Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Another question: Lures/spinners for Silvers, Rainbows, Dollys

We're headed down the KP about the third week in Sept., will be doing some fishing along the way. I expect the silver fishing is going to be hit and miss, depending on the water and runs, I've been reading and researching as best I can on it. Bottom line, I'm not too worried about it, I'm just glad we are going to get an unexpected week in Ak this fall. Wondered if anyone had advice/suggestions as to a few good spoons/spinners I should pack along? I have some packed that I have used before, but my experience is pretty limited. As always, thanks for any help.
Dave

Inline spinners (Vibrax) in a few sizes/colors (silver, gold, black) a few pixies, little cleos (silver/blue, silver/green, copper) and of course EGGS where allowed.

Switch out the friggin treble hooks with siwash hooks.

I agree completely on the siwash hooks!

Krocodiles are not bad and if you hit saltwater beaches you can fling them nine miles intio a stiff wind...

I forgot Krocodiles and I think I really have cast them a mile.

I agree with this, but I've had pinks and pike (not the same water) hit pixies better than any silver.

DQOTD:dumb question of the day......

what's a siwash hook?

and....

A heavy "perfect" bend open-eye salmon hook. The bend is completely round, not angled at all, and they are designed for salmon fishing.

The open eye allows them to be slipped on with the open eye and then cinched closed with pliers.

Trebles suck for salmon fishing both because they hurt people and they let fish get away. Too much leverage when a treble hook goes in and gets turned back on itself.

Yup, just like the picture Chris drew...

Cut, R&R?

damn, I might be trainable.

No. anyone who has messed with horses feet as long as you..... not trainable...

Thanks, all. I've used the Little Cleos, and some generic large spinners of various colors, with some luck. I'll pick up some of the Pixies and more of the the other ones recommended. I wondered about the Krocs, I borrowed one once from a friend, didn't catch anything, but it sure was fun to cast, wasn't sure I was going to have enough line on the spool before it finally touched down!
Will do on the siwash hooks, sounds like a great idea, thanks!

agreed, lose the treble hooks. some of the packagings in AK offer both hooks, you might need a little split-ring tool to change out.

Pixies seem to be just about the state lure when it comes to salmon, and they work just about any time with orange (or pink) being the "right" colors at all times for silvers. Change the metallic color from gold to silver when the water is murkier or light less intense can fine tune things. If fishing a river that floods with the tide and slows, sometimes the smaller spoons, or better, a spinner can help. I favor plain old #4 Mepps spinners with orange blades as my back-up plan. If the fish are in a picky mood, sometimes they'll take a red and white blade better instead. (Red/white Dardevils can also be useful.) Your MMV on the KP; I'm a bunch north of there.

I was further disappointed last night to discover that China is taking over fishing in Alaska, however. I knew the new rods and reels were Chinese in origin. I was surprised, with the usual stiff prices and all, to discover "China" printed on the back of my recent Pixies. My blue Crocs which I keep for kings still say USA on them - and they don't cost a lot more. Someone's making a tidy profit on their exchange.

Krocs do rock in saltwater.

I cringed when a new/used ABU 7000Ci showed up with a "Made in China" sticker on the reel foot.

Well if it says "made in China" DO NOT BUY IT!!!! oh well that is my rant for today. Where were we??? oh yeah,
what is a pixie?
Mepps have worked for me. The best Coho(silver) gear I've used is small spin casting set up throwing small Panther Martins,the fish cannot resist them. Also Kitimat 45/55's work as well as my favorite brass Koho 45's. Krocodiles offer a different look that the fish seem to like and they do cast far for sure. Pink jigs work(as well as other colours)and are great in fast water, I use 1/2 and 3/4 ounce jigs and they offer a lot of colour varieties if the fish are fussy, it is easy to change jigs to try something new.

Wow, I would have never guessed there was an Alaska guy that didn't know what a siwash hook is.

I'm sure there is a reason for treble hooks, I just don't know what that reason is.

I've used them more than once on body drags.

They're the extra little hook that usually gets tossed with the packaging, no?

And how it gets the derogatory term applied one might only guess. Everyone I know uses the trebles that seem to be the usual MO. They seem to hook up better when fish can't see as well.

I do think "we" need to put more effort into the salt fishery and see what we can catch. It sounds like way too much fun!

Nearly everything we catch is either in the tidal lower sections of the rivers, or just above; good fishing but not like fishing in deeper, basically still water. In our river conditions, the Crocs seem to more readily entice the sometimes loggy kings when they won't chase like their smaller brethren most generally will.