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Dick Nite Now for Fall Salmon
We are just a few weeks away from Pink Salmon stuffing our river systems, not to mention the Coho will be right behind the Pinks. Maybe you are preparing your gear now, or maybe you are thinking about what lures you should buy to put these fish in your cooler.
There are many techniques and lures used for catching fall salmon, but if you want consistency, you need to seriously consider using Dick Nite spoons. Dick Nite Spoons are one of the most versatile lures on the market today. Techniques to fish them are numerous and they are good lures for several species of fish. Dick Nite Spoons are a “go to” lure in my boat when I am fishing clients for Pink and Coho Salmon. I know if fish are in the river, I can put them in the boat with the Dick Nite lure.
For drift fishing a light action spinning rod such as the G-Loomis 1141S is the best possible choice, matched with a quality spinning reel.
You can setup the Dick Nite a few ways. You can use a fixed dropper, you can use a sliding dropper, or you can use pencil lead or slinky, just as you would when drifting eggs. This can be used in drifts where the water is not as deep and fast.
I prefer the sliding dropper because the sliding action of the snap swivel reduces line twists. It is important to let the current speed and depth dictate how much weight you use. Weight used will range from 1/2 oz. - 2 oz. Leaders should be matched to the mainline. For instance, if you are using 10lb mainline, use 8lb leaders. If you use 12lb mainline, use 10lb leaders. Your leader length will vary dependant on the visibility of the water. Typically, I use 5 – 6 foot leaders.
You can plunk the Dick Nite off the back of your boat or off the bank. Use a 5 – 7 foot leader for the lure. Instead of attaching your weight directly to the snap swivel on the mainline, used a dropper. That is a length of fishing line, 2 – 3 feet long. Attach your weight to this dropper. When I am plunking, I want the lure to stay in place so I use more weight. Usually I use 2 – 3 ounces of weight. You can use pyramid or cannonball weights, depending on whether you are bank fishing or in a boat. I use cannonball weights in the boat, to avoid having a weight with edges striking the boat or a person.
If you are plunking from a boat, your lure will not be as far away from the boat as you may think. I keep the mainline at a 45 degree angle from the surface of the water. This keeps the angle of separation from the lure and the dropper correct and in the strike zone. Remember, you need to have some flow of the river to plunk. If you are in a pocket of dead water, the lure will not have the wobbling action necessary to trigger a strike.
You can drift fish the Dick Nite as well, as I usually do. The spoon should have a wobbling action as it slowly moves across the bottom. In areas with more current, reeling very slowly or not at all will be best. In areas where there is no current you may have to reel a little faster to achieve the action of the lure.
If I am drift fishing and need to use more weight than a slinky or pencil lead, I use cannonball weights. I use 1/2 oz – 2 oz of weight. When I go to the cannonball weights I use a dropper to attach the weight, just like you do when you are plunking. However, these droppers for drift fishing are much shorter. These droppers are usually 7 – 10 inches long.
Colors and sizes abound with Dick Nite Spoons. Dick Nite now has lures available with UV coating as well. I use the #1 Dick Nite more than any other size. Another great thing about Dick Nite Spoons is you can find them practically anywhere that sells anything related to fishing.
Pick up some Dick Nite Spoons and stuff your cooler with some fresh salmon this year!