Salmon are a lot like anglers in many ways. Salmon like to hang around places that aren’t too hot and areas where there is food. Anglers like to hang around where it’s not too hot and can find food to eat. Both will move to where they are comfortable. For salmon it’s hanging around in 56- to 58-degree water temperature. For anglers, it may be getting indoors in a Frabill thermal shelter during the winter months to stay warm while ice fishing. Both will also eat what’s available. Salmon have baitfish; anglers have fast food restaurants, but one thing they both love to eat are Twinkies. One captain who loves to fish with twinkie is Patrick Kalmerton of Wolf Pack Adventures.

What’s a twinkie rig? Sorry, for you Southern anglers it’s not something that’s made with Hostess Twinkies! No, it’s a rig made up of a series of skirts or teasers that replicate a school of baitfish. “My typical twinkie rig consists of a 8-inch Super Glow Flasher (www.fishcatcher.com) in Blue Super Glow with a piece of monofilament 24-inches long that has four skirts attached evenly spaced out. The first three skirts don’t have a hook attached to them and are teasers for the last skirt that has a series of beads between the treble hook and skirt,” explained Captain Kalmerton. Captain Kalmerton uses Bechhold & Son Flasher & Lure Company Fishcatch Trolling Flies when making his twinkie rig. “My favorite colors for the flies are #20 Blue Dolphin or #4 Green Hornet combined with the 8-inch Blue Super Glow flasher,” said Captain Kalmerton.  

A twinkie rig was not designed to be casted, but trolled behind the boat. This can be done using downriggers; however, Captain Kalmerton (www.wolfpackadventures.com) likes to use wire magnum divers. “The length of line between the boat and flasher depends on the depth the fish are holding at. I watch the graph and mark the fish then I know how deep to set the twinkie rig to catch fish,” said Captain Kalmerton. Captain Kalmerton also noted that anglers should look for water temperature in the 56- to 58-degrees since active salmon can be found in those areas; in addition to watching their graphs for fish. “I am always watching my graph for fish; I don’t fish areas without marking fish,” said Captain Kalmerton.

Although a twinkie rig doesn’t catch them every day, anglers should always have one tied on to try. You just never know when a salmon just like an angler wants a little snack to eat like a Twinkie.

Wolf Pack Adventures leads the way in offering a diverse range of fishing, hunting, outdoor skills, and educational adventures for families, friends, corporate groups and kids. For more information on Wolf Pack Adventures and Captain Patrick Kalmerton go to www.wolfpackadventures.