How to Set Up Your Boat for Salmon Fishing. A step by step guide.
- Roy Tanami
- Dec 14, 2025
- 9 min read
Trolling is one of the easiest and most effective methods to catch all species of Pacific Salmon. This article is an A-Z list of all the equipment and gear needed to get you started on this adventure, along with explanations, photos, video, and equipment reviews.
It is a basic, but comprehensive look at everything you will need to outfit your boat and start catching salmon!
Different terminal tackle set-ups and fishing tips and strategies will be covered in other posts, so be sure to follow this page!
Let’s Get Started!
Besides a boat, all the required gear for salmon trolling is covered in these four sections.
Section 1: Rods, Reels and Lines.
Rods - A good salmon trolling rod is generally about 10 feet long, with a slow action and medium to heavy flex, matched to line strengths of anywhere between 20 and 40 pound test. Large salmon are powerful fish, and trolling, especially at deeper depths can exert a fair amount of pressure on the rod, so a graphite or graphite composite rod with a good “backbone” is essential.
All major manufacturers like Shimano, Okuma, Loomis etc., offer good options. For starting out, a longer rod in the 10 foot range with a heavier flex will be easiest to use. The longer rod keeps lines away from the boat and offer more separation, and the stiffer flex requires less “feel” from the beginner angler. See my review of the Shimano Technium Mooching Rod here.
Reels - The first consideration with reels is which hand you want to reel with. This is personal preference but all reels will be either left or right hand retrieve. Most can be switched to either hand, but it is easiest just to start with whatever side you prefer the reel handle to be on. If you’re not sure, choose the hand which you think you can reel fastest with. For most, this will be your dominant hand, but not always! Many right handed anglers reel with their left hand as this is how they were originally taught.
The next major consideration is between single action reels and spinning/bait casting reels. What does this mean? A single action reel is a direct drive reel that is basically just a spool with handles. On a direct drive reel, the whole spool (and the handles) must turn when the line is going either in or out. So, on a single action reel, you have to let go of the handles allowing the line to go out and the spool to turn. Most fly reels are direct drive, and this is what most people picture. This is a key distinction.
On the other hand, with spinning or bait-casting reels, the line can go out even if you are holding onto the reel handle as the reel handle is not directly connected to the spool. In fact, with this type of reel, you can be reeling in your line AT THE SAME TIME as the fish is running in the opposite direction. Again, this is a very important distinction, as it is completely different to using a single action reel.
Both types of reels are outfitted with an adjustable drag system, so drag is not the issue here.
Both types of reels can be used for salmon trolling, so it is basically a matter of personal preference. Here are some pros and cons between the two.
Single action reels:
On the coast of British Columbia, single action “mooching” reels are by far the most commonly used reels for salmon fishing. These are the infamous “knuckle busters,” as when big salmon are taking off for the deep and the reel handles are spinning fast, sticking your hand in there to try and stop them will get your knuckles busted….
Pros:
-More “sporting.” You are in direct contact with the fish - so when they pull, you feel it right into the reel handle.
-Less tangles. While backlashes can still happen, as single, direct drive spools, single action reels are very simple so backlashes due to free spooling are rare.
-low maintenance. Again, simplicity of design means less can go wrong. As a direct drive spool, there are no gears or other moving parts to malfunction. Most single action reels just require periodic cleaning and lubrication of the drag system, which is very straightforward.
Cons:
-Slower retrieval: As a direct drive reel, one turn of the reel brings in exactly that length of line. Therefore a reel with a larger arbor (spool), is preferred. Salmon are fast swimmers, so when they decide to run back toward the boat, it can be a challenge to keep up with a single action reel.
-Getting your knuckles busted. For the uninitiated, a good knuckle busting is like a right of passage. Good thing is, it rarely happens more than once! See my reiew of the Daiwa M-ONE Mooching Reel here, along with a video of the reel in action.
Spinning/Baitcasting reels:
Unless you are a fly fisher, most people are more accustomed to these types of reel, as they are most common in most other types of fishing.
Pros:
Familiarity: Most people have used these types of reels before.
Quicker line retrieval: These types of reels are “multipliers” meaning that one turn of the handle is multiplied (through gears) to several turns of the spool.
Cons:
Easier to tangle. Basically, free spooling can happen a lot easier which results in nasty backlash tangles, commonly called “bird’s nests”. You do not want to have a bird’s nest on your reel….
Drag systems harder to work with. When using downriggers, working with a suitable fishing drag levels on these types of reels can be tricky.
Best Reel?
Both types of reels will work fine, and for whatever reel type you choose, most of the well known manufacturers offer good options. For any reel, make sure it has a line capacity of at least 300 yds of 30lb monofilament. For single action reels, the larger arbor reels are best. See my review of the Daiwa M-ONE Mooching Reel here.
Lines and accessories.
As a starting point, 20lb to 40lb monofilament line as a main line on your reel will be fine. A good supply of bead chain swivels, and scissor clips are also required for connections. Smaller spools of 20 - 50 pound monofilament or fluorocarbon line to be used for leader material is also a good idea.
Section 2: Downriggers and Accessories.
Depth is one of the most important aspects of trolling for salmon and that’s where a downrigger comes into play. A downrigger is essentially just a machine which lowers or raises a weight to your chosen depth.
