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Sponges used for salmon fishing

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Does anyone know what company(s) makes the small sponge material people use as "bait" for salmon fishing up in Pulaski, NY?

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What makes them special? I've seen video of cutting $ store sponge into "egg sac" pieces with scissors, and read about it, is that what you're looking for? Or something special only sold in local shops?

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Since the salmon run is in full swing right now, I would have thought someone would be familiar with this/these products. As I understand, the salmon aren't feeding during the spawning run. When I heard about sponges, I became intrigued with the items people use to "catch" these fish. I know many use egg patterns - and I surmise the sponge technique is a cheaper alternative. I would love to get my hands on what they sell in the shops in Pulaski.

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I expect they are kitchen sponge cut up. I guess no one here lives or fishes in that town. Didja google it?

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I've heard people say that most people fishing with sponge are just "flossing" fish, and not catching them fair. I've never fished the SR personally, that's just what I've heard.

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Go to store, buy what ever color you like and cut em up. Back in the late 80's we fished with sponge (a little drop of anese oil ), float them under a bobber, good to go

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The general consensus among anglers is that salmon and steelhead will bite at anything that looks like an egg so the sponge is plausible deniability if you manage to hook a fish in the mouth while snagging. Ive had salmon bite on a sponge before, so its not total bullshit

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I'll stick my neck out as a card-carrying old fart and say that IMO fly fishing, as a definition not as a state  fish and game regulation mind you, stops with flies using all synthetic materials.  

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On 9/29/2018 at 2:14 PM, fishinguy said:

fishing with sponge are just "flossing" fish

This is true, and pay attention to the requirements for weight placement above your fly or you will get a ticket from the friendly warden. They pay attention to people flossing or lifting for salmon, steelhead will take by mouth, salmon generally do not. At this point of the season most salmon are deteriorating, I would target steelhead - egg patterns, pieces of your favorite sponge, pipe cleaners wrapped around a hook (have seen more than a few fish caught that way) as the season progresses it will be more steelhead and browns eating eggs and whatever they can find.  My favorites in addition to egg type patterns & flobs, include white death rabbit zonkers, stoneflies, wooly buggers, and a few bright colored spey or popsicles. I think the special sponge's are soaked in roe or some other attractant but everyone has their limits as to what you would or would  not use. I do not lift, floss, soak or care for great lakes salmon (in the rivers) or enjoy the combat style of fishing.

flob.jpg

stone.jpg

whitedeath.jpg

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Bait and Flies

Common baits used for spin fishing for chinook salmon include the following:

  • Egg sacks (of either salmon or steelhead eggs)
  • Skein (of either salmon or steelhead eggs)
  • Night crawlers (usually not used during the winter)
  • Artificial salmon eggs (like Crazy Eggs and Jensen Eggs)
  • Power Bait
  • Sponge (many do not consider this a "bait" but as merely a way to satisfy the requirement that there be something on the hook)

 

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4 hours ago, cphubert said:

This is true, and pay attention to the requirements for weight placement above your fly or you will get a ticket from the friendly warden. They pay attention to people flossing or lifting for salmon, steelhead will take by mouth, salmon generally do not. At this point of the season most salmon are deteriorating, I would target steelhead - egg patterns, pieces of your favorite sponge, pipe cleaners wrapped around a hook (have seen more than a few fish caught that way) as the season progresses it will be more steelhead and browns eating eggs and whatever they can find.  My favorites in addition to egg type patterns & flobs, include white death rabbit zonkers, stoneflies, wooly buggers, and a few bright colored spey or popsicles. I think the special sponge's are soaked in roe or some other attractant but everyone has their limits as to what you would or would  not use. I do not lift, floss, soak or care for great lakes salmon (in the rivers) or enjoy the combat style of fishing.

 

I'm not sure which salmon you are talking about or where you are fishing but four species of pacific salmon readily take flies here in the Pacific North West. All but the Red (Sockeye) Salmon are very easily caught without flossing. I don't know much about Atlantic Salmon but I have read they take a fly without flossing too. I'll leave that to the Easterners Brits to discuss.

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Chinook  (king )in the great lakes (Ontario, and the Salmon River), yes on occasion you will fair hook one but the most popular method is flossing or lifting in a combat fishing environment. Pulaski also has a developing Atlantic run that will also take. Most pacific fish seem to take in the lake but less as they deteriorate in the river. Steelhead and browns move in behind and with the salmon and provide a better fishery late fall / winter with far less fishermen. He can always pay to fish the Douglaston private water or hire a float.

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On 10/1/2020 at 11:34 AM, cphubert said:

Chinook  (king )in the great lakes (Ontario, and the Salmon River), yes on occasion you will fair hook one but the most popular method is flossing or lifting in a combat fishing environment. Pulaski also has a developing Atlantic run that will also take. Most pacific fish seem to take in the lake but less as they deteriorate in the river. Steelhead and browns move in behind and with the salmon and provide a better fishery late fall / winter with far less fishermen. He can always pay to fish the Douglaston private water or hire a float.

It seems like the great lakes fish are a lot less predictable than the Ocean counterparts when they get into the fresh water, as you might expect. Here what Bruce Derington had to say about it in another thread.

"Here in Michigan we get a great run of Kings and Coho, and in some areas the Atlantic’s show up in numbers.

They ALL take egg sac’s, Roe, flies and streamers"

Pretty interesting.

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 Bruce is right, however, Salmon River, Pulaski most spin fish and floss and lift (fastest & most productive method) elbow to elbow fishing in most holding water. The lower river has become private water (Douglaston area) and has limited rods (better for fly fishing) but pay to fish, pushing more numbers of anglers in the public areas. I wait until October / November or later to fish steelhead, by then there are no salmon or they are deteriorated beyond spawn and less fishermen. They do take well in the lake and early runs but I have no patience for the style of fishing and my fellow anglers.

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