Why is there some much more about fishing for kokanee in the winter?
Are they so deep and harder to catch in the summer?
What about when they are getting ready to spawn?
Obviously I haven't fished for them! [crazy]
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I can't buy your premise. There is a "cousin" web site called Idaho Kokanee and it is extremely active in the summer months, but reports in the winter are very slow. This site has a large eastern Idaho contingent, and a lot of ice fishermen, so that is why it seems most kokanee fishing occurs in the winter. This past summer, you couldn't keep the kokes off your hook at Anderson Ranch, and the best producing month was August. You could easily catch a limit of 25 fish. Likewise, at Lucky Peak and Arrowrock, summer months seem to produce best. Kokanee fishing, whether on soft or hard water, is a lot of fun, and you really should try it. Mike
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I think the main reason is that people who do not have a boat can access this type of fish quite easily in the winter by ice fishing. Kokes are not something you can catch from the shore very easy.
I do catch more in the summer with the boat and have had 70+ fish days on Ririe. Some days it is tough to keep the off the hook. When they spawn, they are tough to catch, but it can be done from shore. Kokes are not real good to eat tho when spawning as they turn mushy and have a very strong odor to them.
I personnly target them when ice fishing because the action can be fast and furious and I also think they taste better in the winter.
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Should have mentioned in previous post--it isn't that the fish bite better in late summer so much as it is the fact that they are beginning to congregate by the rivers they spawn in, or, in the case of Lucky Peak, where they are planted. The rest of the year they will likely be spread all over the lake or reservoir. Also, you asked about the depths. It has to do with water temperature, but also with the time of day, and at what level the zooplankton--which they eat almost exclusively--are located. In the early morning, they can often be found feeding on the surface, and then will drop throughout the day. Mike
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[quote cpierce]Why is there some much more about fishing for kokanee in the winter?
Are they so deep and harder to catch in the summer?
What about when they are getting ready to spawn?
Obviously I haven't fished for them! [crazy][/quote]
As prvrt said it's access. Through the warmer summer months you need down riggers and an understanding of temperature at depth to fish them successfully day in and day out. We hit them 4 days a week or better in the summer and then chase the huge ones at the Gorge. Flaming Gorge has them in the 4 to 5 lb. range so that has become the Mecca for most Kokanee Fishermen!
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cpierce,
I agree with prvrt, alot of fishermen don't own boats and since kokanee are an "open water" fish meaning they are out too far for bank fisherman to cast to you don't hear as many fishermen talking about them during the summer. Ice fishing makes it possible for most fishermen to target these fish by obviously walking out on the ice. No boats needed.
DeeCee
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Thanks to you all! I replied to myself, because I would like to tell each of you thank you and not just one person's reply.
I appreciate the great information. We don't have many places here in Southeast Idaho to fish for Kokanee, so I really haven't even thought about trying for them before. Then a lot of people started posting their target species lists for the new year and I got to thinking of all the species I haven't chased before. I think I know the least about kokanee, but they look like they would be fun and taste great. Hmmmmm
I miss fresh ocean salmon! I don't know if Kokanee will be comparable taste wise, but it has to be better than the store stuff.
Are there many lakes that have naturally spawning Kokanee? It is easy to see where F&G stocks, but I was wondering if there are other lakes that have good populations too. If they are well established, they won't show up on the stocking records as having kokes.
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So as close as I can tell - these are the lakes I am closest to that have kokanee: in order of distance
Devils Cr. Res
Montpelier Res.
Ririe (south end)
Mackay Res
Pali
es Res
Island Park Res
Can anyone tell me the merits of these for some summer koke fishing? Maybe even some general areas?
Thanks!
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Are Kokanee still counted as part of your trout limit?
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No in south east Idaho you can have 6 of each . Curt G.
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Natural spawning is a double edged sword. It used to look like a good idea but . . . Sockeye are spawning to maintain the numbers they would need to make an ocean run, which greatly depletes the numbers. They must then survive at sea, another chunk are removed and then migrate back to their original spawning grounds. In the controlled environment of a lake, they tend to spawn way to heavy and then eat themselves out of house and home. The end result is usually a stunted population of Kokanee in regards to growth. Kokanee fishing is one of the fastest growth sports in the Western U.S. The cost per hatchery raised fish is much less than most other species such as trout. Since Kokanee eat plankton they don't require the ESA studies that other planted fish do where other endangered species exist. For put and take the kokanee adds up to a superstar of recreational fishing for the future.
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The problem with Devils and Montpelier is it is hard to keep the trout off your hook, but if you fish all day using pink you should catch one or two kokes.. While it is simply reverse at Mackay and Ririe. I would really suggest you take a drive to Mackay or Ririe and just go for it. It just takes one 45 minute koke run and your hooked for life, and just like a drug you will want more[
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OvidCreek
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The Devils and Montpelier reports I've heard for koke fishing has been hit and miss over the years. The same could be said for Pali
es, but a little bit better. Also Island Park Res. has kokes, but again, hit and miss. As for Ririe they are abundant. I usually catch a handful of them from shore/dock early in the summer as temps warm some. But from a boat is the way to go. Most days you'll do well early. but I have been skunked on them as well at times.
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They taste just about like fresh ocean sockeye to me (only smaller). Also in the summer they can put up a good fight. A 15 inch Kokanee will can give you quite a battle. Don't forget to use snubbers when trolling for Kokanee, the first time I tried it all I would pull in was jaw bones [blush]. When I lived in Alaska I couldn't believe how hard the sockeye's would fight. An eight pound sockeye would fight harder than a 30 pound king in my opinion.
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An ocean sockeye is one of my favorite fish.
On Ririe in the summer is most of the Kokanee fishing towards the dam or can you do ok from the south end?
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I usually stay around the dam just because my outboard isn't very reliable. I think most avid trollers go a couple of bends up stream from the dam. I have caught them trolling the Blacktail side in the summer also. MMdon is probably the person to ask about the best place to troll for them. A fish finder is a must for trolling, they can vary greatly on the depth. Usually first thing in the morning they are shallow and then as the boats start churning the water they go deeper. Also down riggers really help, I just have the mini troll it's not fancy but does the job. We also use jet divers, they do ok.
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A quick (and true) fish story. In 2003 my oldest granddaughter and I were flat-lining an orange Rapala and caught an 18 inch Koke. This was in June, in the narrows at Leaky Peak just under the helicopter pad, about 1in the P.M. We were hoping for a trout and sure as heck were not fishing for or expecting what we got.
Fish are where you find them but this guy was lost...and pretty tasty. Mike
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