worming for salmon

[4bellp 0]

hi, i usually spin for salmon but recently the river has been high and of colour so i thought i'd try wormin however i don't think im doing it properly.

i've been using a rig made up of a 3-way swivel, a 3oz weight and a 2o long shank hook.

 

is this gear correct.

any hints would be much appreciated

cheers paul.

[tote 854]

Here's my set up, a size 2 or 4 specimen carp hook tied onto 15lb of maxima nylon. At the other end of the nylon is a normal swivel. The main line is 20lb braid, onto this is a sliding link and a rubber ball.

 

I always worm for salmon using bait controllers which I attach to the sliding link this lets the salmon take the worm without any resistance from the weight as the line slides through the sliding link.

 

The advantage of using this set up is you can change bait controllers going lighter or heavier as river conditions dictate.

 

Here's one I got yesterday.

[4bellp 0]

cheers mate. i use braid too.

but whats a bait controller?

 

how effective as that been for you

[tote 854]

cheers mate. i use braid too.

but whats a bait controller?

 

how effective as that been for you

 

Bait controllers are made out of hollow plastic tubing with a swivel inserted at the top and lead weight at the bottom.Some have interchangeable leads so you can alter the weight,they can vary in length from 2" up to 6" or 7". The running link is attatched to the swivel at the top of the tube and the air that's trapped in between the swivel and the lead keeps the bait controller upright. I find them very effective both for worming and for fishing the floating devon minnow.

 

Scroll down on the link below untill you get to "bouncing betties", they are bait controllers.

 

http://www.fishingmegastore.com/acatalog/Weights.html

[aaronpigeonplucker 32]

i dont use all of that hi-tec stuff. tie a size 8 diercetly on to 10 pound mainline 3-4 BB or AAA shots up the the line about 2 ft cast it above a salmon lie and feel the line as it drifts down. the salmon will often play with the bait before atualy taking it so be paitent and wait for the slamon to take line then strike. 2 large lobworms or a bunch of brandlings will do. the best lies are the ones behind rocks or in eddies

[tote 854]

cheers mate. i use braid too.

but whats a bait controller?

 

how effective as that been for you

 

It works mate, I had 3 salmon/grilse today using that set up.

[Guest Eamon.Mc]

In big high water or coloured water try fishing tight to the bank or around the mouth or small burns entering the river, in heavy water fish move tight to the bank wher the water is slacker to rest, you also might hook into some big browns. I've lifted some of my best salmon in high water right at my feet fishing this way. Try and use as little lead as possible to reduce any resistance the fish might feel, you only need enough to keep the bait down as close to the bottom as possible. All of the above methods work just experiment to find which 1 suits you, and be patient, salmon often lift worms but don't drink then down, sometimes they will but they will often just mouth the worms and with a salmons mouth being quite boney it is easier to pull the bait from their mouth instead of setting the hook. Hope this helps.

[ianrob 2]

Here's my set up, a size 2 or 4 specimen carp hook tied onto 15lb of maxima nylon. At the other end of the nylon is a normal swivel. The main line is 20lb braid, onto this is a sliding link and a rubber ball.

 

I always worm for salmon using bait controllers which I attach to the sliding link this lets the salmon take the worm without any resistance from the weight as the line slides through the sliding link.

 

The advantage of using this set up is you can change bait controllers going lighter or heavier as river conditions dictate.

 

Here's one I got yesterday.

 

 

I use a similar set up, and it works. I tend to use a trace of about three to four feet long, as I feel the salmon might be disturbed if when taking the worm, the lead then rattles round to its side. NB the main point here is that salmon don't take like trout, you'll get no hard knocks just rumblings and gentle pulls. DO NOTHING, it could take 10 seconds ,it could take 5 minutes, but wait till the fish starts to swim away with your worm, and it will. When it does it'll be hooked down the throat, and won't come off. If you want to release the fish, cut the nylon in it's mouth, it will be fine, at least it will survive and eventualy shed the hook. Hugh Falkus in his book "Salmon Fishing" describes this in more detail. Strage things salmon. I once got to a heavily fished stretch of the Eden near Carlisle, where about 15 people were fishing the pool down, nothing had been caught. I was short of worms and hoped to borrow some but couldn't. I put on 4 tiny worms and really underestimated the current, for when I casted over, my line just swung round like a fly and was taken by an 18 lb fish first cast.

[tote 854]

I got another 2 today with the same set up. I put the first back as it was coloured but kept the second,here's a pic.

[mackem 26,543]

I got another 2 today with the same set up. I put the first back as it was coloured but kept the second,here's a pic.

Tote,you always get beautiful fish

[tote 854]

Tote,you always get beautiful fish

 

Just a pity they've no been very big mackem,I could do to catch that ones grandfather.

[mackem 26,543]

Your the wrong sex Tote,isnt it women who always catch the biggest salmon :kiss:

[4bellp 0]

cheers for all the replys some helpful tips

[aaronpigeonplucker 32]

Your the wrong sex Tote,isnt it women who always catch the biggest salmon :kiss:

 

64IB salmon caught on the river tweed/tay? by a MISS goregina ballentine 192sumthing :kiss:

[tote 854]

Your the wrong sex Tote,isnt it women who always catch the biggest salmon :kiss:

 

64IB salmon caught on the river tweed/tay? by a MISS goregina ballentine 192sumthing :kiss:

 

Here you go.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/castlekay/2634246609/