Good friend and I are heading out next weekend to poke some more holes. We're thinking either Causey or Porcupine, we are not entirely sure which body of water is best right now.
We would really like to hook up some Kokanee but you know the guys who know nothing about Kokanee fishing....well we know less than they do. Any tips on gear and technique to ice fish for them would be greatly appreciated. Also if any BFT'ers have experience on these waters some location advice would be greatly appreciated.
We are leaving from Hill AFB, and I have room in my truck for a couple more if they would like to tag along and are not too far out of the way. If anyone wants to meet us out there they are more than welcome. Ice fishing.....the more the merrier.
Thanks again!
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Causey has been an evil mistress this year, I haven't been able to find any kokes yet only rainbows ranging from 10-14 inches haven't even caught a tiger trout.
Ice is plenty thick but bring a plank as the shore was pretty rotten (did go thrue on my way on and off on the 14th). The bite seems to shut down at about 10 a.m. I have had best success with anything glow tipped with a meal worm (seems like the head of the worm worked better than the tail but have no idea why it would matter), everything else i have tried has gone un touched.
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i was there around the 1st of the year....caught 1 tiger and 1 cutthroat both around 12" the other 2 in my group did not catch anything but had a couple of missed bites....it was a few weeks ago so dont know if this is helpful
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Not sure that you'll find ice at the Pig yet. Last reports I had indicated maybe ice back in the inlet narrows where it's more shaded. Some along the edges, but unless we get some chill nights - don't know what that wind storm might have done.
Would LOVE to hear otherwise. I'm in the same boat - never caught one, would love to try it through the ice.
Causey has stunk royally for us so far this season [crazy]
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the ice at porki was fishable as of last sat guite a few groups on it only open water is where cinamon arm and porikipine arm come together in the middle.
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I haven't been up to Porcupine for years but this is what we used to find on the Kokes. First off a fish finder is pretty important because they are suspended somewhere in the water column and if you could find the schools you could catch fish we used to just jig something flashy like a Kastmaster or I liked a Crocodile in silver or gold and orange and the trick was when you find fish keep your lure back in the water as fast as you can because once they swim past it will be over until you find them again. I'm not very good at finding the schools but we used to find them up towards the inlet sometimes but make sure you know how to get the correct amount of line down because quite often we would find them 12 feet down in 60 feet of water or something like that. It can be really fun when you find them but they have a soft mouth so be a little careful pulling them up or you'll break them loose. If you find them let me know because Kokes are my favorite to eat and I'd love to go chase them if the ice is safe. Good luck J
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check the R & R
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Causey has been really slow for us too. only a loner kokes here and there and thats it, but they are alot better sized than the trout.
I can't wait to get up to porqupine myself.
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I'm sorry - "Rest and Relaxation" ???
Is there a nanny cam up there I don't know about?
That shots looking pretty good.
Skunked - you're selling me again - gotta line me up a finder!
Kokes are the reason I got a finder to start with. They are so depth oriented that if you fish a few feet off the bottom you can only catch trout when you might have nailed the Koke if you only knew they where ten feet higher up. I fished Rirey Reservoir near IF one day and had tons of people all around me and we were nailing the Kokes one after another and no one else was catching a thing. The fish and game were having a big come catch Kokanee day and so they hurried over to find out what we were doing and it turned out the fish were only ten feet down and everyone else was fishing way too deep. Once the word spread everyone started catching fish. So it can be important for Kokes not sure the perch and bows need one but I take it just in case. The problem I have is finding where the school is at. Seems like under the ice the Kokes really school up. We'll have to go try the Kokes after the cisco. They were so small last summer maybe they are overpopulated so we need to thin them a little so they can grow bigger next year. Kind of a long drive for a few small fish but they do smoke up well. Anyway catch ya later. J
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Thank you for the tips and advice everyone! After checking weather reports for this week, looks like we are going to head to Causey (give Porcupine a week or two to get real thick).
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