Water temp for kings

[swatwood]

Just curious as to what temp range most people prefer to set their riggers at. I seem to shoot for around 48-50 degrees but got a king in 55 degree water on Monday so wondering if I should work my spread in a little warmer temps. I appreciate any input. I know this is not an exact science but trying to learn a bit more to be a better salmon fisherman. Thanks for any input. 

[HB2]

I park my probe rigger at 50 deg  and set lines above and below that . 

 

Temp is overated IMO . I've caught them in ice water to 70 deg . If you are not hooking up , it's probably not because of temp . But 50 deg  to me is a good starting point .  

Edited 19 hours ago by HB2

[Salty Nut]

I think temp is important especially so certain times of the year and even during the specific day, feeding versus not feeding. Fish get caught all over the temp range for sure, this time of year you will do better with your presentation in the cold water.

Catching a king in 55 degree water is normal, he was likely chasing bait in that temp range.

Summer kings for me is cold water, unless i am on a bait mass up high with fish marks in it

 

[Tip-sea-tuna]

We target the best temp line with our Fish Hawk rigger, but will set the other higher or lower by about 10+ft depending on where we see the marks. We don't have a hard temp number we search for, just the break line because it changes over the season.  A couple weeks ago it was 58F on top, even out in 400ft, and break was down about 50ft and only dropped to 52F, took another 15-20ft down to hit 48.  So the break is sometimes a zone and the fish seem to hunt in different levels of it depending on the day and where the bait is.  That day our best depth was 50ft. Good luck!

[Shattered]

I think you’ll find that most of us have caught salmon both in and out of the “preferred” temperature range. I’ve caught kings throughout the entire water column, so I try not to get too locked into a single number.
Here’s a typical starting 6-rod spread for two people:
Riggers- Usually spoons, stacked. I’ll run one rigger in the 50–54°F range and the other below, like Gary mentioned.
Divers- Typically flasher/fly or flasher/meat. I’ll run one in the cold water (around 42°F, give or take) and the other in the 48–56°F range. The Smart Troll system makes it much easier to know exactly where those presentations are running.
Planer Boards- Spoons, flasher/fly, or flasher/meat on lead core or copper. The length depends on where my target temperature is that day.
From there, I let the fish dictate the program. I’ve caught salmon in water as warm as 65°F. Temperature is a great starting point, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle.
Use your electronics. Pay attention to bait, marks, currents, your speed, and when/where you’re getting bites. The fish will tell you what they want, and just as importantly, what they don’t.
If I have a third or fourth person on board, I’ll add a few more rods to complement the spread, divers or coppers. But honestly, most days I believe less is more. I’d rather run a clean, efficient spread than have a bunch of lines in the water that aren’t producing.

[swatwood]

Thanks everyone for the great advice! I am trying to get more dialed in with my spread/presentation in the hopes of having a little bit more success and less long days with no hook ups. Hopefully. Lol. Much appreciate all the input. 

[whaler1]

Fish the marks

[swatwood]

17 minutes ago, whaler1 said:

Fish the marks

That is usually my goal. Lol. Lately been having trouble finding those so have to resort to alternative methods!!