The forum comments seem to indicate that the bare hook /sockeye method is the preferred one. Since you have had positive results it's hard to counter your preference for a lure. Any futher comment on this issue? lxmas

When the Salmon are stacked up thick (which does happen) 95% of the boats appear to be using the dodger bare hook set-up. They do catch fish when there are a lot of fish. However there is a possibiltly that some of these fish get foul hooks. The area is not that big and the fish are packed tightly. If enough people drag enough bare hooks through a tight school of fish. Well you guessed it, you will fool hook some fish. Now some may get foul hooked near enough to the mouth to be considered a legal catch. Some may actually hit the bare hooks. You need to ask the question why do they hit the bare hooks. I have trolled for Sockeye with the bare hooks and I believe they do work. Sockeye are feeding on zooplankton most of their lives. They may think the hooks are shrimp or other small prey.
You will also see Guys out there using jigs like buzz bombs same goes fro them. When I have caught fish they have been legally hooked and appear to have slammed the lure.
Next time you go out put another type of lure on one of your rods. Something that has a lot of vibration and makes a lot of noise or commotion in the water. Vary your speed, go deeper as the sun comes up.
Let me know how you do.

Thanks for your prompt response. Your perspective makes a lot of sense.
LXMAS

The idea that bare hooks look like shrimp or other food may be true for feeding fish but the real reason that Sockeye, Kings and other salmon get hooked with a dodger and bare hooks while in freshwater is out of territorial aggression. These fish are not feeding once they hit freshwater. The dodgers and flashers work by mimicking the body movement of another salmon and the fish are caught when they go to chase off a fish invading its space. This is why you need to troll slow, use a fairly short (12") leader and run your gear near the fish. If you have ever watched salmon in a river, they often chase each other from the tail end to secure their own little piece of the water. The Kings we have caught were all hooked in the mouth, its the sockeye that seem to get hooked all over the head and gill plates. In saltwater you typically troll faster and the dodgers and flashers mimic fish that are feeding, bringing the fish to your gear. Once the fish stack-up I think bare hooks with a dodger fished properly will out fish most other methods. However, when there are only a few fish around your best bet will be a rattle plug and pray that it gets close enough to a fish to pi$$ it off because they aren't going to move far to hit it.

Good comments gentlermen. I didn't get out this week (too much honey-do's) but next week I'm off and am planning on hitting it at least a couple trips. We shall see how the numbers are after this rain that's suposed to becoming in.

Great insite G-man. I just know that the plugs seem to work better for me. As to why Dodgers and bare hooks work you may be right but I think only the fish know for sure. After all the difference between a good fisherman and a great fisherman is knowing when to put away what was working and find out what will work when the fish aren't biting.

Hey G-man I have a question. What lb test do you prefer on the hook end of your dodger set up when you use bare hooks? I have been told heavier is better because the trailing hook action is more pronounced. Also there is a lot of debate concerning hook color what is your preference?
I will be out there saturday morning again using plugs to start out. If you go let me know how you do using your bare hook rig. We can compare notes.

fishng4fun,

I use 40lb Maxima when I tie up my bare hook rigs. As I use a no stretch braided line as my main line, I feel I need it for these fish to keep them from breaking the line rather than to impart action. I also use 40lb flourocarbon leader in salt water to help impart action to my hoochies and other non-action baits. Even though I don't believe color makes a difference with these fish, out of habit I still use red and blue hooks and I always tie a double hook rig, with the hooks about 3" apart. My father fished with me last year and nailed a couple of fish on silver hooks with a little bit of blue yarn wrapped around the shank and smelly jelly added to the yarn. I may be out there as well this weekend, if the fish haven't stacked up we will probably put down a combination of gear to start out with and see what gets hit.

Thanks G-man I appreciate your response and I will keep your suggestions in mind. I am typically using lighter gear. heck I took my medium spin outfit i use for Smallies to the Hoh last fall for Silvers and winded up cataching my Limit of nice Kings every day using 10 lb test. Only had one fish that gave me a problem and I lost the battle with her.

Thanks Again,

We got one Chinook saturday the 23rd in the evening. We were out all day. Did some drop shoting for smallies and caught a few. Caught it on the bare hooks short leader about 12" long hooks were blue.