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Just got back from my first of 2 Flaming Gorge trips this Summer, friend and his boat..we caught our targeted Kokanee, but also some nice laker pups and a few (released) rainbows..we did find the kokes, but at both the Anvil area, and Buckboard, the average size was just small to medium, 13 to 15"ers...our last day, I did boat 1 nice one, 19", a little over 2.5lbs.....4 or 5+ years ago, average sizes would be more like 15 to 17"ers, with the occasional 4 or 5lb er...still, these were nice fish with an attitude...Water surface this week was 64/65*, and preferred 52/54* was 43 to 45' down...so early A.M. catching was best 35 to 39' depth, and mid A.M. 41 to 43' down...lakers took our standard koke sets, but they were especially attracted to chartreus .... last day we were done by 0830.. it was cloudy, so all my kokes were caught on black Kokabo this day, otherwise, pink good in the sun...Guluk...
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(06-29-2024, 03:50 AM)Jmorfish Wrote: Just got back from my first of 2 Flaming Gorge trips this Summer, friend and his boat..we caught our targeted Kokanee, but also some nice laker pups and a few (released) rainbows..we did find the kokes, but at both the Anvil area, and Buckboard, the average size was just small to medium, 13 to 15"ers...our last day, I did boat 1 nice one, 19", a little over 2.5lbs.....4 or 5+ years ago, average sizes would be more like 15 to 17"ers, with the occasional 4 or 5lb er...still, these were nice fish with an attitude...Water surface this week was 64/65*, and preferred 52/54* was 43 to 45' down...so early A.M. catching was best 35 to 39' depth, and mid A.M. 41 to 43' down...lakers took our standard koke sets, but they were especially attracted to chartreus .... last day we were done by 0830.. it was cloudy, so all my kokes were caught on black Kokabo this day, otherwise, pink good in the sun...Guluk...
Nice report Joe, at least you caught some kokes, others seem to struggle for them anywhere this year. Any size to the macks you caught?
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We were in more typical koke water, so very few large marks shown on bottom..so the pups caught were in the koke zone, and were in the good table fare size range, 16 to 21"...
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(06-30-2024, 05:30 PM)Jmorfish Wrote: We were in more typical koke water, so very few large marks shown on bottom..so the pups caught were in the koke zone, and were in the good table fare size range, 16 to 21"... Did you have a lot of folks crowd around you once you started catching the kokes?
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Overall little crowding, so maybe less pressure due to kokes being spread out to some of our other more local reservoirs? Maybe? I've never fished there on a weekend, so can't say what boat traffic is like then...it looked like a lot of boaters were searching, so more spread out, even at Buckboard area...
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Sounds like a great trip Joe. Being limited out by 0830 is never a bad thing, and it translates beautifully to some excellent table fare later!
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07-01-2024, 01:20 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-01-2024, 03:48 PM by Redrebel.)
(07-01-2024, 03:28 AM)Jmorfish Wrote: Overall little crowding, so maybe less pressure due to kokes being spread out to some of our other more local reservoirs? Maybe? I've never fished there on a weekend, so can't say what boat traffic is like then...it looked like a lot of boaters were searching, so more spread out, even at Buckboard area...
My last 2 trips have had tons of boats in the fishing areas but it seemed everyone was on board to work together. I watched a guide running steel land 4 trophies in the middle of 12 boats. I landed 3. No tangles or strong words. I would love to get to know some of the pup field spots up north. Thanks for the report.
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07-02-2024, 06:02 PM
(This post was last modified: 07-02-2024, 06:17 PM by Jmorfish.)
$ 30.00 extra gets you up north, and we did get the pups out of Anvil and Buckboard areas..guys that spend a lot of time at the Gorge know where kokes are more likely to be, and same for Laker pups...also, that large, detailed Flaming Gorge map points out likely koke and Laker areas..when I go with this buddy, he knows where to start, as he spends a lot of time there...if I take my boat, I use the map a lot, as I'm just learning trails and waypoints on my new finder...guluk..
(07-01-2024, 12:49 PM)MWScott72 Wrote: Sounds like a great trip Joe. Being limited out by 0830 is never a bad thing, and it translates beautifully to some excellent table fare later!
No doubt, they're the best fresh off the grill, but once in a while I also like candy, so have to treat myself with a beer-batter perch fry..
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