Trolling

The salmon bite has slowed down a bit. They appear to be biting on baitfish. A few halibut were caught off of Ten Mile Beach. They would only take plain herring. For an idea of a successful day of salmon fishing, watch the video below. It is a clever collection of fishing film shot on the Fourth.

When I say "trolling," I am not referring to the internet practice of writing nasty things everywhere you can to ruin someone's day. I mean leaving the motors running while you fish. It helps you cover more ground, so it's very useful if you're not certain where the fish are. The downside is that you require heavier equipment. No, your fly-fishing rod won't cut it. You need more weight to get down since you're moving, making a sinker release essential. Most fishermen troll at about three or four knots (for those of you who don't know, that's one nautical mile per hour and about 1.51 mph). However, I prefer a slower troll because it catches bigger fish; our boat has landed three 40+ lb. salmon. My great-grandfather, who preferred a faster troll, never broke the 40 lb. barrier.