About King Salmon Fishing Tackle
Fishing for King Salmon is challenging and exciting, and it takes just the right fishing tackle to land the big one. While most heavy-duty poles and reels will do; for a better chance of attracting and catching a big King Salmon, it's best to use tackle designed with salmon in mind.
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Types
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From reels and rods to hooks, bait and lures, there are so many types of King Salmon fishing tackle that it makes choosing tackle nearly impossible; however, it becomes much easier if you know how you intend to fish for the salmon. The type of reel you choose will determine many other things, including the type of rod and lure or bait you use, so make that choice first. Types of reels include fly, for fly fishing; casting for fishing large bodies of water from the shore; trolling, for fishing from a moving boat; and spinning reels, which are multi-purpose and can be used with either lures or bait and from the shore or from a boat. For King Salmon, trolling is most common, and heavy-duty saltwater rigs are often used because of the salmon's large size.
Considerations
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Fishing for a huge fish is much different than fishing for smaller fish like trout and bass. Your tackle must not only stand up to the weight, but to repeated strain and use if you plan on catching more than one fish. Look for reels and rods made for taking 20 to 50 pound fish, and be sure and match them with line, lures and hooks made for tackling the same weight of fish. While you may only be angling for a fish that is on average 10 to 15 pounds, you don't want to lose a big one because your tackle wasn't up to the job.
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Misconceptions
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It is a common misconception among many anglers that King Salmon tackle must be freshwater rated for fishing in freshwater and saltwater rated for fishing in saltwater. This couldn't be further from the truth. The only real difference between the tackle is that a few manufacturers put a special coating on their saltwater tackle to help prevent corrosion. In all other aspects, the tackle is the same, and the size rating is the size rating. Unless you want the special saltwater coating, choose the tackle that will withstand the weight and fight of a King Salmon and use it in whatever type of water you fish.
Warning
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After fishing in saltwater for King Salmon, always clean your tackle, especially your reel thoroughly. Saltwater will quickly corrode the gears and other parts of your tackle, ruining its operation and causing you problems the next time you get a big salmon on the line. Also, always check your line after catching a King Salmon. If you did not use a steel leader, check to make sure the line did not get frayed near the hook or lure, and that it did not get stretched out. If you catch an especially large salmon, consider changing your line afterwards. If the line was stretched too much, it will become weak and could snap when you try to reel in the next salmon.
Size
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Fishing tackle should always match the size of the fish you are trying to catch. For King Salmon, that is a size 4 to 6 for most lures and artificial bait. For lures and hooks that do not follow the standard sizing system used in the U.S., look on the packaging for weight and size of fish it is intended for and choose tackle that will handle at least a 20-pound fish. You might want to stock your tackle box with a few larger and smaller lures as well. After you hook or land your first King Salmon, you'll probably get a good idea of the size they average in the area you are fishing and can substitute the appropriate size lure.
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Resources
- Photo Credit Nate Brelsford
