RETURN OF THE SOCKEYE SOCKEYE SEASON IS ON THE HORIZON AND JASON BROOKS HAS ALL THE TIPS TO CATCH YOUR SHARE

cycle and often start in lakes that Sockeye Squidder or Smile Blade® have outflows creating rivers that Sockeye Pro® — and the flash of the lead to the ocean. But the fish is Double D™ Dodger draws the fish in susceptible to temperatures. That is where they bite. Fighting a sockeye why these fish stage at the famed to the boat can be difficult as they “Brewster Pool.” Here, the river is are known to have “soft” mouths and deep and cool compared to the when they get close to the boat, the shallow, slow-moving Okanogan fish thrashes and often times pulls River, which outflows from Lake free. Osoyoos in British Columbia. When the season opens, usually Though not ferocious eaters, with a in mid-July, the boats hit the water diet consisting of mostly krill, aquatic in the pre-dawn hours. The red and BY JASON BROOKS MACK’S PRO STAFF bugs and plankton, sockeye do strike green navigation lights shimmer off lures. the water and everyone gets ready for the bite. It comes on fast, just as Red and green navigation lights Though not ferocious eat- the sun illuminates the eastern sky revealed the boats so slow, “ ers, with a diet consist- and, by the time it rises above the you would think they were as stagnant ing mostly of krill, aquatic hillsides, the bite turns off. Sockeye as the water. This “lake” was actually are sensitive fish and don’t like bright the backwaters of Wells Dam, known bugs and plankton, Sock- eye do strike lures. sunlight. The only thing that can turn as the “Brewster Pool” in the upper the off faster than the sun is — JASON BROOKS | PRO STAFF stretches of the Columbia River. rain. The boats are filled with anglers The key is speed. Trolling at 1- to 1.5 and this is their last chance at the miles per hour with a wide dodger Ultimately, the fish abruptly leave Upper Columbia Sockeye fishery. — such as the Mack’s Lure Double the Columbia and race up the After traveling hundreds of river D™ 5.8 or 7.6 — that swings a small Okanogan at the first shot of cooler miles up the Columbia River, the fish squid skirt side-to-side, enticing water. Once they cross the border, would soon turn north, up into the a bite. The most popular color is the fish pair up and begin their Okanogan River leading them into pink tipped with a small piece of spawning ritual, where they start the Canada. cured prawn. The smell of the krill’s cycle all over again. cousin, swinging action of the squid The sockeye is an interesting skirt — we recommend a Cha Cha® salmon. They have a two-year life FOLLOW MACK’S LURE ON INSTAGRAM

1 WATCH NWO: LAKE WENATCHEE SOCKEYE

The crew took over the Rocky The evenings were filled with good Ridge Outpost, an incredible venue times, plenty of delicious kokanee that housed the majority to the 30+ and memories that will last a lifetime. members in attendance. It’s a quick We want to send a special thanks 25-minute drive to the Buckboard out to everyone who attended for boat launch, which is where the an amazing time. Richy Harrod of majority of our team fished during The Northwest Outdoorsmen was the 5 day stay. there to catch all of the action, so stay tuned for that episode and be Last year, it seemed like you could sure to tune in to our social media have thrown a hot dog in the water feeds, where we’re still pushing out and caught 3- to 4-pound kokanee all of the amazing content from an with ease, but this year was a incredible week on Flaming Gorge. different beast. While limiting every MACK’S RETREAT day, it was much more of a grind. FLAMING GORGE The fish weren’t as stacked up this year and we found them in the upper 30-feet of the water column, most of which were even shallower at about 15- to 20-feet. While most boats were fishing sideplaners, our team predominantly relied on the the Double D™ Dodger 4.4 and 5.8 to get our gear out away from the boats in order to not spook these already shallow kokanee.

BY MACK’S LURE EDITORIAL Despite some winds, every boat seemed to get into the fish using a variety of Smile Blade® spinners, The Mack’s Lure staff and Pro Staff Cripplures™, Hum Dingers®, UV participated in the third annual Magic Imperial Spoons and Pee Mack’s Lure Pro Staff Retreat on Wee™ Wiggle Hoochies, each of Flaming Gorge Reservoir (Nev./ which were fitted with Sling Blade™ Utah) last month and were treated, 4” or 6” or, as mentioned, a Double once again, to incredible fishing, D™ Dodger. We put the entire decent weather and an all-around arsenal to work with great success. great time.

