How to Catch Salmon with the Sonic BaitFish

By Capt. Pete Rosko

The Pacific Northwest fishing for coho salmon, and kokanee, doesn't get any better than in the fall.  It gets even better when fishing with the Sonic BaitFish (SBF).  This includes flatline trolling glow chartreuse 1/2 to 1oz SBF off Port Angeles and Sekiu at sun-up or vertical jigging Glow Orange SBF on Lake Sutherland, located 15 miles west of Port Angeles.
 
During the earlier years of the Sonic Baitfish, I was invited to fish for coho salmon aboard a friend's boat at Sekiu. His plan was to downrigger-troll with a cut plug herring.  My early morning plan was to flatline troll 1/2 and 3/4 oz Glow Chartreuse SBF (1oz SBF had not been available at that time).  It did not take long to appreciate the effectiveness of a flatline-trolled Sonic Baitfish as it outfished one of the most effective ways to catch salmon. That being cut-plug herring. It was almost three hours after sun-up when the coho stopped striking my near-surface presentation. Only after I attached a diver to the Sonic Baitfish Lure and descended to the 45-foot depth was I able to reignite the bite and match coho catches with my cut plug friend.

Last month was an excellent example of a day on the WDFW research vessel when 8 of 9 chinook salmon caught on the boat were on the 1 oz Glow Chartreuse SBF, as shown in the illustration above with a tail attractor blade. This Sonic Baitfish was downrigger-trolled, without a flasher, at the 42-foot level. The other salmon was caught on a conventional trolling spoon.

It is my belief that the vibrating and darting action of the Sonic BaitFish is what outfishes traditional spoons. (When trolling, I am also a strong advocate for adding a Colorado or Indiana spinner blade to the tail of the Sonic Baitfish for extra flash and harmonics.

Also, I will increase the size of my single hook, one or two sizes, to increase the hookset. This will not adversely affect the action of the Sonic BaitFish since this is a horizontal presentation.) When trolling with a flasher, check the action of the Sonic BaitFish to make sure that the action of the flasher is not interfering with the lively action of the Sonic BaitFish lure.  
 
Whether jigging for salmon or kokanee, the Sonic BaitFish is equally effective in its simplicity. Basically, the target fish species or primary consistent-producing structure, are located before vertical jigging begins. When trolling, you are looking for fish while fishing. I am a strong proponent for jigging with smaller Sonic BaitFish for big fish, especially when "matching the hatch". Select a smaller size that you can effectively reach your target species and feel your lure working in and around structure. This means exclusively fishing with no-stretch braided main line and not stretchy monofilament.

When jigging on my WDFW research boat in July and August, at least 50% of the largest chinook salmon were caught on ¼ oz metal jigs. These were off edges of 20-35 ft deep kelp beds and on the 23-30 foot deep Elwha River outflow flats in Area 6.

One calm day on the flats, in less than one hour, I hooked and released two chinook salmon in the mid-teens and nine 3-5 pound starry flounder and rock sole…all on the ¼ oz glow white finish. 

Bottom bouncing, this quarter-ounce jig also occasionally foul hooked five-inch long sand lance that were stacked along the bottom. This bait fish is highly preferred by sportfish in Pacific waters. Yet, the flounder and chinook salmon were eager to strike an artificial lure much smaller than the live sandlance. My interpretation of this phenomenon is that predator fish are instinctively wired to strike a crippled or injured baitfish without the need to spend extra energy chasing down a fast-moving, healthy one.
 
Lake Sutherland is 15 miles west of Port Angeles. It is where I jig for kokanee, especially in late September.  That is their time to spawn. Over 40 years of fishing on the lake, I have found that the place to be is on the southwest end of the lake, near Falls Creek. That conveniently is where the public boat ramp is also located.  The buoy line on the left, after launching, is where to fish. More specifically, the buoy line that begins at Falls Creek and extends southeast for about 200 yards toward the boat ramp is your guide. This is the main area for pre-spawn and spawning kokanee in late September and early October.

My technique is simple.  First, locate the kokanee by the hook-shaped marks on your electronic fishfinder before jigging.  My number one Sonic BaitFish finish is Glow Orange.  The second is Glow Chartreuse. With the provided snap in the package, attach the Sonic BaitFish to its nose. Then, with a medium action 5 ½ to 6 ½ foot spinning rod equipped with a ten-pound braided main line and ten-pound fluorocarbon leader (snap attached at its terminal end), drop your Sonic Baitfish lure to the bottom.

That water depth will average about 25-35 feet. When it comes to working the rod, I have two techniques…dead sticking and finesse and twitch jigging. Kokanee is notorious for striking the Sonic BaitFish by holding the rod still (dead sticking) regardless of whether the snap is attached to its nose, tail, or back.

When finesse jigging, I work the rod by twitching it, using only my hand. Regardless of any jigging technique that is used, point the rod tip towards the water surface and in the direction where your mainline is headed. It's like sighting a rifle to a target. This technique maximizes your feel of the lure and maximizes your hook set.  
 
Finally, the best time to fish Lake Sutherland is when motorcraft are not racing up and down the lake. Kokanee, like most freshwater fish, is noise-sensitive and will not respond positively to your presentation. Fish cloudy or rainy days, with little or no wind, for an all-day active bite.

That is what happened about ten years ago when I stopped counting all the kokanee I released at 300. That was late September, jigging with a variety of Sonic BaitFish, in the same area described in the preceding paragraph. Very seldom do I add scent to the Sonic BaitFish. If the bite dies, I downsize to a smaller Sonic BaitFish before changing to a different finish.

Also, try reattaching your snap to the back or tail section of the lure. I have also jigged for Lake Sutherland kokanee on calm nights with excellent results. Use the Glow White SFB and keep the glow active with a bright light source.
 
In closing, this will be my last article for 2024. In that regard, I wish all of you safe travels, a Happy Thanksgiving, and a Merry Christmas.  Remember, the joy of fishing is the anticipation of the next strike.

Capt. Pete