The big corky question

[Logger707]

If it can be drift fished with a corky,you can fish it with a spoon or spinner"thats the way the whole is set up"doesn't really make sence to me,maybe I dont know ****

 

[AK Angler]

You seem to be very comfortable with your technique that you seem to love to employ. I think your confidence is the biggest factor in getting those fish to bite. Hopefully we get to see some fish pictures soon!

I've tried plunking in a number of spots — from Graves Creek to the Hatchery, including a number of popular holes. I'm ashamed to admit I've spent nearly 200 hours on the Rogue without landing a single salmon. I've even tried flossing to see if that made any difference. But in all fairness, during the 30+ trips I've taken to bank locations between July 20th and September 11 up and down the M/U Rogue, I've only seen about 20 fish landed by bankies. From my perspective, it looks like it's been pretty pathetic fishing. I've found myself wondering why anyone even bothers. So I'm not sure it's fair for me to evaluate whether my Alaska style corky plunking setup does or doesn't work here yet. I'm not catching fish... but it doesn't look like a lot of other bankies are either. If I could get into some water that I was sure held fish, I'd feel a little more comfortable establishing a position on the issue.

The big hitch with the way I like to plunk is that I need some sort of slack water — a back eddy, pool, somewhere where the current isn't very strong. With the water flows running the way they've been, it takes more than 5oz to hold a plunking rig steady, and that's about 3-4oz more than I'd like.

Confidence is definitely a problem. I don't want to bother trying to plunk corkies for the next three years if someone else has already plodded down that path and can keep me from making big mistakes. I see just about everyone flossing the M/U Rogue, so it's only natural to assume it's the most popular and productive method. When I'm up in Alaska and I see someone step into the hole I like to fish, I always look at their setup. I can usually tell in one glance whether they'll be hooking up quickly... or if it's going to take them forever. I always feel sorry for the guys who try anything other than plunking that hole because it seldom works. I mean, I look up and down the bank and there's maybe 100+ people plunking, so what's this guy thinking?? That all these people don't have a clue?? Is he stupid? Sometimes I try to reason with them. "Hey, you see all these people fishing this same way? You should probably rig up that way too."

Now I'm on the other end — getting the advice instead of giving it. All I hear around here is the consistent refrain: "the fish don't bite," "your leader is too short," "you'll never catch anything with those," and "flossing is the only way to get it done here." So I ask myself — and you folks — am I an idiot for even trying? I'd love to prove that plunking the M/U Rogue works, but I'm not suicidally committed to the cause. At some point, if it isn't working, you have to give up and move on.

 

[halibuthitman]

the water you describe you need, sounds like the NF of the umpqua to me.. thats not much of a drive from the rogue.

 

[AK Angler]

the water you describe you need, sounds like the NF of the umpqua to me.. thats not much of a drive from the rogue.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking too. I drifted about a six mile stretch of the Umpqua in a boat just outside of Roseburg the other day (3 for 3). As we were drifting along, I noted a number of potential plunking spots. I also noticed that there were a lot less squawfish, making it much easier to fish roe. We back-bounced all day and only saw one squawfish take the bait. To me, it looked like the NF Umpqua had a lot more opportunities to drift, float and plunk from the bank than anywhere I've seen on the Rogue so far. I'd rather drive 90 minutes to Roseburg than drive 90 minutes to Graves Creek and then hike to Rainie Falls. It definitely beats a 3 hour drive to the Lower Rogue.

I'm thinking about hitting the Social Security hole on the Chetco as well. I want to check and see how those old timers do it

 

[halibuthitman]

yeah theres a boat launch just outside of town on the north fork, I can't think of its name but maddog would know it.. it has EXACTLY the water scenario you describe and Ive watched fellas fish it.

 

[Mad dog]

yeah theres a boat launch just outside of town on the north fork, I can't think of its name but maddog would know it.. it has EXACTLY the water scenario you describe and Ive watched fellas fish it.

Amacher park, just down river from the interstate. No one plunks the North for salmon, there is no fall season for chinook, in the spring everyone backbounce's bait, use bait/diver set ups, wrapped kwikfish or fishes bait under a float in the upper river. Guys do plunk the main Umpqua a bit though.

 

[skunk]

I know I've shared these pic's before and they aren't corkies, but....It's the same principle of what a chinook will eat or won't eat! We catch salmon all the time fishing steelhead gear....light leaders, small artificials, #4 hook....these fish most deffinetely bit! Pick it up just like a steelhead! Why??? Who cares why! They just do! Would I fish a big hook behind a small corky....No!!! But, if you scale things down, I think most anglers would be amazed at what a chinook will bite!

I also hooked two kings this yr on just a single egg. And I'm a total newbie. Lost both but could tell they took it just like a steel and were def. hooked in the mouth.

 

[RunWithSasquatch]

Sounds like youve got it figured out Skunk. Just gotta up size leader is what I think I read you talking about... Excited to see some fish pictures coming from your end.

 

[Mad dog]

I also hooked two kings this yr on just a single egg. And I'm a total newbie. Lost both but could tell they took it just like a steel and were def. hooked in the mouth.

Ya....and HHM said something about orange.....Orange is magic in low water! Sometimes a single egg is better than more!

Gear it down a little for the conditions and those chinook will bite really well at times! :clap:

 

[lilguido]

Jeff, this is greg... the reason you see most bankies fish corkies on the middle is cause its dam near impossible to run any type of kwikie from the bank... spoons and spinners in holes like finley would not produce... and there arent very many areas that are good to plunk like the chetco and umpqua. one thing i would recommend if you are going to keep trying from the bank is bobber and eggs. Or find a point that sticks out into the river and essentially back bounce roe or use the bobber and roe.... maybe this will help a lil.. maybe not.

 

[eat, sleep, fish]

Jeff, this is greg... the reason you see most bankies fish corkies on the middle is cause its dam near impossible to run any type of kwikie from the bank... spoons and spinners in holes like finley would not produce... and there arent very many areas that are good to plunk like the chetco and umpqua. one thing i would recommend if you are going to keep trying from the bank is bobber and eggs. Or find a point that sticks out into the river and essentially back bounce roe or use the bobber and roe.... maybe this will help a lil.. maybe not.

I've got to disagree Greg. Plunking Kwik's from the bank is entirely possible, as well as spin n glows. Slow rolling spinners through holes like Finley could be very effective. I caught my very first salmon ever in a hole very similar to Finley on a spinner. I've also caught salmon on spinners from the hatchery, gold hill, and savage rapids area. It's just damn near impossible to fish them with the large crowds that form during the peaks of the runs, when they're all ripping corkies.

If everyone at areas like Finley, the hatchery, or Hayes Falls were to drift eggs or use bobber and eggs you would still see plenty of fish hooked. However, the majority of people seem too lazy or unwilling to put the effort into getting the fish to bite. They'd much rather just rip away with their corkies, and since there's almost no enforcement, they don't have to worry about keeping a snagged fish.