Baker Lake Sockeye Salmon

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I'd never fished Baker Lake for Sockeye Salmon before. I had to unlearn a few tactics that work well on my home Sockeye waters but don't work there. The first day was a bit of a struggle but I came back the next day and did much better.
Tackle featured in this video:
- Mack's Sling Blade 9": amzn.to/3PVpAa4
- Luhr Jensen Herring Dodger 2/0: amzn.to/3JLLwQZ
- Pink Glo Hoochie 1.96": amzn.to/43vVVas
- Matzuo Sickle Hooks 1 and 1/0: amzn.to/3D0Mhlw
- Assortment of Lead Free Weights are Great!: amzn.to/3MXmH3L
- Humminbird Helix MSI G4: amzn.to/44mp8pk
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[@vitpav777]

It was nice to finally meet you Tyler. You were letting me pass in front of you and caught a fish at a dead stop😂 that was something else 👏👏 I guess you can jig for them like you do for Kokanee 😁

[@spiltmilt]

It was great meeting you too!

[@lunchbox5825]

I talked to you on saturday. Was in the grey/blue inflatable raft. Talked about lake cavanaugh.

[@jmdixon519]

Thanks for posting this! My wife wasn't sure about doing a baker lake trip, until she seen the beauty there is! Great looking fish!

[@everettseahawk8347]

I was there most of last week. Tough bite. I'd mark large schools on the fish finder and not get a bite passing through the school multiple times. Ended up 7 fish in 5 days fishing. Sounds like it was mostly 1-2 fish to a boat other than a few outliers. Pretty typical for Baker which is usually pretty good fishing for the first few days its open then slows down significantly.

[@ShenpaiWasTaken]

That looked really fun! They're so squirrelly it's scary but it's so exciting. Really nice fish.

[@arlanjohnson8841]

Glad to see you made the drive over to Baker, & congrats on the catching 👍🏼!

[@arlanjohnson8841]

Did you fish the noisy creek area both days?

[@spiltmilt]

Yes. I also tried Shannon Creek but saw very fish caught

[@rogue109]

You are killing it kayak style! Love the videos, thanks for sharing!

[@cithamao7181]

Totally worth the drive!

[@tylerrandolph6193]

Thank you for posting your videos! They got me into kokanee fishing out at green Peter in a home made trolling kayak!

[@northcascadian7065]

I'm glad I subd a little while ago. Really close to hitting up Baker Lake for these Sockeye and just got a lithium battery for my motor and tested its capacity today at a closer lake!

[@wantasandwichfilms1841]

Such a nice hit. The rod just smashed back there. Thanks - enjoyed the footage.

[@robbysmusic8507]

WOW! that was impressive.

[@corydronen6023]

I love your videos even though I don't gear fish, only fly fish. Something I found interesting about the baker lake area is the westslopes and lack of coastal cutthroat.

[@jasonhurdlow6607]

I'd like to see a map at the beginning of your videos to give us an idea where you are.

[@dongorsegner4607]

We were up there last Thursday, 5 in the boat and lost one. Gonna try it again this coming Thursday/ Friday

[@jonlobello7151]

If you get a change drive out on the dam. On the lake side is the Surface Floating Collector (fish gulper). I worked on that facility from May 12 thru June 13 this spring and it was quite interesting. I wish I had stay out there for the opener.

[@BourbonForageFishing]

Up in my neck of the woods!!

[@395glen]

They definitely have more power then Brewster sockeye. Definitely size is a factor and possibly the journey as well

[@kellylambert4527]

I seen two of those damn bananas 🍌🍌 on the lake ,those fish are tuff sometimes to figure out but they were heavily pressured on Saturday. I've never seen so many boats there in a long time great video

[@jonwhiteley5651]

Love all your videos been watching them for years. Definitely learned a lot through you so thank you very much for that. I was just curious on what pound line do you usually use for your leaders for sockeye.

[@spiltmilt]

20 lb

[@loganfishbeard]

I'll bet your kayak came in clutch at the launch that moring. I can imagine everybody lined up to launch as you come trolling by, carrying your kayak to the lake. Great content as always man.

[@spiltmilt]

I had a camp right on the water which was even better!

[@PhattyBarnett]

Nice to see you over in my neck of the woods. :-) Glad you got to experience a Baker Lake Sockeye. How do you think they compare in size to Brewster pool?

[@spiltmilt]

Def bigger

[@mcdaib]

As a scientist i would expect you to land one before daylight...

