experts at Mack s Lure have made a heap of changes and additions over the years to their lineup of lures carrying the Wedding Ring name. I started fishing them when the Wedding Ring Classic was the only one available. If you re new to trolling and want to get your hands on one of the most effective methods of doing it, the Wedding Ring Classic is a darn good choice to start. It s likely you ll find there are some things about these favorite trout catchers you aren t aware of. For starters, you ll find that these fish attractors already come attached to a leader. Dick Merkel lives in Arizona. He wasn t having much luck with trout in the Arizona high country until he started rolling that Wedding Ring he s holding. You ll also find you re not restricted when it comes to selecting the hook size or the leader test. You can get them tied on monofilament leaders testing from 6 to 10-pounds and in hooks ranging from sizes 4 to10. You ll also see that these sparkling little spinners come attached to 48-inches of leader. Best of all is that the Mack s Lure Wedding Rings are all rigged and ready to go. The knots are all tied, the hooks are in place and all you need do is attach it to the line you have on the reel you ll be using to do your trolling. You ll need, of course, to be concerned with what bait you may choose to use along with your Wedding Ring and the distance and the depth you ll want it out there behind your boat. That 48-inch leader length may be fine if you re trolling, but it s much longer than what you ll want or need if you re planning to simply use it as a casting lure. Let water conditions be your guide when you determine the appropriate leader length. There are no hard and fast rules as to the exact leader length. I know some darn good fishermen who rarely use less than 18-inches. Some of these anglers simply cut their leaders down to the desired length, and then tie a loop in the end of it. These same experts usually tie a snap swivel to the end of their main line. It s a simple matter to hang the loop they ve tied at the end of the Wedding Ring s leader into the snap on the end of their main line. I take a slightly different approach. Instead of tying a loop at the end of my leader, I attach the end of my leader to a small barrel swivel. I clip the snap at the end of my main line into the barrel swivel. I find this set up tends to tangle less than when I ve just tied a loop in the leader s end. Continued on Page 4 Page 3

4 Continued from Page 3 Cookin Your Catch The Wedding Ring is also a super lure for these good eating landlocked sockeye salmon called kokanee. There s an advantage in having the lure rigged as it is because there s no metal involved. Your Wedding Ring is built right on the leader. You ll see what that means if you re using it for casting. Being as light as it is, this sparkling little spinner has more action. You ll find that you re better able to manipulate your Wedding Ring during the retrieve if you choose to do so. As I ve mentioned, Wedding Rings are available with different hook sizes as well as different test leaders. One of the easiest and best ways to find out exactly what s available is to get a copy of the current Mack s Lure catalog. You ll find it s of great assistance in making exactly the selection you want. The current Mack s Lure catalog is easily available. Simply send your request to Mack s Lure, 55 Lure Lane, Wenatchee, WA They can also be ordered by calling or via at Orderdesk@MacksLure.com Much of the same information is also available at under the Products section. Sinker size is certainly a consideration if you choose to cast your Wedding Ring. Use an ultra light spinning rod and four pound test line and you can get by when not much distance is required. Many newcomers to the art of stream angling have a tendency to overlook the importance of sinker size. If you re stream fishing, you ll want your Wedding Ring to drift downstream with the current as naturally as possible. Here s a close up of the Mack s Lure Classic Wedding Ring. Experienced anglers will tell you it s a hand full of trout fishing dynamite. That won t happen if the weight you re using is too heavy. Use too much weight and your lure will simply flop to bottom. You ll be forever yanking it up to try to get it moving downstream again. It s just as big a mistake to use a sinker that s too light. Do that and your lure is more than likely going to work its way downstream too far above the area where the fish are holding. There are a number of ways to go about easing the task of sinker selection. I ll share some thoughts in that regard in my next column. -To Be Continued- Mack s Lure Wedding Ring Carmelized Grilled Salmon Original recipe makes 4 servings. Ingredients: 1 large, (1½ to 1¾ pounds) fillet of salmon (skin on) 1½ teaspoons coarse sea salt 2 teaspoons dried dill weed 2 3 tablespoons brown sugar Directions: To prevent the salmon fillet from curling up on the grill, score the skin of the salmon by making three diagonal cuts across the back one way and three diagonal cuts the other way, creating a diamond pattern. Be careful to only cut the skin and not into the flesh. In a large pan, sprinkle the sea salt over the meat side of the salmon fillet. Next sprinkle the dill weed over the salt. Finally, cover the dill with brown sugar. Cover the pan and refrigerate the salmon for 2 3 hours, allowing the salmon to cure and dissolve the brown sugar. Place the salmon, skin side down, on a greased grill (olive oil applied with a paper towel works well) over indirect heat. (Note: This means that you place all the charcoal on one side of the grill. When the coals are ready, the food gets placed on the opposite side of the grill.) Cover the grill and cook for minutes or until the salmon flakes when pierced with a folk. Do not flip when cooking. Let s Eat!!! Page 4

5 Hot Deal!!! Mack s Lure Hats New hats have arrived at Mack s Lure. Be sure to add a couple to your list when placing your order. As always, we listen to our customers whose requests of a Pink Hat have been tremendous. During the month of August, enter code 5MACK and receive $5.00 off the purchase of the hat. More clothing can be found on the Clothing and Gifts tab from the website. 5MACK Question of the Month Have a question? We d love to answer it! Contact us at MacksLure@MacksLure.com if you have a question you would like to see featured! Q: I know you have products for trolling for sockeye but I was wondering if you have any cast and retrieve type lures that would work for them that I could use from shore. Thanks A: As it sounds you are well aware, we do have some killer trolling products which target Sockeye. What a lot of people don t know however, is that the Sonic BaitFish jigging spoon is a tool that can be effectively used to target Sockeye, and other species, from shore. Kokanee are a land locked Sockeye and therefore both Photo of the Month species seem to be triggered to bite by the same fishing methods and colors. With that said, there are a lot of anglers that vertically jig or cast and retrieve the Sonic BaitFish for Kokanee. Since the Sockeye swim up the banks of a river and always seem to be in the top of the water column, (from the surface down to about 20 ), Therefore I would suggest using a 1/10th, 1/6 or 1/4oz SBF in Hot Pink or Hot Orange. Rig it with the duo-loc snap attached to the nose and fish it slow with small methodical, and erratic, movements (twitching the lure as retrieving it). You could also use the Sonic BaitFish underneath a float. With this method I would use the 1/10 or 1/6th oz. in the same colors mentioned above and fish it on a slip bobber to get it down to the desired depth. Both of these methods are an effective way to target Sockeye when fishing waters where the fish congregate and stack up. The man who created the Sonic BaitFish is named Pete Rosko, who writes articles in this magazine every month. He gives a lot of tips and tricks on how to effectively use the SBF for a lot of fishing scenarios. Also note that on our website, there are several video s that allow you to see the SBF in action on the water. Video of the Month Dusty Phillips holds a Chinook that is almost as tall as he is! The look on his face is both a smile and grimace because of the weight! Send your photo s to WebMaster@MacksLure.com for consideration to be included in a future Mack Attack. For Facebook send pictures to Media@ MacksLure.com. See more pictures by clicking here: Mack s Photo Gallery Columbia River Mack s Lure Sockeye Learn to catch more Sockeye on the Columbia River by watching this informational video. Click Here to watch the video and streams. Page 5