Red Salmon Gear

A question that Jane and I are often asked is what gear do I need to fish red salmon? If you are a person that prefers a fly rod a 7wt or 8wt is a good fit for Kenai red salmon. If you are a conventional fisherman a 7ft to 8 1/2 foot medium to heavy action rod with either a spinning reel or a baitcasting reel will work fine. The line that I prefer is 17lb test monofilament for my mainline. Some people use heavier line in the "combat zone" or a braided line but through the years I have found 17lb to be a good weight overall to catch red salmon. The terminal gear that you'll need will be sinkers, I prefer split shots because you can add or subtract weight instantly, a crane swivel to prevent line twists, a leader from your swivel ranging from 18" to 36" using 25lb-30lb monofilament, and a Coho/Russian fly or 2/0 hook with yarn attached to it. Other equipment you will need are chest waders or hip boots. Red salmon run within a few feet of the riverbank and you'll need to be out in the water and how far out will depend upon the fish. Miscellaneous equipment but not essential would include needle nose pliers, a stringer, a net, polarized sunglasses, bug repellent, and sunscreen.


That's it. Pretty simple fishing gear. If you don't have this equipment there are plenty of stores in our area that will sell you everything you'll need to catch a red salmon (my personal favorite is Trustworthy Hardware).


I suppose you are now asking yourself "when do the red salmon run and what techniques do I use to catch them?" Have no fear. I will address these topics in the not so distant future.