[@normdeshon665]

Successful by paying attention to your speed, for example, full stop for the win!

[@Badkharma21]

I love your videos! been watching for awhile. i am starting to target lake trout and trying to dial it in. do you think you'd have an opportunity to feature some fishing for lakers?

[@mcdaib]

Nice bannana peel....

[@Fairdemand554]

It’s been slow out there lately. Had some success but lots of people only pulling out one or two fish.

[@jacksonammons7797]

He man great video! But I have some questions, me and my uncle were up there all morning today 4:45 to about 9:00 trolling with down riggers behind his boat and not bite do u have any tips on something I might be doing wrong?

[@paulheberling9847]

When using scented corn, do you still recommend the same scents and timing of when you switch to bloody tuna and garlic. Please advise....gotta love those hot fish behind the kayak...well done.

[@spiltmilt]

Yes

[@Spencer_Plant_Projects]

We had to troll so slow to get bites in that fishery compared to wenatchee or brewster

[@nw_angler]

Staying just outside of the crowd seems to help with hook ups numbers.

[@timross7046]

Great video as always . I've been trying to get a report on fountenelle . Have you heard any reports on the kokanee there this year ? Thanks

[@spiltmilt]

Video coming soon

[@ronlee597]

Was there weekend after the fourth. First day was pretty good, second was slow. Temps were warm. Wind made it unfishable in afternoon.

[@timross7046]

​@@ronlee597 thanks . Do they have good size to them this year ? Are they running deeper because of the warmer weather lately ? Thanks again . I heard the wind can be a problem there ?

[@ronlee597]

@@timross7046 Mostly 17-20" and thick. Depth 4-5'; deeper than that caught trout. First day green was better than pink/orange. Fish were hot--lost some good 'uns.

[@kfs4869]

I haven’t you use a flasher for sockeye on that lake. Is a dodger a better option over flasher when targeting sockeye?

[@youraveragefishkeeper]

I don’t think it matters I got my baker sockeye on my Kokanee gear. Sling blade and pink hoochie and smile blade. Only upsized to size 1 hooks

[@spiltmilt]

I don't use flashers for Sockeye as they tend to require higher troll speeds to function properly and dodgers provide good action at slower troll speeds.

[@dats007]

Curious if you noticed any available campsites on the east side of the lake or was it packed to the gills? Also curious what the boat launches were like? I’m assuming they were crazy

[@spiltmilt]

Campsites were booked up many months ago and parking was bad that trailers were parked for several hundred yards on the main road in each direction.

[@dats007]

@@spiltmilt ugh… that sounds like a mess. Of course this is the weekend my son wants to go on his first camping trip 🤦🏻‍♂️ I figured the drive in sites were all booked but there are several boat/hike in only sites on the other side of the lake. Guessing those will all be snatched up by the time we get there

[@dats007]

@@spiltmilt btw, getting several comments on my black on black Spilt Milt Productions hat 🤙🏼

[@kylejackson5491]

What size of rod are you using? (Power/action) we only have 2 kokonee rods and a walleye rod. Thank you for all your videos! Always enjoy and look forward to your next video.

[@spiltmilt]

These are 7’ light power rods

[@kylejackson5491]

@@spiltmilt thank you.

[@vivvz2]

I plan on going this weekend, I was curious of the parking / launching situation over at panorama point. Any insight you could share on that?

[@spiltmilt]

It was generally full by 3 am but people just parked along the road after it filled up

[@vivvz2]

@@spiltmilt Thank you very much! Love the information you share and your videos!

[@youraveragefishkeeper]

Yup. I showed up at 3:30 on a week day and the lot was nearing full. This was within the first week of the opener

[@simonjleclair]

Do you have a boat or a kayak?

[@kevinmerritt267]

When you were jotting down notes, were you filling out a catch card or were you taking notes? If notes, would love to learn what you record and subsequently what you do with your notes (i.e. do you enter them into documents or a database on your computer so you can search and review them later)?

[@spiltmilt]

Just catch cards

[@robin8559]

Do you have a video on how to make bait for Sockeye? Much appreciated

[@spiltmilt]

I just buy cured coon shrimp

[@robin8559]

@spiltmilt Ok thanks 👍

[@jeffthrower4981]

Morning Tyler On Baker Lake were you using braid or mono?

[@spiltmilt]

Braid mainline

[@Newtrous]

Did you pedal all the way up the lake? I’ve been looking for a place to put in farther up. Great vid as always!

