Fishing Head Lure
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Hey guys, I got a question about salmon fishing?
I am headed to Lake Shasta in the beginning of April, supposedly the peak season for the King Salmon. Anyone fished them at Shasta? What would you recommend as far as line strength and bait/lure? If you have fished this lake (I am sure some of you have, wormist) what are some good areas to hit? I want some salmon and some browns (both at peak). Thanks.
D man, I have fished this lake and read your question yesterday but needed more time to give you the answer you, a friend, needs. The kings will be always moving and to be successful, using a down rigger will be needed to get down to them. Large swim baits, flatfish, deepest diving crankbaits and even the largest spoons made will get them to bite but they eat whole fish. More important than your bait choice is depth so, if you can get your baits down I would start at 50 and 60 feet deep then go to 90 and 100 feet then back to 70 and 80. (maybe they'll be up in the 30 feet area but when you find them at one depth stay trolling your baits at that depth. I would suggest also being 100 yards off shore to work this best. Troll the main body of the lake in large (like a mile in diameter or more) circles or rectangles slowing slightly to make the turns and speed up once in a while between the dam to the Sacto River arm and back.I would focus on the Kings from the mid morning all the way to the mid afternoon. Also (and this is pretty key) change directions before depths it might be you are trolling the same direction as the fish are swimming and that'll scare them more than entice a bite so change directions from clockwise to counter clockwise before changing depths. Again once you find them stay with that as a pattern knowing that as the day gets longer the water temp will go up as well.
As far as those elusive browns, use fire tiger, green crawdad, yellow frog or baby bass crank baits and or swim baits. (in the morning at first lite they will be on top and move down as the day gets on and, they will move up finishing on the surface at nightfall. Always be counting down to get different depths covered until you find them. Larger than normal in line spinners like the blue fox, mepps and others, smaller spinnerbaits (even with a trailer) or even floating a nightcrawler on or near to the top in the very very early mornings and really late into the evenings till dark. For the browns, I would go to the eastern sideline in the pre dawn mornings and the western sideline in the evenings all along the banks of the Mc Cloud arm (ask me why?) because you don't want your shadow on the water in front of you where the Browns come up to feed. They will cruise all along the banks looking for big fall in food to begin and end their day with and by holding the boat off shore about 100 feet there is plenty of areas to fish casting toward shore with the light in your face and your shadow behind you.
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