Salmon Fishing Tips

Salmon is a name used for several common fish species of the Salmonidae family. They shouldn’t be confused with trout, which are also members of the Salmonidae family. Salmon can thrive in both freshwater and saltwater. Salmon are anadromous, they hatch from their eggs in freshwater, travel to the ocean as they grow and later return to freshwater in order to spawn. When they return to freshwater to spawn they actually travel back to the exact spot where they hatched from their eggs. They can be found on the coasts of both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, along within the Great Lakes of North America. Salmon are also a big part of the aquaculture industry for farm raised finfish.


There are two genus for salmon, salmo and oncorhynchus. In the salmo genus there is one species called the Atlantic salmon (salmo salar). In the oncorhynchus genus there is six species, which are called Chinook salmon (oncorhynchus tshawytscha), chum salmon (oncorhynchus keta), coho salmon (oncorhynchus kisutch), pink salmon (oncorhynchus gorbuscha), sockeye salmon (oncorhynchus nerka) and masu salmon (oncorhynchus masou). Salmon are one of the most popular game fish in the world, in additional to being one of the most common fish consumed by humans. Due to the popularity of this fish in North America, some states have salmon stocking programs. These programs are especially prevalent in the Great Lakes.

Salmon Fishing Tips, Tricks and Techniques

Ok, if you read the above you should have some basic scientific knowledge of salmon, but let’s face it you came here to learn to catch salmon. That’s why this section of our website is dedicated to salmon fishing tips. We’ve put together a set of tips that will help both novice and veteran fishermen. If you have a salmon fishing tip that you’re willing to share with the world then please use our submit a fishing tip form.

• Sharpen those Hooks – Salmon have a thick jaw that can make setting a hook more difficult. You’ll want to make sure that your hooks are razor sharp when fishing for salmon. We recommend using the Lazor Sharp brand.
• Overcast for Success – Salmon prefer low lighting conditions, thus making days with an overcast more successful for salmon fishing than other days. In addition to overcast days, dawn and dusk provide optimal light conditions for salmon. You can still catch salmon on bright sunny days but they will be in deeper water and slightly less active.
• The Best Bait for Salmon – It’s a known fact that one of the best methods for catching salmon with live bait is to use roe (eggs). You can purchase this type of bait or actually harvest and cure your own roe. For artificial lures, we recommend using spinners such as the Mepps Aglia.
• Learn to Drift Fish for Salmon – One of the most up and coming methods for fishing for salmon is drift fishing. This is useful for river fishing for salmon, you basically cast your bait upstream and let it drift down over a pool or area where you think salmon are. This produces a more natural bait presentation to salmon.
• Get the Stamp – To catch and keep salmon in the U.S. you’ll likely need a special stamp or permit along with your fishing license. It’s important to have this to prevent you from getting a large fine. It’s also important because the cost of the stamp/permit is used to fund salmon stocking and conservation programs.