Plunking off the banks is one of the most leisurely and inexpensive ways to catch salmon and steelhead, and it’s also very effective. Just about any day when there are fish to be caught you will find anglers and their families picnicking, swimming, and enjoying a day at one of the local Columbia River beaches, and waiting for a bite.
Basically, plunking is casting a bait out with a weight to hold the lure spinning in place along the migration paths of the fish.
When the fish encounter these baits they strike out of aggravation. Alarm bells hooked to the rods alert the fishermen when there is a strike, and the angler then reels the fish in.
It sounds simple, but subtle differences can mean success, or failure.
What is required is a long rod and reel that casts well and can handle the weight you will use to cast. A sand anchor for the rod will hold it in place. Add a clip-on bell to the end of the rod to signal strikes.
Line size, bait selection, and how far out from the bank you fish is determined by which salmonid you are targeting and the flow of the river. One overarching rule is that plunking works best in the strong flows of an ebb tide.
Cody Clark of Bob’s Sporting Goods in Longview talks with many plunkers when they visit the store to gear up. He offers some suggestions for first timers.
“The Chinook will be deep,” said Clark, “about 20 to 40 feet off the bank. Steelhead will run much shallower, about 6 to 15 feet deep, or about 15 to 20 feet off the bank. Sockeye will run even shallower, at about 5 to 8 feet deep.”
Clark says anglers targeting sockeye and summer steelhead use Spin-n-glos tipped with a little bait. He reports the most popular baits are cured prawn tails such as the Loony Coonies and Washington Coon Tail shrimp.
Use size 4 and 6 Spin-n-glos for steelhead, which run larger, and size 10 to 14 for sockeye. Popular colors include red and fluorescent red.
Good beaches and access include Frenchmen’s Bar, Willow Grove, and the Kalama Beach on the Washington side, and Prescott and Dibblee Beaches in Oregon.
If you are new to plunking a good approach is to talk to anglers on the bank and see how they are doing it. Leave your gear in the car when you do. If you come armed for fishing they will see you as a competitor and offer less info. If you approach them sans gear they will perceive you as less of a threat, and will open up more.
Then pick your spot, set up for a day at the beach, and have fun.
For more information: Bob’s Sporting Goods in Longview: 360-425-3870
