Please help with trolling setup for salmons

Hi Guys! Today I have been tried trolling from kayak for the very first time. Every time I took out my tackle from water it was a hell bad mess - please see a picture  . I spent whole day for that experiment, wasted a lot of herring and leader line, but finally didn't make it works properly. Please help - need any tips! Thank you in advance

I use a dropper line on my lead instead of direct connection to the 3 way swivel.  About 12-16" long.
Then I also use some higher pound test line for the connection from the 3 way to the dodger - I prefer to tie snaps so I can change gear out instead of direct tie, but that could introduce more failure points. 

When you touch bottom with the lead, reel up immediately, don't drag on the bottom, that might be what's causing the mess.  With the lead dropper leader, the lead ball can't snarl the whole mess since it is 12" away. 

Agree - you may want to put a bead chain on the near side of the herring dodger as well. Though not likely contributing to the mess, I would lengthen the herring leader a bit.

There are two leading causes of tangles such as the one in your picture.
 
Bouncing off the bottom - As Barb said, as soon as you touch, reel up a foot or two.

Current Seams / Getting Passed by the current -  This problem also happens when you turn around too quickly.  It can be especially bad in areas where the deeper water runs at a different speed than the shallower water.  What's happening is your herring and dodger are catching up with your weight.  All you can do is keep your speed up on the drop and when you cross current seams. 

Watch for funky action on your rod tip or line scope after each drop.  You'll see a difference when it balls up.  If you catch it early, it's fairly easy to untangle.

Also, try a stiffer or heavier leader material.

-Mark-

I agree if you're gonna use the classic: dropper lead, flasher, herring combo you'll need heavy mono (50 - 150 # test) between swivel and flasher.

Alternatively try this simple method with less moving parts and a lot less tangled line hassles. Run a bar jig (alternatives: buzz bomb, flutter jig) in front of your herring, spoon or plug, about 5 to 6 ounces work best. Just make sure you have a high quality ball bearing swivel at the leading edge of the bar jig Sampo swivels work the best and be generous on the leader (35" to 40"). Flashers might help if the water is dirty but these fish make a living finding bait fish by tuning in on any irregular vibrations. The fight is a lot more fun without a flasher and there is less chance of pulling the hook as the fish rips the flasher backwards and sideways thru the water.

Thanks for that tip, Yaktrap!

Another method, though I don't fish those specific wTer is to use an inline flasher (spins on an axis) like the fish flash or kone zone flashers. 

Then you can attach the weight directly to the flasher unlike the Dodgers that swing side to side. Now you only have two points not three that can swing around.

Works in Alaska at least. To cut back a little on the tangles. It will still happen. Just less often.

Guys - thank you, all! A lot of interesting advises here. I will try them on my next out!   

Cool tip Todd.  I'll need to try that.

-Mark-

Good tips here!  A solution I want to highlight is to deploy your gear slowly.  Get up some speed, let out or pull some line out, get some more speed, let out or pull out some more line, repeat.  If you deploy your setup too quickly your dodger will want to wrap up your main line on the way down.

Good tips here!  A solution I want to highlight is to deploy your gear slowly.  Get up some speed, let out or pull some line out, get some more speed, let out or pull out some more line, repeat.  If you deploy your setup too quickly your dodger will want to wrap up your main line on the way down.

^this + 1
i'm lazy, so i use a combination of tightening the spool tension knob and/or turning the clicker on to let gear out slowly w/out having to thumb the spool the entire time.

I use a dropper on the weight and hold the line just ahead of the herring letting the line stay tight till it all goes in the water weight first releasing the bait last and do a quick spin check before letting it down. Pulling it out of the water in a reverse similar fashion. I learned the hard way if your re baiting or dealing with a trailing hook tangle make sure the flasher isn't in the water next to you unless you want a bird laying eggs in your line it wraps fast.

I agree if you're gonna use the classic: dropper lead, flasher, herring combo you'll need heavy mono (50 - 150 # test) between swivel and flasher.

Alternatively try this simple method with less moving parts and a lot less tangled line hassles. Run a bar jig (alternatives: buzz bomb, flutter jig) in front of your herring, spoon or plug, about 5 to 6 ounces work best. Just make sure you have a high quality ball bearing swivel at the leading edge of the bar jig Sampo swivels work the best and be generous on the leader (35" to 40"). Flashers might help if the water is dirty but these fish make a living finding bait fish by tuning in on any irregular vibrations. The fight is a lot more fun without a flasher and there is less chance of pulling the hook as the fish rips the flasher backwards and sideways thru the water.

That's the simple setup I used for catching all my salmon. Flashers and dodgers are helpful sometimes but I have not had any need for them this year. I hooked into one big king and it wrapped up in the flasher. After netting that fish I stopped using the flasher and continued to catch fish at the same rate.

Another method, though I don't fish those specific wTer is to use an inline flasher (spins on an axis) like the fish flash or kone zone flashers. 

Then you can attach the weight directly to the flasher unlike the Dodgers that swing side to side. Now you only have two points not three that can swing around.

Works in Alaska at least. To cut back a little on the tangles. It will still happen. Just less often.

That's what I use 90% of the time for salmon fishing.  Never need to worry about a dropper getting in your net.  Just be careful when hitting the bottom.  Need to reel up a bit quickly.

I agree if you're gonna use the classic: dropper lead, flasher, herring combo you'll need heavy mono (50 - 150 # test) between swivel and flasher.

Alternatively try this simple method with less moving parts and a lot less tangled line hassles. Run a bar jig (alternatives: buzz bomb, flutter jig) in front of your herring, spoon or plug, about 5 to 6 ounces work best. Just make sure you have a high quality ball bearing swivel at the leading edge of the bar jig Sampo swivels work the best and be generous on the leader (35" to 40"). Flashers might help if the water is dirty but these fish make a living finding bait fish by tuning in on any irregular vibrations. The fight is a lot more fun without a flasher and there is less chance of pulling the hook as the fish rips the flasher backwards and sideways thru the water.

That's the simple setup I used for catching all my salmon. Flashers and dodgers are helpful sometimes but I have not had any need for them this year. I hooked into one big king and it wrapped up in the flasher. After netting that fish I stopped using the flasher and continued to catch fish at the same rate.

I'm really starting to wonder if a flasher or dodger is necessary myself. My Barbie rod experience was I had one of my best days ever just using a sinker and herring.  Though sometimes when using a hoochie you need them for action.

I will say that I use dodger when I ice fish. I do firmly believe that a fish coming to a small bait with a dodger near by causes the fish to attack more aggressively. Without a dodger the fish comes in and will check out a bait or jig much more closely. I believe that the presence of a larger dodger triggers a competitive reflex that leads to more aggressive strike when a fish believes the dodger is a competing fish. I've witnessed that play out hundreds of time just feet from my face while ice fishing.  Does it transfer to trolled salmon? Dunno. But I think it might.