Using Herring Strips and Teasers for Coho

By on August 31, 2017

It’s become almost a lost art – the use of Herring Strips. Most anglers have forgotten how effective strips can be.

A herring strip has flash and action and lets off a powerful scent trail. But, they are best fished with a brined herring strip inserted into a plastic herring head, such as the ProTroll Roto Chip. The fin on the ProTroll Roto Chip gives the strip the correct action, a tight spin. The teeth in the head holds the strip in place. Drop the hook or hooks back to the rear of the strip. Cutting your strips into small pieces (teasers) and adding them to your hooks on hoochies or Ace Hi Flies will also add fish to your catch. But, you must cut the strip correctly.

Look at your fillet and you will see that the meat of the herring divides along the lateral line. Don’t cut across the lateral line or your teaser will fall apart. First cut down the lateral line thus dividing your fillet into two parts. Then cut your teasers from each half.

When fishing, insert the top hook from the meat side through the skin. Herring have very tough skin. If you try to put your hook through the skin, you will tear a large hole and you will lose your teaser almost immediately. Use the meat side first and the teaser will stay on.

Put the teaser on the top hook and, if the salmon misses your hooks the first time, very often he will get a taste and come back for a second strike.

Good fishing!

Tom Nelson
Tom Nelson is the publisher of salmonuniversity.com. Known throughout the Pacific Northwest as the “Dean of Saltwater Fishing,” he has helped develop and test tackle and gear for Scotty, Pro-Troll and Silver Horde, is a regular speaker at area sports shows, has taught more than 5,000 students how to fish during his classes at western Washington community colleges, and is the co-founder of the Puget Sound Anglers.

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