Gator Tips

By a noted Outdoors Writer

Gibbs Gators are one of the top trolling spoons for all species of salmon. Gators are also great for halibut and other bottom fish. They are moderately high-action spoons that you can use effectively with or without flashers.

The smallest #5 Gator is best fished behind a regular Gibbs Highliner flasher or Farr Better release flasher. Use 30-pound test monofilament line for leader material, and try a length of 60 inches to start. Tie one end of the leader to the Gator using an improved clinch knot. For convenience, tie a barrel swivel to the other end of the leader so you can quickly change lures using the quick-release clip on the back of the flasher.

You can fish the larger #6 and #7 Gators with flashers, but often, they are very effective fished on their own. These big spoons, fished without flashers, are especially good on the west coast of Vancouver Island, on the mid-coast around Bella Bella and Hakai Pass, and on the west coast of the Queen Charlotte Islands. Trolled close to the bottom, a #7 Gator is a top halibut producer. Tie these spoons directly to your main line.

Note: When there are closures on species like Coho, a big #7 spoon is less attractive to these smaller fish, and will get down to Chinook-holding depths much more quickly when fished without a flasher.

When you are using a downrigger, fish these spoons 15 to 30 feet behind the release clip on your downrigger cable. If you are using a sliding sinker on your main line, let out 25 feet of line before fixing the line into the pinch coil on the sinker.

For Chinook, pink, and chum, troll these spoons at speeds between two and three knots. For Coho, try slightly faster speeds — from three to four and one-half knots.

In general, troll your Gator spoon for Coho, chum, and pink salmon in the top 80 feet of water. For Chinook, start fishing the Gator at a depth of 60 feet before dawn, then drop the spoons to depths of 110 feet or deeper after sunrise.

If the bottom is fairly flat, reasonably snag-free, and within reach of your downrigger ball, keeping your Gator within 10 feet of the bottom is very productive for both Chinook and halibut. Occasionally bouncing the downrigger weight on the bottom will produce a "thump" and cause a disturbance that can attract Chinook or halibut to your spoon.

Note: Mature, trophy-sized Chinook on their home migration like to ambush prey from nooks and crevices along rocky shorelines. Trolling Gator spoons at shallow depths of 30 to 45 feet tight to the surf line, or close to kelp beds during the summer migration runs, is a good way to take that once-in-a-lifetime trophy tyee!

Note: Spoons retain oily residue from your fingers that may repel salmon. Rub a few drops of a commercial scent to mask these fish-repelling odours on your spoons. Commercial scents containing anise are very good for masking any human scent, while commercial fish oils can add a more attractive odour to your spoons.