Flossing is a unique and effective fishing technique used to target sockeye salmon on their upstream spawning run. While conventional fishing relies on enticing salmon to strike bait or lures, flossing takes advantage of the salmon’s open-mouthed behavior when migrating upriver to spawn. If you want to fill your freezer with delicious salmon fillets, learning how to properly floss is a must.
Understanding How Flossing Works
The flossing technique, also known as “flipping,” involves positioning yourself in the river and allowing your line to drift downstream through the path of sockeye salmon swimming upstream. Unlike conventional fishing methods, flossing aims to hook these fish in the mouth, not by the fish biting the fly
As salmon make their final spawning journey, they cease feeding and swim with their mouths wide open Your drifting line has the chance to slide right through the open mouth, especially as multiple salmon bottleneck at obstacles A quick hookset plants the hook safely in the corner of the mouth for an ethical, legal hookup.
It takes practice to tell the difference between a mouth and a rock or log. But once you get the hang of it, you’ll keep catching bright silver sockeye.
Gear and Rig Setup
To be an effective flosser, you need the right rod, reel, line and terminal tackle:
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Rod: A 10-12ft, 8-10wt fly rod or stiff spinning rod rated for salmon. You need backbone to cast heavy weights and haul in powerful fish.
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Reel: A high-quality sealed drag reel is a must, loaded with heavy monofilament line like 15-20lb test. Mono has better feel for detecting bites.
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Weights: Slide on a number of split shot and large barrel swivels. Heavier allows better bottom bouncing to find mouths.
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Leader: Tie on a 9-12ft fluorocarbon leader to your main line. Durability is key for abrasion resistance.
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Hook: A sharp, wide gap hook like a #6 octopus hook is perfect. Tip it with some yarn or rubber eggs for visibility.
Advanced Flossing Tactics and Tips
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Position yourself 45-90 degrees downstream of salmon migratory lanes. Cast your rig across and lead it back towards you, mending to achieve a natural dead drift.
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Constantly adjust your weight to maintain bottom contact. If snagging too much, reduce weight. If drifting off bottom, increase it.
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Use rod lifts, twitches and pulls periodically to see if a fish is on. Solid hooksets must be done quickly before they spit it.
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When a fish is on, use the rod and reel drag to gradually tire it out. Don’t horsetail a thrashing salmon or you may lose it.
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Sandbagging areas where salmon pause to rest can be productive. Move around until you locate concentrations of fish.
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Be prepared to wade waist or chest deep for best positioning. Wear waders and secure your footing against the powerful current.
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Follow all regulations for legal flossing techniques in your jurisdiction. Ethical mouth hooking is paramount.
Putting It All Together on the River
Now that you’re armed with the right gear and knowledge, it’s time to put flossing into practice:
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Identify a promising salmon run with clear lanes and structure where fish hold and pause.
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Wade out into prime position 45-90 degrees downstream of the fish highway.
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Cast your flossing rig across the river and let it swing back downstream on a taught line.
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Follow the drift with your rod tip, lightly mending line to prevent unnatural dragging.
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Feel the rig ticking bottom and use rod lifts to detect sudden weight changes signalling a potential hooked fish.
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After an effective drift, recast and repeat, working through the productive lane methodically.
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Stay focused to detect subtle bites and use strong hooksets to drive the hook corner home.
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Use finesse to tire out hooked fish before bringing them in close to net or tail and dispatch.
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Rotate to new wade positions until you locate concentrations of salmon.
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Keep at it until your limit is reached or action slows. Then fire up the smoker!
With some practice, flossing can help you easily fill your freezer with delicious salmon while they are on their spawning run. Just be sure to learn regulations and use ethical techniques. Tight lines!
What You Need To Floss Successfully
The following is a breakdown of the gear you need and how to setup a flossing rod.
- Use a heavy fishing rod. For flossing, I like to use a 10 wt flyrod. It’s up to the fisherman to choose whether to use a heavy spin rod or even a baitcaster. The heavy rod is needed to catch ocean run salmon, which can weigh more than 30 pounds, depending on the species. Even if you only catch a 10-pound sockeye, they are some of the strongest and toughest fish in the world, so you will need a strong rod to catch them. It’s easier to throw heavy things into the river when you have a heavy rod. Depending on the flow, your line will have a lot of lead on it, and a stiff rod will help you cast better.
- Heavy monofilament line: I like how vibrations move up monofilament line better than braided line for this technique. I can fish with my eyes closed and feel for fish and rocks on the river bottom with monofilament. Because the line is stretchy, I use it like a rubber band to get my hook out of a snag. I quickly let go of the line after pulling it tight. This makes a slingshot underwater that usually frees a hook that is stuck in the rocks at the river’s bottom.
- Aluminum and lead split shot: I put the lead split shot about 9 feet above my hook. Use just the right amount to let the line bounce off the riverbed, but not so much that it gets caught all the time. The aluminum weight is put on the bottom of the line to keep the lead from moving down it.
- Sharp hookThe size of the hook is open for debate but I like to use a #6 octopus style. Make sure the hook is laser-sharp and has a big gap between the teeth. You can tie some yarn to the hook or put a rubber fish egg on the shank. Adding this last bit of “bait” will help the hook move through the water more easily.
How To Floss For Salmon
You want to fill the freezer but don’t know how to floss for salmon? Don’t worry, I didn’t know either when I first started…. It is possible to catch fish, like sockeye salmon, that aren’t eating by flossing for them. Flossing is a type of fishing where the weights and long leader are used to thread the hook into the fish’s mouth instead of bait or flies. If this sounds like an impossible task, you’re not alone. It’s easy and it works to floss.
When salmon go into fresh water, most of them don’t eat. The Sockeye salmon doesn’t even look for bait. These animals will die after they spawn, and the fish’s run through freshwater is the last trip they will ever take. Experienced fishermen become perplexed when fishing a salmon river because the fish are jumping but none are biting. This issue can be fixed by flossing. Instead of offering a tasty treat, the line and hook are pushed into the fish’s mouth as they swim up
Sockeye and all salmon species swim up river with their mouths open. And it’s this behavior that is used to catch them. For flossing, you need a long leader. From the weights to the hook, I like to use at least 9 feet of line. The hook is sharp and I prefer a #6 octopus style. On the hook I place a piece of yarn or a rubber fish egg. This helps the hook float better through the water column and helps keep it off the bottom. Iron weights are at the bottom of lead split shot weights to keep the other weights from sliding down the leader. Use just the right amount so you can feel the weights moving on the bottom. If you use too little, your hook will float above the fish’s heads, but if you use too much, you will get snagged all the time.
You don’t have to cast very far. When I swing the flossing rig in front of me, I leave about 10 yards of line out. Cast 10o’clock and lead the sinkers with your rod tip. As the hook bounces down stream, feel for rocks, keeping your hook from getting snagged. You are also feeling for bumps that let you know if a fish is on the line. Once you know the difference between a fish and a log, it’s easier to tell the difference between them. Give the hook a good pull at the end of the drift, just in case the line is in a fish’s mouth. This last pull will set the hook on any salmon that are caught in your line. Pull the weights our of the water and re-cast to the 10 o’clock position. With this method, you can use just one hook and line to hook a salmon in the mouth.
HOW TO FLOSS FOR SALMON ( Drift & flip )
FAQ
What size hook for flossing salmon?
Is flossing legal in Alaska?
What is the setup for salmon yarn?