Getting your setup right for trolling salmon spoons can be the difference between a busy day on the water and a long boat ride with nothing to show for it. There is just something about the way a piece of stamped metal flashes and dances in the depths that drives kings and cohos absolutely wild. It isn't just about throwing something shiny behind the boat and hoping for the best, though. To really consistently put fish in the cooler, you've got to understand why these lures work and how to tweak them based on what the fish are telling you that day.
I've spent countless hours watching rods buried in downriggers, and if there's one thing I've learned, it's that salmon are incredibly picky about "the flutter." A spoon doesn't have its own motor; it relies entirely on your boat speed and the water's current to give it life. When you find that perfect rhythm, the spoon mimics a wounded alewife or herring perfectly, and that's when the magic happens.
Why Spoons Are a Salmon Staple
The reason we use trolling salmon spoons as our bread and butter is pretty simple: they cover a lot of ground and they're incredibly versatile. Unlike a meat rig or a plug, a spoon can be trolled at a wide range of speeds, allowing you to search for active fish across a large area. They provide two things that salmon can't resist: flash and vibration.
In the Great Lakes or out on the Pacific coast, salmon are visual hunters. They see that metallic flicker from a distance and move in to investigate. Once they get closer, they feel the "thump" of the spoon's wobble through their lateral line. It's a dinner bell that works even in murky water or low-light conditions. Plus, spoons are easy to run. You don't have to worry about a baitfish spinning out or a plug getting fouled as often as other presentations.
Choosing the Right Size and Shape
Not all spoons are built the same, and picking the right profile is a huge part of the game. Generally, you're looking at three main sizes: mini (or standard), magnum, and those long, skinny "slender" styles.
Early in the season, or when the salmon are keyed in on smaller baitfish, those smaller 3-inch spoons are usually the way to go. They have a tighter, more frantic action. However, as the summer progresses and the "kings" start getting aggressive, switching over to a magnum spoon can be a total game-changer. These larger spoons—often 4 to 5 inches long—move a lot more water. They create a massive silhouette that mimics a full-grown alewife, which is exactly what a trophy Chinook is looking for when it's trying to bulk up.
Then you have the shape. A wide, deeply cupped spoon is going to have a much more aggressive, "lazy" kick. These are great for slower speeds. On the other hand, a thin, flat spoon is meant to be dragged a bit faster without spinning out. If your spoon starts spinning like a propeller, you've lost the game. You want a side-to-side rhythmic wobble, not a 360-degree rotation.
The All-Important Factor of Speed
If you ask ten different captains about the best speed for trolling salmon spoons, you'll probably get ten different answers, but most will land somewhere between 2.0 and 2.8 miles per hour. But here is the kicker: the speed your GPS shows at the dash isn't necessarily the speed your lure is moving down at 60 feet.
Underwater currents can be a real headache. You might be trolling 2.5 mph on the surface, but if you're heading into a heavy sub-surface current, that spoon might be spinning wildly. This is why many serious salmon anglers use a "down-speed" probe. If you don't have one, don't sweat it. Just hang your spoon over the side of the boat before you drop it down. Watch it at your current speed. Does it look like a dying fish? Is it kicking hard from side to side? If it's just dragging or spinning, adjust your throttle until it looks right.
Playing with Colors and Light
Color selection is where people tend to overthink things, but there are some basic rules that usually hold true. In the early morning or when you're fishing deep—say, over 80 feet—glow-in-the-dark patterns are almost mandatory. In those low-light environments, that extra bit of visibility helps the salmon track the lure.
As the sun gets higher, I usually transition to "bright" or "natural" colors. Silver, chrome, and white are great for sunny days because they reflect the most light. If it's overcast, "UV" finishes or copper-backed spoons often perform better. A classic "Blue Dolphin" or "Green Onion" pattern has probably caught more fish than I can count, simply because they mimic the natural greens and blues of the water column.
Don't be afraid to change things up if the rods stay quiet for an hour. Sometimes the fish want something "obnoxious" like a bright orange or a "hot tiger" pattern, even if it doesn't look like anything living in the lake. It's an instinctive reaction strike.
Rigging for Success
How you attach your trolling salmon spoons to your line matters more than you might think. Since these lures are designed to wobble, they can cause some serious line twist if you aren't careful. I always use a high-quality ball-bearing swivel. Don't cheap out here. A cheap crane swivel won't spin under the pressure of a trolling drag, and you'll end up with a bird's nest of twisted line.
Regarding leaders, most guys run a 15 to 25-pound fluorocarbon leader. Fluorocarbon is great because it's nearly invisible and has a bit of abrasion resistance, which is nice when a big king decides to run you into the downrigger cable. The length of the leader can vary, but 6 to 10 feet behind a flash or a diver is a pretty standard starting point. If you're running the spoon "clean" off a downrigger, you can go even longer to get the lure away from the boat's noise.
Tuning and Maintenance
Here is a pro tip: out of the box, most spoons are "good," but they can be "great" with a little tweaking. You can actually "tune" a spoon by slightly bending the metal. If you want a wider wobble, add a little more curve to the tail. If you want it to run better at high speeds, flatten it out a bit.
And for the love of all things holy, check your hooks. A lot of factory hooks on trolling salmon spoons are well, they're okay, but they aren't always razor-sharp. I like to keep a hook file on the boat and touch up the points after every fish or if I snag a cable. Many guys are moving toward a single "siwash" hook instead of the traditional treble. A single hook often stays pinned better during a long fight, and it's a whole lot easier to pop out of a fish's mouth (or your net) once you land it.
Final Thoughts on the Water
Success with trolling salmon spoons really comes down to observation. Pay attention to which rod is firing. Is it the one on the outside of the turn? That means the spoon sped up and triggered a bite. Is it the one on the inside? That means a slower presentation is what they want.
Salmon fishing is a big puzzle, and spoons are the most versatile pieces you have. Keep your hooks sharp, watch your speed, and don't be afraid to swap colors until you find the "hot" bait of the day. Once you hear that drag screaming and see a silver back jumping behind the boat, you'll know you've got the hang of it. Just keep the boat moving, keep the tension on, and enjoy the ride.