Fishing For Chinook Salmon

A beginners guide to catching chinook salmon in lakes

By Rick Seaman

Nov 18, 2024

Tips For Chinook Salmon Fishing In Lakes

Beginners

Chinook salmon fishing basics for beginners and novice anglers, with tips which can be used while fishing from a boat, or while fishing from the bank.

Basic Chinook Salmon Tackle For Beginners

Rod. Start with a 6', medium to medium-heavy action rod, ideally with a fast-action tip.

Reel. Level wind reels and spinning reels both work nicely for the vast majority of chinook salmon fishing conditions. Get a good reel with a decent drag system, that will hold 140 yards of line.

Line. Begin with 12# to 20# monofilament or fluorocarbon line. Pay a little extra and get decent quality line.

Chinook salmon fishing basics video.

Basic Lures For Beginners

Spoons. Flashy and bright colored jigging spoons and trolling spoons can be effective for catching chinook salmon.

3 Important Tips For Beginners

Tip 1. In lakes, chinook salmon prefer deeper water seeking out ideal temperature and oxygen content. However, when feeding aggressively they will push a school of baitfish up shallow and feed there before returning to deeper water. River channels, points, ledges and drop-offs are a good place to start looking. Ideally, use fish finders to locate chinook salmon and determine the best depth for the day..

Tip 2. Chinook salmon dine on smaller fish and baitfish. Use lures that mimic small fish in white, or light colors. Thoroughly fish the area with multiple, accurate casts, or slow troll through the area. On lakes, chinook salmon fishing from a boat is the ideal approach, as the fish are generally far from shore in the lake channels.

Tip 3. Use good knots and re-tie anytime the knot or line has been nicked or frayed. Always use sharp hooks, if they are dull replace or sharpen them

---

Intermediate Anglers

Chinook Salmon Tackle For Intermediate Anglers

Rods. For longer casts, choose a 7' or longer, medium to medium-heavy action rod, with a fast-action tip. Shimano, Bass Pro Shops, G. Loomis, Fenwick, Lew's and Abu Garcia, among others, all make a variety of quality rods in varying price ranges.

Reels. Possibly upgrade to a higher quality reel. Shimano, Abu Garcia, Lew's Mach, Bass Pro Shops Johnny Morris Series and Daiwa are all good choices, and there are many others. Accurate casts are crucial to success.

Line. Line choices include primarily monofilament or fluorocarbon line. 20# to 30# braided line with a monofilament or fluorocarbon tip can make for easy casting. Use an alberto or albright knot to join lines. Monofilament or fluorocarbon in 20# to 30# line is a good choice for the leader.

Basic Lures For Intermediate Anglers

In addition to spoons, expanding your arsenal to include the following baits can improve your chances for success.

Roe. Prepared roe is a very effective bait for chinook salmon, available at bait stores.

Salmon Eggs. Large salmon eggs on a hook is a popular tactic.

Beads. Round beads made of plastic or prepared bait substances are made to appear like salmon eggs with the benefit of staying on the hook more easily.

Bucktail Jigs. These simple jigs are a standard bait for catching chinook salmon and can be fished in virtually any depth where these fish reside.

Deep Diving Crankbaits. Smelt and baitfish imitating crankbaits, in a variety of sizes, can fool wary chinook salmon when other baits are not producing. Jointed crankbaits can be very effective at times.

Vibrating Blade Baits. These heavy, metal lures get into deep water quickly and vibrate when retrieved. The Rapala Rap-V Blade, Bass Pro Shops Mean Eye Blade Bait, and other similar metal blade baits work well. Sharp hooks are always important, check them often. Vary size with the size fish residing in the lake.

5 Important Tips For Intermediate Anglers

Fishing Reports. Read current fishing reports from the lake you wish to fish, also review these reports and results from this time last year. Learn how to gain maximum knowledge from fishing reports.

Lake Maps. Contour maps identify creek channels, flats, and depth variations. This information can help you plan your time on the water, well before you head to the lake.

Focus On Finding The Fish. Chinook salmon move up and down in the water column in search of the best available water temperatures, availability of food, and a variety of other factors. Begin the day fishing shallow, medium and deep water in search of the best depth for the day. Chinook salmon also migrate throughout the lake. Once you locate fish, concentrate on that depth and find similar locations.

Keep Lure Selection Simple. Stick to basic colors as long as they are biting, then experiment with brighter color options. Depending on water depth, contrast may be an issue dictating dark or flashy colors.

Use Multiple Baits. Once you locate an area holding chinook salmon, try a variety of jigs, lures and and spoons, to see which entices more bites. For each lure vary the speed and action of the retrieve to determine the best approach for getting bites

---

Experienced Anglers

Advice For Serious Chinook Salmon Fishing Enthusiasts

Study the life cycle of chinook salmon, their annual migrations, daily movements, and food sources available in the lake you plan to fish. Our focus here is to assist beginner and intermediate anglers. For those wishing to take the next step, there are a multitude of options for growing your knowledge of chinook salmon fishing.

Time On The Water. Experience is the best teacher. Spend time locating fish and experimenting with a wide variety of lures and techniques.

Electronics. Fish finders are invaluable when seeking chinook salmon in deep water. Become proficient with your electronics, it will help you find fish more quickly.

Gather Information Online. Read information on your local Fish & Game Department website, including fishing reports. Review websites offered by expert chinook salmon anglers, fishing organizations and local fishing guides. Some highly regarded websites covering chinook salmon fishing include Bent Rods Fishing, Dennis Dauble Fishing, Superior County, and many others.

Have Fun. Fishing for chinook salmon can be very rewarding. Be diligent, but enjoy the process. Fishing is a life-long journey, and you can learn something new every day you spend on the lake!

---

World record: 97 pounds, 4 ounces

---

Rick Seaman is a fishing enthusiast with over five decades of fishing experience, a retired bass tournament fisherman, author of numerous published articles on fishing, and co-author of the book "Bass Fishing - It's not WHAT you throw, It's WHERE you throw it".

Related Articles

---

States offering salmon fishing.

111824