Secret to success? Just keep fishing

You want to know the real secret for fishing? The one sure thing that will guarantee fish on your line, in your cooler and on your grill? The one secret the true experts all agree on? OK then, it's this: Keep fishing. That's it. For real. Or, reel, if you prefer. Because the truth is, there is no one magic lure, technique or honey hole. To be sure, there are lures, techniques and honey holes that produce more fish than others, definitely. The guy matching the hatch and tossing the right fly into the Truckee River is probably going to have an advantage over someone just flinging out some fuzzy monstrosity plucked from the bottom of a tackle box. Somebody trolling 3 mph for kokanee at Bullard's Bar probably isn't going to do as well as the boat trolling just above the pace of a 3-legged box turtle. BUT. Fish are fickle. Bodies of water can be, too. Sure, there are rules that are generally true: Landlocked salmon seem more active at first and last light. Bass love themselves a good soft plastic. The biggest strike of the day tends to happen the moment you decide it's safe to take a leak. But occasionally, the whole fishing universe can invert itself and you can find yourself, as I did recently on Folsom lake, bringing in a beautiful 5-pound landlocked chinook salmon in the middle of a bright, very hot dead-calm afternoon. If you go on YouTube, there are a million how-to fishing videos. And that's a good thing. I've fished my whole life, but I watch them – sometimes to learn, sometimes for validation. But often, those accounts are not just showing the what, where and how. They're also pitching lures, hardware and all manner of magic scents and potions they swear will turn fish into ravenous teenagers and your boat a floating Taco Bell. It can be tough to parse out where the instruction ends and the selling begins. And it's not just online. Visit the fishing section of an outdoors store. Tackle is designed as much to catch fishermen as fish. I am totally guilty of walking in, fully intent on only buying, say, a small box of swivels. But a half hour later, I'm stepping up to the checkout counter with a handbasket full of glittery flashers and rad-looking Speedy Shiners. The fact is, all that stuff will work. And sometimes, all that stuff won't work. Sometimes, you do need a boat, downriggers and electronics. But sometimes, all you need is a shoreline, a spinning rod, a dab of power bait and a few hours to kill. To be sure, you need a basic understanding of your gear, your target species and the characteristics of the water you're going to fish. But after that? All bets are off. The best guides get skunked and the most inexperienced anglers catch trophies. It helps, of course, to be curious and ask questions. Also, go ahead and watch videos – find accounts you like, and subscribe. Join online fishing groups. Keep visiting tackle stores and buying the occasional gaudy lure that wouldn't look out of place in your great-aunt's jewelry box. Read your local newspaper's friendly, bi-monthly fishing column. But above all, if you want to catch fish (and eventually, more fish), just don't stop going. For reel. Now, on with the Big 3: 1) The first of a handful of sport salmon fishing dates off the coast was June 7 and 8. By all accounts, it was very good. Chinook salmon numbers off the coast are still struggling and this is the first time in three years there's been any sort of sport season out there. As of this writing, it wasn't clear if the 7,000 fish quota was met. If it wasn't, then Department of Fish and Game will open the fishery again July 5 and 6. If the quota isn't reached then either, there would be one and maybe two more slot openings July 30-Aug. 3 and Aug. 25-31. There will also be a brief fall salmon season for the waters between Point Reyes and Point Sur from Sept. 4-7, with a quota of 7,500 chinook. If that isn't reached that first opening, there will be another Sept. 29 and 30, with more dates possible in October. Bottom line, until you hear the quota's been met, the above dates are your only opportunity to chase salmon out on the salt. Book if you can, buy Dramamine if you need it, and cross your fingers you can get out. 2) There will also be limited opportunities to chase chinook salmon this fall on our inland waterways. It's a bit confusing but the basics are this: The entire length of the Sacramento River, as well as the Klamath River basin, will remain closed for a third season to protect stocks. However, parts of the Feather, American and Mokelumne rivers will have seasons, but check Fish and Game's website for particulars because it's a little too much detail to get into here. 3) For a chance at salmon that doesn't require going over the regs with a magnifying glass, landlocked king salmon fishing on Folsom Lake so far this season has been, dare I say, good. Now, it's Folsom, so think quality over quantity. You probably won't limit out but you can catch some beauties: on June 7, we picked up a 26-inch, 8-pound king near the South Fork entrance. And, there have been some beautiful wild rainbows, too. We've had our best success for kings trolling slow – down to 1.3 mph – pulling white or green Pro Troll flashers with either rolled anchovies or herring, or pearl Gitzits tipped with anchovy or herring. Get out as early as you can, and if you find fish, stay on 'em.