2 NEW PRODUCT HUGE KOKANEE ON PEE WEE WIGGLE HOOCHIE SPOTLIGHT

BY MACK’S LURE SHOP NOW

WENATCHEE, Wash — Mack’s SONIC BAITFISH™ (SBF) passion is designing, and fishing, Lure, Inc., manufacturer of the the metal jig. I exclusively fish a Pee Wee™ Wiggle Hoochie™ and TIPS & TECHNIQUES metal jig wherever my travels lead Wiggle Hoochie™ has released two me. To date, three different metal new colors of their popular Wiggle jigs and (35) different sizes have Hoochie™ Bills. been created and marketed. The most recent is the SBF 1 oz.. One “Since acquiring Shasta Tackle might say that over 40 years of four years ago, Mack’s Lure has experience went into the creation vastly expanded on its entire line of of this particular Sonic BaitFish™. In new kokanee and products,” that regard, one would expect a lure Mack’s Lure Director of Marketing with better performance. In my final Britton Ransford said. “With the water-testing days with the SBF 1 oz., Wiggle Hoochie line, we had a lot of I knew this was a special lure. It had consumer interest in additional bill achieved a degree of balance and colors, including UV Orange and Hot TIPS FOR GREATER action, seldm realized in a fishing Pink.” SUCCESS: 1 OZ SBF lure, including a metal jig. See and feel the difference when you drop These unique bills, which have an BY PETE ROSKO SBF TECH GUIDE this lure in your favorite body of unbelievable look and action, can water. be fitted on a squid skirt and skirt and provide a crank-style wiggle to This article discusses the 1 oz. Sonic On seven previous outings, I have the lure. The Hot Pink version is now BaitFish™ and proven tips to achieve saltwater-jigged the SBF 1 oz. Gold available in the 1.5” and 2.25” option, consistent and dramatic success for lingcod, rockfish and chinook while the UV Orange is available with all sizes of the Sonic BaitFish™ salmon in the Strait of Juan de in the 2.25” version. A 1.5” version (SBF). Fuca (Wash.). The treble hook was of the UV Orange will be available replaced with the single hook that is later this year. For over forty years, I have been included in the packaging. All three professionally designing a variety fish species aggressively attacked You can now order these Wiggle of fishing lures for sport anglers the jig on every outing. Note: On its Hoochie™ Bills online at MacksLure. across our country and abroad. In 8th outing, the enclosed photo (next com or at your local bait and tackle addition, thousands of on-the-water page) was taken on June 18. The SBF shop in the near future. If you have hours were spent fishing with both 1 oz. was exclusively being jigged any questions, please feel free to professional guides and novices for lingcod in an area not known for contact our marketing department alike. chinook salmon. However, a large at [email protected] or call the chinook salmon was attracted to order desk at 800-525-8737. The Sonic BaitFish™ 1 oz. | My the lure and aggressively struck it.

3 The fish was released while still in 4) Wind and fast-moving water, at horizontal and vertical presentations. the water as it was not in season. anchor or drifting (very important). Horizontally, as in trolling and Whether in fresh- or saltwater, the Line control is critical when wind is casting, it vibrates, swims and darts. SBF 1 oz. should be a critical go-to up or water is moving. To avoid a bow Vertically, it vibrates, flutters and lure for serious anglers. in your line when casting in wind, it darts. The prime strike-triggering is critical to cast directly up-wind or action of a metal jig is its action on down-wind — never sideways to it the vertical drop. No other lure-type unless you are fishing in calm water comes close in the erratic vibrating, or light wind. Without maintaining a fluttering and darting action it taut line, you will be unable to detect creates. This is the #1 lure action strikes and feel your lure working over that ignites predator fish to strike! bottom structure. The direction of Seasoned trollers are aware of this your cast depends upon the location and will troll in an “S” pattern to of your target fish species in the cause an erratic drop-back of their water column. If fish are located lure as line tension is reduced on the near or on the bottom in fast-moving rod located on the inside turn of the water, cast directly up-wind or up- boat. However, when trolling, the current and bottom-bounce the lure main difference between traditional back to you. (This technique extends trolling lures, and metal jigs, is that Proven tips to achieve consistent the time your lure remains along the the traditional lures lack the dynamic and dramatic success while bottom structure. As effective as this fall-back of metal jigs on the turn with all sizes of Sonic BaitFish™: technique is, very few anglers use and the darting action on a straight it). If the fish are suspended, either troll course. 1) Always use a fine tooth file to vertical jig or cast down-wind and/ maintain a sharp hook point. I see or down-current. (The drag of the In closing, I have enjoyed every too many fish lost because a blunt wind, or current, against the line and method of fishing over most of my 83 hook point prevented a complete lure keeps it in the strike zone of the years. Trolling for walleyes was our hook set. suspended fish longer by slowing the fall rate of the lure). 2) When the bite dies, always down-size to the smallest lure size 5) Snaps. A duo-lock snap is that can still reach the fish. Just like included in each Sonic BaitFish™ people, fish may refuse a big meal, package, in addition to a single but it’s difficult to refuse a little siwash-style hook. The snap should be snack. I have consistently turned the attached to the lure to maximize its bite on by going really-small and action. Directly attaching line to the by finesse jigging (substitute active lure will reduce its action. Personally, jigging with rod-twitching and even I only use the single hook that is in dead-sticking — especially effective the package for better hook-ups on kokanee and chinook salmon). and for less snags in structure.

