More serious anglers fish from large boats, either in a hog line or exploring on their own. A hog line is simply a string of boats anchored gunnel to gunnel across a prime piece of river. A major hog line usually forms where the Kalum River enters the Skeena. Boat anglers also favor large winged bobbers combined with cured salmon eggs. Magnum Wiggle Warts and Kwikfish plugs are used by many anglers.
Favorite colors are red, silver and orange.
Those who don't care to fish in a crowd work the deep holding slots in the main channel and near the mouths of major tributaries. As with all trophy fisheries, you cannot reasonably expect to hook high numbers of fish, even in prime time. When the run is strong, top rods such as Noel Gyger of Northwest Fishing Guides, can usually hook several fish a day. When things get slow, a fish a day is a more reasonable expectation. But the enormous size of Skeena River chinook makes every hook up a thrill.