Let's kick this thread off right! 2009 Hanford Reach Information.

I'd like some tips from those that are good with downriggers. I've used them a bit, but had trouble with lines tangling when running two downriggers, and also trouble getting the clip tension correct. What brand and sive of clips works best with which weight of line would be my question...

Thanks!

In the past few years I've migrated to moderately heavy mono for downrigging and find that I really like 30 lb Berkley Big Game for routine downrigger use. I've also found that my favorite releases are Offshore brand "heavy" releases. You can get by with mediums, but I really prefer having the fish get a pretty solid hookup before it ever pulls the line out of the release... fewer lost fish. Also fewer instances of setting the downrigger all the way down at depth and then having the clip release inadvertently while taking slack out of the line.

If lines are getting tangled between two downriggers, then either the boat speed is too low resulting in a lot of side to side slipping, or more likely (if using kwiks) the lures are out of tune. The only time you "should" ever tangle between two downriggers is if you sweep across a shallow spot and hang one line up on a hump long enough to drag the other line across it.

I have been using at top shot of 30 lb mono over 50 ld braid. I use a uni to uni knot and it has held up under stress. It helps with the clip. I use the Scotty pinch type and they do release a little easy sometimes.

I have used downriggers a lot in the open water but not at the Reach. We usually fish with jet divers but the last few years have been slow with low water. It has been recommended to that we use downriggers to fish deep holes in the Reach. How do you use downriggers at the Reach? Are the holes/slots long enough to set a depth and slowly crawl down? How far off the bottom? How far off the clip? I wish I had more answers than questions- sorry...

Does anyone pre-wrap thier Kwiks and soak them in scent the night before?

It's a good idea to wrap a couple of kwiks the night before or first thing in the morning while waiting for your buddies to show up, so you can deploy gear right away when you get on the water. But I am constantly wrapping plugs while fishing so I don't bother doing a whole bunch in advance. I like to change wraps every pass or two and I like to keep proven producers in the water as much as possible, so there's no point in pre-wrapping a whole day's worth of plugs unless you have trouble running the boat while wrapping. On the other hand I do like letting them soak in the "stink bucket" while waiting for the next pass, so an overnight soak in scent certainly wouldn't hurt.

As far as a recipe for downrigging in the Reach, usually you can set a depth and back down the holes IF you follow the channel properly - there are a few spots with sudden depth changes that can cost you a downrigger ball so be watchful and train your crew to respond quickly when you tell them to raise a ball. Also train yourself to hit the gas when you bump a ball, so you can get back above it instead of drifting downstream. Kwiks will dive a fair distance on their own, so if you run the plug a ways behind the ball you can do pretty well with the ball suspended off the bottom and not get hung up. A good starting point is 40 feet back and ten feet off the bottom with a K16. As a general rule I'll run farther back and farther off the bottom in fast current (since the plugs will be working harder) and shorter setback and closer to the bottom in very slow current (since the plugs can tend to float up or fail to dive much). Also don't be afraid to experiment with other sizes like K13s (which dive just about as deep as a K16) or the new K14x or K15x which dive even deeper.

Dang, I'm getting all excited thinking about some fall chinook action!

This will be my first year fishing the reach. Typically when does the bite turn on? I imagine it's going to be pretty quick. 15th of sept???
One more question: Where do most of you guys like to launch out of? I was planning on launching from Ringold. I know there is no docks but is that area the easiest to navigate? Thanks in advance....

I usually hit my first few kings there around September 7th and then it gets progressively better (except I usually hit a tough couple of days in late Sept for some reason).

Ringold is pretty easy navigating and has a lot of fish. I usually fish Vernita Bridge because it has had fewer crowds the last couple of years but that can vary. Another option especially with your I/O is either the Wahluke ferry landing or the wooden powerlines.

On the board for 2009! We hit the Reach on Saturday and got two adults and three jacks to start the season off right. My brother's fish was a 39 lb hawg. It looked fairly dusky but it cut up like a springer. One of the nicest batches of fillets I've ever seen.

Woohoo!

Nice job Don!! I've gotta ask?? What did ya get em on?????

Believe it or not... almost all on the new plug cut superbaits. Ran them against my "A Team" kwiks and only got one jack on the kwiks, all the rest on supers.

Supers worked well up at Brewster yesterday also... four adults and a jack, and lost one other adult.

Needless to say I was impressed.

I haven't had the pleasure of using the new plug cut superbait yet. However, we had a beautiful bright 20lber come off right at the net on a hot tamale superbait. what a hearbreaker to start the season! It was my first time fishing these lures, and I to am IMPRESSED what some tuna and plastic can do! Other than the "release", we were untouched the rest of the day Sat. I am definatley looking forward to expirementing with new "fill" baits and the new plug cut lure this season. Congrats on your opener Don!

Does anyone know of a local guide in tri cities that guides for king salmon, i'd love to be able to catch one. Unless someone has an open seat of course


Later
Byron

There are dozens of guides in the Reach. In no particular order I can think of Stan Brogdon, Dan Sullivan, Elmer Hill, Chris Roney, Lloyd Zinsli, Len Burton, Del Burton, Steve Bramhall, Tim Klundt, Bruce Hewitt, Jeff Knotts, Scott Gregory, Dave Perez, Jerry Rhoads...apologies to the many I forgot.

Wow well i will see who has flyers at wholesale sports and go from there