[@spiltmilt]

I put in at Panorama Point, its a 2.5 to 3 mile paddle to the fishing ground. There are closer ramps further up lake as well at Swift and Shannon Creeks.

[@Newtrous]

@@spiltmilt thank you sir! Hoping to get up there soon! Thanks again for all the great content!

[@dats007]

I think the boat launches at Shannon and Swift are only available for registered campers at those specific sites. See here for more ⬇️ www.northwestfishingreports.com/Content/Files/AreaPhotos/7305_2117.jpg

[@spiltmilt]

Yeah that is what Ive heard but also know others that simply pay the day use fee and launch.

[@jeffthrower4981]

Morning Tyler What type of running lights were you using? Thank you

[@spiltmilt]

YakAttack Visipole amzn.to/3IyX49n

[@jeffthrower4981]

@@spiltmilt Thank you I have that pole light I was wondering if you ran a red and green light on the bow ? Thank you

[@spiltmilt]

No I don't use nav lights on non-motorized kayaks

[@timschwarze4842]

Which transducer are you using with that unit?

[@spiltmilt]

The one that came with it

[@yashrajborse]

How much weight and line you had put out for non-downrigger setup? I see that you are not using snap weight like you do for Kokanee. Any specific reasons?

[@spiltmilt]

6 oz at 60’. I don’t use snap weights as I’m minimizing my line out in a combat fishery

[@yashrajborse]

⁠​⁠@@spiltmiltThanks.

[@arlanjohnson8841]

Did you fish the noisy creek area both days?

[@spiltmilt]

Noisy and Shannon. Not much of a bite at Shannon

[@jonearl8877]

are you back at baker lake this week?

[@spiltmilt]

No back at Brewster this week

[@armandonava2344]

How much weight r u using doesn’t seem a area u would need anything over 5 ounces great video

[@garyroenicke2102]

Wow, beautiful fish, scenery but way Way Too many boats for me

[@NghiaPham-xi5so]

Do you attach the coon shrimp to your hoochie? Also, how far down did you put your bait at and what were you using to get down to the depth? Thanks

[@spiltmilt]

Yes I put in on the upper hook. I was fishing with a downrigger at 45' one one rod and 6 oz lead at 60' on the other rod.

[@antoniohumphreys939]

​@spiltmilt if I don't have a line counter could I just calculate how many pulls of line 60 ft would be?

[@fastandfun20043]

@@antoniohumphreys939 1 pull = 1ft, or at least start with that and adjust as needed. You'd be more considered about replicating/changing the number of pulls based on the success you're having!

[@antoniohumphreys939]

@@fastandfun20043 thank you!

[@NghiaPham-xi5so]

@@spiltmilt Thanks!

[@danielgerman4459]

Any rods you recommend for sockeye

[@spiltmilt]

You using droppers or downriggers?

[@erichunter14]

That got me thinking… do you think you could night fish for kokes? Any different techniques? Would they stay schooled up at night like they would in the day?

[@spiltmilt]

I know still fishing them at night is very popular on some lakes.

[@erichunter14]

@@spiltmilt how would you do that? Would you still jig with the same set up? I would suspect the schools dissipate at night but not sure. I never seem to see the schools at night when Im moving around.

[@ventureoutdoorswithkirk]

Not sure I would be a fan of all the activity, everybody fishing on top of each other. Seems to work though.

[@nw_angler]

You should launch from Shannon Creek next time. Save you a lot of work. Just gotta pay the day pass, $10.

[@nw_angler]

That is, unless you use a trailer. Can't park a trailer there unless you are a camper.

[@spiltmilt]

I had a waterfront campground at Panorama and I don’t mind the exercise

[@kylejackson5491]

​@spiltmilt how do you keep your fish while camping (3 or 4 days)

[@c-dro670]

first comment woohoo!

[@hsoloman]

First!

[@SomtingWong-hq4dk]

Social media has ruined salmon fishing in any body of water in WA state. Too many people along with too much pressure. No wonder we are so restricted on fishing because of the sudden trend in crowds.

[@spiltmilt]

I don't think so. Its more a limit of opportunity especially in this case. There are only so many Sockeye fisheries in the state so everyone ends up at the same place.

[@SomtingWong-hq4dk]

Yeah and all the pressure in one area most of the time results in poor success because of all the people bunched up in one location doing the same thing with the same gear. I remember when we didn’t have social media and the crowds on the weekdays and weekends were very small. Now there’s double the amount of people because of someone who caught a fish and wanted to brag to the whole world.