Salmon Drift Fishing: Rigs, Bait, and River Reading

What salmon drift fishing is

Drift fishing is a river technique where you cast a bait or lure upstream and let the current carry it along the bottom, so it moves naturally through the lanes where salmon rest. The weight ticks along the bottom while the bait drifts just above it. It works for Chinook (king), coho (silver), chum and other salmon, and it is also widely used for steelhead.

Gear and setup

Exact setups vary by river and species, but common choices include:

• Rod: A moderate-fast rod around 8.5 to 9.5 feet, medium action for coho and medium-heavy for Chinook, is a typical range.
• Reel: A spinning or baitcasting reel with a smooth drag. Many anglers choose a reel with good line capacity for strong runs.
• Mainline: Braid or monofilament. Braid is sensitive and thin, while monofilament adds stretch. Choose a strength that matches the species and the river’s snags.
• Leader: Usually a few feet of fluorocarbon or monofilament, lighter than the mainline so a snag costs you the terminal tackle, not the whole rig.
• Weights: Pencil lead, slinky weights or split shot, adjusted to the depth and speed of the water.

A basic drift rig

A simple, common setup places a sliding weight above a swivel, with a leader running to the hook, bait or lure:

1. Thread your mainline through a sliding sinker or a sliding snap swivel carrying the weight.
2. Tie the mainline to a barrel swivel.
3. Tie a leader of a few feet to the other side of the swivel.
4. Attach a hook, a corky and yarn, a bead or a small lure.

Using lighter line or a weak link for the weight means that when the weight snags on rocks, you often lose only the weight. Adjust the weight until it just touches bottom without constantly hanging up.

Baits and lures

• Cured salmon eggs: A long-standing favorite, often tied in small mesh bags called spawn sacs. Check whether bait is allowed on your water.
• Sand shrimp and other natural baits: Used in some regions.
• Corkies and yarn: Small floats with yarn that hold the hook off the bottom, and used by many drift anglers.
• Beads and soft plastics: Imitate eggs and are popular, especially when salmon are spawning.

Colors that anglers favor include pinks, oranges and reds, with brighter options in murky water and subtler ones in clear water. Many regulations restrict bait, scent, hook type or gear in certain stretches, so read the current rules.

How to drift fish step by step

1. Position yourself where you can cover a seam, run or tail-out.
2. Cast upstream and across, commonly at around a 10 to 11 o’clock angle if the current is moving left to right from your view.
3. Let the rig sink until you feel the weight tick the bottom.
4. Follow the drift by keeping your rod tip high and tracking the line downstream, taking up slack so you can feel touches.
5. Finish the drift when the line swings below you, then reel in and cast again a step further down.

Reading the river

Salmon migrating upstream tend to rest in softer water rather than fight the strongest current. Good places to start include:

• Seams where fast water meets slow.
• Deeper runs and the head of pools.
• Tail-outs where pools shallow.
• Behind boulders and along inside bends.

Fish may hold in a particular lane for some time, so repeating the same drift with small changes in weight and angle often finds them. Different species and runs prefer different depths, and fresh fish tend to keep moving.

Detecting bites

Salmon bites in a drift can be subtle: a slight weight, a tap or a stop in the drift. If the line does something unusual, lift the rod firmly to set the hook, and stay ready for a hard run. Because the weight usually keeps ticking, learning the difference between bottom contact and a bite takes practice. Braid helps with feel.

What time of day do salmon bite?

Many anglers prefer early morning and evening, when light is lower and fish may be more active. Fish can bite at any time, especially when fresh runs arrive, so let the run timing guide you. See our guide to the best time for salmon fishing for how run timing and tides play in.

Regulations and etiquette

Is wild caught salmon illegal?

No, catching wild salmon is not illegal in general. It is a regulated activity, though. Seasons, bag limits, gear rules, and which fish you can keep (for example, some areas require releasing wild or unmarked fish) vary by water and year. Always check the current rules from your state or provincial agency, and keep a license where required.

Be considerate on crowded rivers by giving other anglers space, avoiding casting across their lines, and handling fish you plan to release gently and quickly.

Common mistakes

• Using too much weight and snagging constantly.
• Using too little weight and floating the bait above the fish.
• Not following the drift with the rod tip.
• Fishing only one lane.
• Ignoring regulations about bait, hooks or snagging.

Related guides

Once you know how to drift, decide when to go with our best time for salmon fishing guide, or plan a northern trip using the best time to fish in Alaska.