Your fishing line is attached to the downrigger line with a clip while trolling. When a fish bites, your fishing line is released from the downrigger clip, and at that point, your downrigger is no longer part of the equation - its just you and the fish!
Downriggers are mounted to your boat and can be either manual, or electric. Electric downriggers are much easier to use, as the weight on the end for salmon fishing will be in the 10 to 18 pound range. Manually cranking that kind of weight back to the surface multiple times a day can be tiring!
The two most popular brands of downrigger are Scotty and Cannon. See my review of Scotty Downriggers here.
Downrigger accessories:
1) Downrigger Line/Cable. Most downriggers will come loaded up with either steel cable or heavy braided line. In my opinion, the braided line is preferable as it is easier to work with than cable, extremely strong, and does not do nearly the amount of damage to your prop/outboard for those times you happen to run over your downrigger line by accident. Review of Scotty Downrigger Line here.
2) You will need about a 3 to 5 foot length of tuna cord to attach to the end of your downrigger line. Especially if you are using braided downrigger line, you will need this slightly thicker section to hold your release clips and keep them from sliding up and down the braided line. (see video below)
3) You will need a clip of some kind at the end of your tuna cord which will clip to your weight or cannonball. (see video)
4) Release clips. On each downrigger, you will need at least one release clip which serves to attach your fishing line to the downrigger. One end of the release clip attached to your downrigger line (tuna cord), and the other ends clips onto your fishing line. (see video)
5) Downrigger Weight Retirever. If the booms on your downriggers are extended out past your reach, as will often be the case, a downrigger weight retrieval kit is required. It is basically is an additional line and ring which slides onto your main downrigger line, enabling you to pull it closer to the boat and into your reach. When working with shorter boom length, these retriever kits are not required. (see video)
5) Downrigger auto-stop beads.
These small stoppers fit onto your downrigger line, and cause the dowriggers to stop automatically when the weight reaches the surface. These are important! Without them, your downrigger will just keep coming up.
Note: It is a good idea to carry extra downrigger accessories such as: cannonballs and release clips on board for those inevitable breakages. Also, you should carry spare hardware such as heavy duty swivels, clips etc (which go between your downrigger line and your tuna cord) and downrigger stoppers as well.
6) Rod Holders.
Most downriggers will come with a rod holder attached as part of the package. Rod holders are essential to hold your rod in place while lowering your gear, and while trolling. Rod holders also come in various configurations, but my favourite is the Scotty Rodmaster II. It is the simplest and therefore in my view, the easiest and most effective choice.
Section 3: Lures, hooks and bait.
Now that you have your rod and reel setup, you will need some “terminal tackle” to round out your arsenal. This is the business end of your setup, and as with any type of fishing, the choices between the different lures, baits, and gear are vast, and there are as many opinions and ideas on how and when to best use them as there are anglers.
All that aside, here are some basics to get you started along the path. And, they will catch salmon - no question!
By far the simplest trolling setup for salmon is to tie on a spoon or bait to the end of your line, and send it down! That’s it. Your spoon/bait should be tied to a leader of about 6ft in length of 20 to 40 pound monofilament, which is attached to your main line.
The next simplest set-up is similar, except it adds a “flasher” to the mix. A flasher is a plastic “paddle” which spins in the water to attract salmon and in some cases, add a bit of action to your lures or bait. You attach a flasher to your main line, and then attach your choice of lure to the flasher. This is by far the most common setup for ocean salmon fishing.
Most spoons will come with a hook attached. If you decide to use bait, such as herring or anchovies, different hook setups and rigs can be purchased or you can put them together yourself. To start out however, the quickest and easiest way to get fishing is to just get some flashers and spoons and get out on the water!
If you are fishing anywhere on the west coast, starting out with a green flasher and a red flasher, as well as a few “Skinny-G” Spoons from Gibbs Tackle is a good start, and you can run this setup about 10 - 15 feet behind the downrigger clip.
Again, more detailed set-ups and strategies for flashers, spoons, lures etc will be covered in other articles so be sure to follow!
Section 4: Other essentials.
Landing net. A long handled landing, or dip net is a must have to get your first prized salmon into the boat! Again, there are plenty of options but try to choose one with at least a 3-4 foot handle and a net diameter of about 2-3 feet, and a net bag that is at least 2-3 feet deep.
Gaff. A good gaff hook is not essential, but something you will find to be extremely useful for all kinds of applications. While most fish will be landed with your dip net, gaff hooks can also be used to land fish, grab line, release fish, bonk fish etc. You don’t need one to catch fish, but you will find this multi-purpose tool to the one of the most useful fishing tools on your boat.
Pliers. A good set of fishing pliers is essential for removing hooks, and cutting fishing line. For saltwater use, aluminum or stainless steel are the best choices for material.
You’re ready to go salmon fishing! Check the video to see what you’re in store for! A check list for all the gear mentioned is included below. Good luck and tight lines!
Gear Check List:
Rods
Reels
Line: main line for reels and smaller spools for leader material.
Downrigger and accessories (including snaps and release clips and stoppers)
Spoons
Flashers
Swivels and beads (bead chain and heavy duty swivel)
Scissor clips
Landing net
Gaff hook
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