3) Sensitivity (important). Without 6) Lure fouling. If the lure’s hooks knowing what your lure is doing, fouls on the line, the lure is being your success at catching fish is jigged too hard. The Sonic BaitFish™ dramatically reduced. It is imperative is designed with action and down to be able to react to a subtle strike not need to be overworked. Hard or feel your lure being worked over jigging actually spooks fish — slow it structure. Maximize sensitivity by down. jigging with braided line and not monofilament line, reducing your 7) Fish finder. Do not fish blindly! total rod length to no longer than 6 Locate fish before fishing by using feet (the shorter your rod, the better your electronic fish finder. the control and feel), fishing with a light-weight/strong backbone rod The mechanics of the Sonic that does not bend more than 1/4 to BaitFish: The Sonic Baitfish has 1/3 of its entire length from its tip. two distinct actions that apply to

4 JIGGING ACTIONS OF THE SONIC BAITFISH™ 1 OZ

primary family sport fishery during those early years. As an offshore BUY THE SBF 1 OZ. skipper in the Gulf of Mexico, I also trolled. What dramatically changed that by sharing our personal on- my approach to fishing, in both fresh the-water experiences, they will and salt water, was the metal jig add to your own future success and after relocating from the Great Lakes enjoyment. region to the Pacific Northwest. I could never catch (171)*** mature Above all, protect yourself and your chinook salmon, or (300)*** kokanee family from Covid-19 by masking and in a single day trolling but I did by distancing especially while onshore. vertical jigging. The salmon were Use the versatile fishing neck gaiter caught (all released on barbless as a pull-over for your mouth and hooks) in July, 1999. I was fishing nose. It’s more comfortable than a with Astoria Oregon school teacher, conventional medical mask. Pete Gordon Thomson, west of Port (Capt. Pete Rosko, D.D.S.) Angeles, WA. September 26, 2014 was the day when I stopped counting after releasing (300) kokanee on Lake Sutherland while vertical jigging Sonic BaitFish. These are just two examples of the extraordinary catches that can be made once you locate the fish and jig over them! I have no problem with trolling if you cannot locate fish to jig. But, once those fish are located don’t leave them by continuing to troll, especially in calm water. Stay with those fish, by constantly monitoring them on your fish finder, and vertical jigging to them. This is a great way to involve the entire family in enjoying constant action.

As always, thank you for subscribing to the Mack Attack. We are dedicated to your fishing success. It is our hope

5 QUESTION HOT DEAL | USE CODE: DDX20 OF THE MONTH Have a questions you want answered? Send your inquiry to us and yours may be featured! Simply send an email to [email protected] or reach out to us on Facebook, Instagram or YouTube. Just search @MacksLure and you’ll find us!

Q: I’ve heard the term “pop gear” from a lot of people recently. PHOTO OF THE MONTH What are they talking about? Mack’s Lure Pro Staff Jaime Rodriguez of J ROD has been hammering the Columbia Walleye. Here’s his son showing off a dandy caught on a Smile Blade . A: That’s a great question! Pop gear is another name for a gang troll, which can be used in an assortment of ways when trolling. They generally consisten of a wire leader that can have anywhere from 2- to 6-blades that spin to create extra flash and attraction to a line. Mack’s Lure carries a variety of gang trolls called Flash Lite® Trolls, Hot Wings® or Troll Lite™ Flasher. The Flash Lite® is our gang troll that offers both versatility and added attraction, allowing you to catch more fish. The blades themselves are similar to our Smile Blade®, made of mylar plastic, reducing the drag on your rod by up to 85%. The Hot Wings® are smaller in size when an angler wants a lower profile in VIDEO OF THE MONTH the water column. The blades also Mack’s Lure’s Bob Loomis, Richy Harrod and the Northwest Outdoorsmen crew head counter-rotate to increase flash and to the Lower Columbia to target walleye. Give this awesome episode a watch. attraction.

Gang trolls can be used in-line with normally a 2- to 3-foot leader when using an in-line spinner such as a Wedding Ring® or just above a Double D™ Dodger, which not only provides rotation to the blades, but the side-to-side action of the dodger. . Facebook.com/MacksLure @macks_lure To submit your catch, send us an email at [email protected] or tag us on social media using #MacksLure.

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