Northwest Reel Life April 2023 Volume 2 Issue 10 - Flipbook - Page 16
Pink salmon are one of the most
unique fish out there. They have
a two-year life cycle and return to
their spawning rivers when they
are two years old. Interestingly,
they only run on odd years in
Washington State. There are
about 4 million pink salmon
projected to run throughout the
Sound this year. Though they’re
the smallest of the Pacific salmon,
they still put up a good fight and
taste great. They are excellent
on the grill, especially on a cedar
plank. Many anglers smoke them
as well. They are the first salmon
that many anglers catch in this
state because they are more
plentiful and easy to catch than
their larger cousins. They’re easier
for kids to handle and they tend
to be aggressive, willing biters.
Around this time of year, pinks
flood the Sound and begin to
stage near their home rivers. One
of the best things about pink
salmon is that you don’t need
a boat to catch them from the
shore or pier. They tend to swim
within casting distance most
of the time, and at this point in
their life cycle they are still actively
feeding, so they aggressively
attack most offerings they see.
16 | NWFISHING.net
With millions of pink salmon
cruising by the shoreline looking
for a meal, this is the perfect time
to head to your local saltwater pier
or beach and bring home some
pinks for the grill.
By and large, most shore
anglers fish for pink salmon
with jigs. There’s no need to use
bait because pink salmon will
aggressively bite a well-presented
jig. Buzz Bombs and Rotators
are the most commonly used
jigs. They are easy to use and
thousands of pink salmon readily
gobble them up every year.
They are designed to resemble a
wounded baitfish, and they flutter
erratically as they fall. Rigging
them up is pretty simple: put on
your buzz bomb, then thread on
a bead and a bumper. Then tie
directly to your hook (don’t forget
to pinch the barb if it’s required).
I usually use a 1/0 or 2/0 hook for
pinks. To use jigs, cast out to where
you think the fish are at, let your
jig sink for a few seconds, then
reel in and lift your rod tip up. Next,
quickly lower your rod tip and let
the jig fall. Repeat this until you
reach the shore or catch a fish.
Make sure to jig all the way until
shore- sometimes the fish will
follow your lure and strike at the
last second. Most of your strikes
will be as the jig is falling. If you get
a bite, quickly set the hook and
keep up the pressure, especially if
you’re using barbless hooks.
As their name suggests, pink
salmon love the color pink!
It’s a good idea to start with that
color, then switch it up if you aren’t
getting fish. Buzz Bombs come
in a variety of different weights.
For pinks, I’d suggest using the
lightest weight that you can cast
well. If the bite is slow, try rubbing
on some shrimp, anise, or herring
scent.
Gel based scent will cling to the jig
longer. You can also thread on a
small pink hoochie for extra action.
If switching lures doesn’t work,
you can switch locations as well.
Sometimes just walking down for
a few minutes on the beach can
make all the difference.
Another viable option if fish don’t
seem to be hitting your jig is to
use spinners. Vibrax spinners tend
to be light, so it’s a good idea to
thread on some bullet weights
above a swivel to help get them
down to where the fish are at.
Several other brands such as
Mepps make heavier spinners
that will get to the proper depth