How long to stay with a set up

[JHawk]

I'm farily new to the salmon/steelhead game and have a question for y'all...how long do you stay with one kind of setup before switching it out. We were on the Nestucca yesterday and threw shimp & eggs for a couple of hours, then switched over to corkies & yard. My next step was going to be to blades then spinners, but it got dark.

So, my question is, should I change it up more frequently than once every couple of hours? How long do you go with one technique before switching to another?

 

[joem]

depends on if im fishing for moving fish or holding fish, my patience, if i think or know theres a fish in there. i have been known to change ever cast, every couple cast, every worn out bait, or same thing all day. and it all works. right before its getting dark ill switch to every couple casts, and thats paid off for me. if i can see the fish, or know theres one in there ill change every cast. like bobber and jig and can see the fish ill change my jig to a new color every cast till he bites, or ill fish one dark jig in his face forever then switch to a light color and it will usually grab it. salmon are more of a scent thing, corkie and yarn is most likely snagging fish. i go to the river with atleast 6 egg cures and use them all till i find one that works then ill only fish it every so often till i limit.

 

[C_Run]

That has been my dilemma before but, now, I have the habit of carrying two rods all the time regardless of what kind of fishing I am doing. Then I just decide what two things to stick with for the day or maybe change one out during the day for a third option. Sometimes I go with my friend in his drift boat and he'll have a half dozen rods rigged up and switches them constantly. So, if you have more than one rod that's suitable, that is what I would suggest and then just stick to a couple of methods you can alternate with. No need to fret and spend a lot of time tying knots.

 

[plumb2fish]

I usually change holes, not techniques....if I'm not getting bit, I move....

 

[alm21]

As a general rule of thumb, I like to run my presentation through a hole from least intrusive to most intrusive. Start with a float rig and after thoroughly covering the hole, switch to drift rig and repeat. Then finish the hole by cleaning up with hardware/spinner. Countless times the spinner enticed the bite when others didn't. If nothing after that, move to another hole and repeat. That being said, sometimes I'm lazy or just feel like focusing on one technique and/or hole. It's a discipline.

 

[Moe]

I start with bobber/egg, hiking through the entire area I am going to fish that day, then on the way back I fish with a spinner. Bobber stops cost a lot if you're re-rigging every hole...

 

[BlueWater]

It's subjective and I'm stubborn. I've been known to keep using chartruese when everyone around me is hauling in tonnage using silver. But, in general, if I'm walking, I'll cover a pool as thoroughly as I can, at least two times, with one setup and then change. I'm a C&R angler and I won't fish with bait, so changing colors and sizes, or changing from spinners to spoons to top-waters is less of a deal for me.

If I think it's a really fishy spot or I've raised a fish, and I haven't spooked the hole and no one is waiting behnd me, I may swtich several times and cover a spot eight or ten times before moving on.

 

[brewer]

I carry two rods and fish pretty much the same way alm21 does. One set up as a float rod and one with a snap swivel so I can drift and switch to hardware if I want. Also my friend taught me to use rubberbands instead of bobber stops I've become a big fan of that.