Speed!

[akfisher1978]

I am sure there is 1,000 opinions on this but would love to hear a few comments! Herring fish slow for kings? Hoochies, Spoons fast for kings? Coho always fast?

[Salty]

Depends on the gear, the area, the stock, the season, the drag situation. Generally your post is correct but not always, at least in my experience. Lots of guys fishing kings at chum speed with straight flashers and bait around Sitka during the winter and spring fisheries now. Makes for interesting fleet dynamics at the Edgecumbe winter line.

[akfisher1978]

Lets say you are running a lead spoon followed by 4 herring spreads would I use my troll valve and try near chum spead or just as slow as I can go without troll valve? I know current, drag and other factors dictate but in general terms whats the best way to learn?

[yak2you2]

The best way for you to learn is by trial and error, and keeping an accurate database. Like Salty said, conditions change. If you suspect there are fish under you, i.e.- seeing them come over other guys rails, keep adjusting until you get it to work. Sometimes the fish are feeling a little lazy, in this case longer leaders, trolled very slowly. Sometimes, in the same day, this changes. Now they are more aggressive, now you want shorter leaders, trolled faster. There is no preset. Pick one to start out the day with, aggressive, or lazy, and graduate over to the other. Somewhere in there, you are likely to find a combination that works. If they quit biting, rotate around again, and see if you can get them to bite something different;.

[Jon]

2.6 or 2.7 knots, relative to the current.