How Fast Should You Troll for Salmon? The Ultimate Speed Guide

Salmon fishing is one of the most popular and rewarding types of fishing. It’s an amazing feeling when that rod goes off and you feel the huge strength of a big salmon on the other end. But you need to know what you’re doing to catch these powerful fish over and over again, especially when it comes to trolling.

One of the most common questions asked by salmon anglers is “how fast should I troll for salmon?” The ideal trolling speed can vary quite a bit depending on the species, time of year, water conditions and other factors. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down the optimum trolling speeds for king, coho, sockeye and pink salmon so you can put more of these prized fish in the boat!

Why Trolling Speed Matters

Trolling is one of the most effective and efficient ways to locate and catch salmon. It allows you to cover a lot of water while keeping your bait or lure at just the right depth and speed to trigger strikes. Salmon are constantly on the move searching for baitfish so trolling imitates this natural movement and increases your odds of crosses paths with actively feeding fish.

The speed at which you troll has a major impact on how appealing your offering looks to the salmon and how well they can track it down. If you troll too quickly the fish may have a hard time keeping up to strike your lure or bait. Troll too slowly and your presentation will lack action and fail to trigger their predatory instinct. Each species has an optimal trolling window that makes your gear look irresistible!

Best Trolling Speed for King Salmon

The king salmon (also known as chinook) is the largest of the salmon species. Their size and strength are legendary, earning them the title “king of salmon.” King salmon are aggressive fish that are capable of explosive strikes when they track down prey.

When targeting king salmon, the best trolling speeds generally range from 1. 5 to 3. 5 mph. Most anglers find that trolling between 2 and 2. 5 mph triggers the most consistent king salmon bites. This has a lot going on to keep their attention while still being a speed they can sneak up on.

Kings are big fish though, so they have no problem rocketing up from deeper water to crush a fast-moving bait. Trolling up to 3.5 mph can be extremely effective when you locate a frenzy of feeding king salmon. Just make sure your gear can handle the force of their blistering strikes and rapid runs!

Best Trolling Speed for Coho Salmon

The coho salmon offers acrobatic fights and shiny silver flanks that salmon fishermen covet. Pound for pound, coho might be the hardest fighting salmon species of them all! Their aggression calls for a faster trolling approach to bring out strikes.

When trolling for coho, speeds from 2 to 4+ mph are highly productive. The most effective coho trolling speed is typically around 3.3 mph. This lights up their predatory reaction and they will smash fast-moving lures trolled at this pace.

Many fishermen report that coho seem to prefer faster trolling speeds than kings. When going after these fiery fish, people usually troll at 4 mph or a little faster. The key to getting more coho into the boat is to cover water quickly.

Best Trolling Speed for Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye salmon put up an impressive battle for their smaller size. They get their name from the bright red color and large hump males take on during spawning season. Sockeye school tightly in large numbers, making them a troller’s delight!

The ideal trolling speeds for sockeye salmon range from 1.8 to 2.2 mph in most situations. Trolling near the slower end of their range at 1.8 mph triggers the most consistent bites from sockeye. This allows you to precision target the school without ripping your lures right through the strike zone.

Sockeye are strong swimmers but they don’t quite have the speed and power of king and coho salmon. Keeping your trolling speed on the slower side for salmon helps hook more of these abundant fish.

Best Trolling Speed for Pink Salmon

Pink salmon are the smallest and most abundant salmon species in many regions. Their smaller size allows them to strike slower moving lures. This makes pinks an excellent salmon option for novice anglers and kids.

The best trolling speeds to target pink salmon range from 1.5 to 2.5 mph. Superior action and hookup rates come trolling between 1.8 and 2.2 mph. This gives pinks time to track down your lure and hit it confidently.

While pink salmon have a preference for slower trolled baits, they still readily take faster moving lures as well. Varying your pink salmon trolling speed throughout the day will help you pinpoint when they get more aggressive and want it reeled faster.

Trolling Speed Variables

While the speeds outlined above serve as excellent starting points for each salmon species, a number of factors can come into play that affect your ideal trolling speed on any given day. Conditions are constantly changing when fishing, so you need to be ready to adapt.

Here are some of the key variables to monitor that may impact your trolling speed:

• Water Temperature – Warmer water increases salmon metabolism and activity levels. You can often troll faster when water temps are higher. Cooler water will have fish in a more lethargic mood requiring slower speeds.

• Weather Conditions – Bright sun and clear water call for stealthy slower trolling. Overcast skies or choppy water allow you to troll faster. Barometer can influence fish activity and trolling speed as well.

• Time of Day – Low light periods like sunrise, sunset or at night are times where slowing your trolling speed down a bit can lead to more salmon bites.

• Time of Year – During peak feeding times like spring and fall, trolling faster often yields better results. Slow things down during warmer summer months or colder winter when salmon are less active.

• Lure Type – Plugs, spoons and other fishing lures each have an optimal speed range. Troll at speeds that make your lure “work” through the water with ideal action.

• Fishing Pressure – Heavily pressured salmon get wise to trolling tactics. When targeting smarter fish, scaling back your trolling speed can often pay dividends.

Paying close attention to these variables will allow you to fine tune your salmon trolling speed and adapt as needed based on changing conditions.

Trolling Speed Tactics and Tips

Here are some key trolling strategies to implement that will help you dial-in your speed and hook more salmon:

• When trolling for kings, coho and steelhead, start at the lower end of their speed range. Bump your speed up in 0.5 mph increments until you find the sweet spot that draws strikes.

• For targeting sockeye or pink salmon, begin trolling near the top end of their preferred speed range, then downshift as needed.

• Run multiple rods or lines at varying speeds to quickly identify which speed is working best on a given day or in different locations.

• Use a handheld GPS or fish finder with speed function to precisely monitor trolling speed and maintain a consistent pace.

• When you locate a pocket of actively biting fish, make repeated passes back and forth through that area at the same speed.

• Employ the “S-turn” technique of speeding up and slowing down in turns to experiment with speed right in the strike zone.

• Troll downhill when possible on lakes, as this naturally increases your speed subtly and prompts reaction bites.

• On rivers, the current adds speed so you can troll upstream at a slower pace or downstream faster.

Dialed-In Downriggers

To get your lure or bait down to the level salmon are feeding, most anglers use downriggers for salmon trolling. Precise downrigger deployment is key for success.

When targeting salmon that are holding deeper, make sure to let out enough cable to get your gear just above them. The angle created by the downrigger arm/cable is important. You want your lure trailing directly behind the boat, not way out to the side.

Run the downriggers 30 to 45 degrees off the back of the boat pointed towards the corner. This puts your lure in the prime strike zone. Downrigger releases should be set light enough for big salmon to trip them when they strike.

Putting it All Together

As you can see, a lot goes into finding that just right trolling speed for salmon. But don’t let the variables intimidate you. Start with the fundamentals for the species you’re after. Then make minor speed adjustments and pay close attention to when you get bit.

Soon you’ll have that ideal speed dialed-in to load up the boat with feisty salmon. Patience and persistence are required, but that makes finally landing these iconic fish even more rewarding.

Follow the tips above and keep fine-tuning your salmon trolling approach. Soon you’ll have the speed game mastered. The salmon won’t stand a chance against you!