When trolling herring, move just fast enough to keep the herring spinning. Because salmon will often let go of a herring if they feel any resistance, many guides will have their clients lower their baits to the bottom, reel in one turn, and then place the rods in their holders to prevent a premature hookset. Watch for weeds or other debris catching on the line.

Tillamook guide David Johnson has his clients regularly check their gear. By being vigilant about keeping them weed-free, they often enjoy some of the highest catch rates in Tillamook Bay.

TROLLING SPINNERS
Unlike herring fishing, when you troll spinners, an immediate hookset is required. Because of this, most Tillamook Bay guides will have their clients hold onto their rods when trolling spinners.

"When spinner-fishing, two-thirds of my strikes are slack-line bites," Perry said. "A lot of times, the chinook will grab the spinner and go forward and give you some slack line.

"Anytime you feel slack line, you want to jerk as hard as you can."

Well-known Tillamook guide Bob Toman has developed a series of spinners manufactured by Worden's Lures, the same company that makes Spin-N-Glo, Rooster Tails and FlatFish. A size 6 1/2 or 7 Cascade blade and a size 13 BT Thumper are the most popular Tillamook spinners.

The unweighted spinners have large painted or metallic blades and a few beads.

"The go-to thing is red and white," Buzz Ramsey said. "That's what a lot of people use."

If it's a real hard overcast, red-and-white, chartreuse-and-white and chartreuse with green dots work well. If the sun is out, it's good to have something with at least a metallic back, or a spinner that is part metallic. That's when metallic or a metallic and paint combination works, Ramsey said.

A lightweight graphite rod with a faster action is an ideal spinner rod. Pflueger's 8 1/2-foot Trion rated for 8- to 20-pound-test is a good choice.

Since spinners are most popular in the upper portion of Tillamook Bay, where it's shallower, only 1/2 to 1 ounce of weight fished off a dropper is needed. In the shallow flats between holes, flat-lining the spinners without weight can be productive.

"We've had times when we've caught salmon in only 2 to 3 feet of water," Ramsey said about trolling near Memaloose. "It's amazing how many fish will be between the holes."

RUNNING PLUS
Although it's often hit or miss, one of the easiest ways of catching Tillamook Bay salmon in the upper bay is to anchor near the mouths of the Trask or Tillamook rivers and run plugs. Size T50 FlatFish work best, while K15 Kwikfish are also a good choice. Productive colors include chrome with a chartreuse bill, chrome with a chartreuse tail and bill, and Fickle Pickle, a metallic chartreuse.

A fillet of fresh sardine is tied onto the belly of the plug to add scent. "You want a real oily wrap," Ramsey said. "Make the bait one-third the length of the lure, put it skin-side down and balance it. Wrap it a lot to leach more scent out. Change the wrap every hour or so."

Anglers anchor when the tide starts running in or out. The current gets the plugs to dive.

A rod similar to what's used for trolling herring works best. When salmon hit the plugs, they will turn them in their mouth. As in herring fishing, it's best to let the salmon eat the plug before setting the hook.