Hey what would work off that dock at Redondo? I'm not to big in salmon fishing so if you guys could explain it thanks a bunch!! Thanks ahead of time?

The classic shore/dock lure is a BuzzBomb. It's a long diamond shaped hunk of lead painted in different colors. When I used to fish off the beach alot my favorite colors were...white with blue stripe,white with green stripe and white with pink stripe. I liked 2.5 or 3in sizes,sometimes up to a 4in.

The first thing I would do is to ditch the treble hook that comes with it and tie on an a siwash hook in the right size. You'll get better hookups and won't lose as many fish. Cast it out as far as you can,let it sink to the depth the fish are at and retrieve in a jigging motion. You'll see alot of people working the jig like their setting the hook,you want just the opposite,slowly raise the rod tip and quikly drop the tip to get the BuzzBomb working right.

Hey thanks!

I've been to the Redondo docks ONCE and youre right, people would be reeling them in real fast, while yanking hard on the pole, sayin they were "jigging" it. I didnt think that was right, but thanks for confirming it! I'll go buy some more, bigger buzz bombs.
Thanks a bunch again!

Curtis

I grew up about a mile from Redondo and spent many summer days either fishing off the pier or trolling out in front of it, my preferred method was Buzz Bombin, but a buddy of mine (Cordog) did well floating a herring, don't think he used a float or any weight, justed cast out and let it sink slowly for a few minutes then retrieve, he caught a few using this method.
If you have access to a boat we did well trolling south of the pier, did best from where the road makes the bend up the hill (out in front of the sewage treatment plant) down to the bluffs, usually just trolled herring.

i like 3"W chrome buzzbombs, the darker red color (only 1 fish on that but it was in the 30's ) or the candlefish/darts/whatever in all white, green and white, chrome and blue. Hope it helps!

Tyler

P.S. Also try a cut plug or live (preferred if available) herring under a float.

HBP,

Hey thanks for the info on using single hooks with the buzz bomb I wondered why I would fish I thought I had hooked well with the treble hook.

I am going to change to that before I go monday.

What size hook fo a 2.5" bomb???

You will hook more fish and they will stay hooked better if you replace the treble w/a Siwash. I have yet to perfect the attachment of the hook tho, I've tried a small split ring, a small barrel swivel and a combo of the two. I don’t like the way the hook kinda cocks at an angle if you just tie the line to the hook, anyone else find a good solution to hook attachment w/b-bombs? I have also used a tandem two hook rig like you would use for mooching and it works well for short striking cohos. Another variation is the two hook rig with a small (needlefish) hootchie, sometimes I clip a few of the tentacles off so it doesn’t affect the b-bombs action too much. Have also tried a Marabou aerofly in place of the hootchie. Recommend you use some sort of scent (I’m partial to Pro-cure products) to cover up any scent from yer hands. I like to use two or three beads instead of the rubber bumper and a bead above the b-bomb and to protect the knot on the small barrel swivel that I attach above the above the b-bomb. Good luck! Oh yeah, when I fish b-bombs I usually use the “count down” method. After you cast it out let it sink for 5 sec.s and then begin yer retrieve. After a few casts try ten seconds, a few more fifteen seconds, etc. Gotta be careful tho cuz they’re a lil expensive to leave on the bottom. As far as colors in Puget Sound (Tacoma south) I’ve found the perch model to work best for Chinook/blackmouth, and the black pearl (and to a lesser extent the blue pearl) to be best for coho. Up north (Bush Pt, Lagoon Pt, Ft Casey, West Beach etc) for some reason the reds and oranges seem to work better

Sincerely,
Roger

I spent many a summers fishing off the pier. I used herring exclusivly. i would float it with no weight if the current was slow or slack. If the current was moving i would use 1/2 to 3/4 ounce weight and about 4-5 ft. of leader. one summer i caught 7 kings ranging between 8-24 lbs. All off the pier. pretty good summer off the dock.
Just remember to pinch the barbs gamies are watching

i grew up just up the hill from redondo and i was gonna post some info on buzz bombs but it looks like you guys got that tech covered already...

there is about a one week window when the kings are heavy through that area and it seems like the guys on the pier take as many fish as the boaters do...i fished that pier a lot before i had a boat and buzz bombs or darts always took salmon during that time.

Stifler, you are right about that. I was there last year during that week. Nothing like limiting out in a 1/2 hour and having to put the boat back on the trailer before 0700.

I can remeber one day last year when I was waiting to trailer my boat, after catching my limit in a 1/2 an hour, I saw three kings caught off the pier. Then another two kings caught while the WDFW guy was checking my fish. That poor fish checker got a work out that day running back and forth from the parking lot to the pier. It was unbelievable!

Hey PT... I don't know what size hooks I'm using right know. I ran out of Gamakatsu's so I'm using some Siwash hooks I got in a Vision sample pack.
Vision's run a little different than the Gammie's
I looked for some old packages but no luck.

I did do some measureing and came up with a formula. I took the hooks I use with a certain size BB and compared to the width of the BB. Holding the hook up to the BB the gap on the hook should be the same size roughly as the widest spot on the BB. A 2.5in BB is 5/8" wide so find a hook that is approximatly 5/8" wide at the gap.
I think that is a 1/0 or 2/0.

Sorry I could'nt be more specific on the hook size,but since I got my boat I only fish salmon off shore at Deception Pass when the humpies are in. I have'nt used a BB since last summer.

a 1/0 or 2/0 siwash would have plenty of bite for a 2.5" buzz bomb...when im using a buzz bomb i go with the 4" size and i use a 3/0 on that.

HBP and Stifler

Thanks for the hook sizes I am going to try it tomorrow.

Hope evryone as a GREAT day tomorrow as well.

Iused to float herring off Point dock in Tacoma and did well. I would use cut plug no weight let it drift until hafl my line was out .Then reel in fast for 10 to 15 feet then stop wait a couple of min. repeat

Hey RRR, try placing a 1/4" or smaller but not too small Bead between the BB and the Bumper. This will straighten out the look of the hook. And since BB are usually fished near bottom, try putting a circle hook on instead of the typical treble or gami and watch the snags dissapear.

Hey FFF
Have you fished w/circle hooks much? I've yet to try them. I have heard that they are excellent for halibut and that they tend to hook in the corner of the jaw a lot more (making catch n release less likely to injure/kill fish). Anyone had much experience w/circle hooks? Any enlightenment will be appreciated. Thanx --

Sincerely
RRR

Just thought I would mention that fishing live bait is not legal since I saw it mentioned in someones post!!!

Fishin live bait is illegal?!! Since when? I believe that you are referring to the live bait ban for FRESHWATER, not saltwater. Hope that I am right and that you did not mislead any neophyte saltwater fisherman!

Sincerely,
Roger

Under Statewide General Rules, subsection "Harvest Rules":

"You may not possess or use live fish for game fish bait"

This, of course, only applies to game fish and WDFW does not list salmon as game fish.
Under Statewide Definitions, Game Fish are defined as:

"bass, burbot (freshwater ling), catfish, crappie, grayling, northern pikeminnow, peamouth chub, yellow perch, northern pike, tiger musky, sucker, sunfish, trout (including steelhead and kokanee), landlocked chinook, coho and Atlantic salmon, walleye and whitefish"

Northern pikeminnow? Peamouth chub? Sucker? Sheesh!

Hey Preston,

I think the only "Game" with those 3, is making sure no one is around to see you catch one.