Bar-fishing rig??

[Ryo]

I get ants in my pants when I sit around and have always shied away from bar-fishing for this reason. However, hunting season and coho season coinciding in the fall has caused my salmon count to drop drastically over the past few years. So, I'm reconsidering bar-fishing for springers as a summer activity. I want to get into it as cheaply as possible, since I may be far too impatient for it, and quit the endeavour. Any recommendations?

[MB_Boy]

Lots of info via Google search with videos as well.

Here is a good article about it from Fishing with Rod. http://www.fishingwithrod.com/articles/river_fishing/bar_fishing_made_simple.html

Only thing not mentioned in "equipment" is a lawn chair. ;-)

[gmachine19]

Were in the same boat ryo! Ever since I learned about hunting, my fridge only has a few salmon stocked.

[Caribou_lou]

The best way to save money bar fishing is to make your own weights! Good rod. Fresh line and a heavy leader.

[.264winmag]

Always found flossing a fairly productive river tactic. 10.5-11ft med/heavy action with an ambassadeur 6500 spooled up with 25-30# maxima. Either bottom bounce or dink float, pencil lead or split shot inside paracord, with as long a leader you can efficiently cast. Fish the inside corners or slots where they have to come by. It's an odds game, odds are the longer your leader and more you cast the better chance that leader will get hung up in their yap...

[two-feet]

Standard bar rig- heavy action trophy xl rod, ambassador 7000 reel with 30-40 lb mono.
Save money on weights by walking the rails to find old spikes, cut them in 1/2, glue on paper clip for attaching line. Less lead in the river then too.

[.264winmag]

Makes sense, lead isn't cheap these days. My buddy swears by the 50-60# braid for spin n glow bar rig in bigger water, holds up much better as I could see. I could imagine one downfall would be trying to get a backlash out of a level wind reel with it LOL!

[Boner]

I use a Med-Heavy ugly stick bait caster. I think it's a 9 footer, with an ambassadeur 6601. I like 20 pound line and at the 3 way swivel I go down to 10 pounds for the weight and stick with 20 for the leader.

I too make my own weights using a roll of wire I always carry, and a set of linesman pliers. As a last resort I pick up scrap nuts from the train tracks, if I can find them. I've had to wire up rocks in a pinch. Not ideal but it kept me going.

I never used to bring a net, but after losing 3 nice springs last year I'm shopping for one.

[honeyman76]

I float fish for springs up here and I have tried braided line and the float stopper(not sure of term right now) slips up and down your braided line causing all kinds of issues. Had multiple rat nests too. I now use mono-line and no more rat nests. I was using a Trophy Xl, found it a little flimsy trying to bring in a spring, but it worked great for flossing sockeye. I lost the whole works last year in the Thompson when a spring took off with it while I was bottom fishing and had it propped on a stick.

[BRvalley]

I think bar fishing is one application where braid really shines, less drag in the current for equivalent pound mono, so can beef up a bit....I personally find braid much easier to pick out a backlash as it doesn't stretch like mono, I'll usually increase the spool tension a tad though as it's so limp compared to mono

a net and sturdy rod holder are critical gear imo, nearly lost my rod once from a crappy holder, cheap investment to protect expensive rods/reels

[ultramafic]

Makes sense, lead isn't cheap these days. My buddy swears by the 50-60# braid for spin n glow bar rig in bigger water, holds up much better as I could see. I could imagine one downfall would be trying to get a backlash out of a level wind reel with it LOL!

One must have damn near infinite patience to successfully remove a birds nest from a level wind spooled with braid/superline depending on how bad. I have done it in the past cause I was too cheap to buy new line and too far from a fishing store to make the trip losing my day of fishing. I ended up walking to a deserted part of the gravel bar and hooked the line on an old stump and slowly walked away from it as I untangled the line until I was down to the untangled portion. I was then able to reel it back in under tension to help prevent further tangles. This too a lot of time but worked pretty good with a bonus of saving all the line that would have been wasted with a "haircut" I was much more careful afterwards that's for sure..

The rail spikes are a good plan cause the diamond lead weights will run a fortune if you lose lots. Not to mention their shape will help them dig into the bottom better and hold.

mike