04-08-2011, 05:58 PM
There is a lot to know about Kokanee fishing to be consistently successful throughout the summer. Most of Kokanee fishing surrounds the species comfort level in the water column. Kokanee like to be within a few feet of 56.5 degrees water temperature. This comfort zone is one of the largest factors at the size of each crop of 3 year old Kokanee. The longer the fish can stay up high enough in the water to feed on their mainstay, plankton, the larger the fish. Having a long cool springtime after ice out with the water temps staying colder will create larger fish. Since plankton are mainly found high enough in the water column for major sunlight penetration, the top 20 feet, this will be the biggest determining factor.
The next factor will be what fish see. A salmon's eye sight in the water column is very similar to a human beings. Certain colors only penetrate so far down before those colors visually turn gray. A general rule of thumb is to fish pinks, reds, and oranges down to about 24'. 24 to 40' most fishermen will be fishing green and chartreuse. Beyond that the light penetration moves to blues and purples. Glow type lures are also popular below 40' as well as on dark days.
Contrast to the water column can also prove to be successful. What dodgers and lures stand out against the background is very helpful. Bright colored lures on sunny days and darker lures on cloudy days can produce well.
Sound is an important factor. Kokanee, in cloudy or deep water depths are generally attracted to the sounds made by your lure or dodger. To this end, guys that troll with pop gear are to be avoided. To Kokanee, popgear sounds like a predator fish school, which it was designed to imitate. While it will draw the aggression bite it also will scatter a large school of fish in one pass. With the correct gear and several lines out, you can locate a school of Kokanee and limit out in three passes if you don't scatter them!
Lead Core Lines: Lead core lines will only reach to a certain depth depending upon your speed, trolled gear and line diameter. At Kokanee speeds you can probably only hope to reach a depth of 30' maximum no matter how many colors you let out. To test this you will want to find a sandy, gradually sloping bank and troll at speed, closer and closer to the shoreline until you feel the bottom. With a fish finder, which is almost a given for Kokanee you will be able to then determine your effective depth. The Troller's Bible'' Book by Mark Romanack is a great source to understand the depth of any line and lure combination with the effect of water and speed as resistance to depth.
What else would you like to know?
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The next factor will be what fish see. A salmon's eye sight in the water column is very similar to a human beings. Certain colors only penetrate so far down before those colors visually turn gray. A general rule of thumb is to fish pinks, reds, and oranges down to about 24'. 24 to 40' most fishermen will be fishing green and chartreuse. Beyond that the light penetration moves to blues and purples. Glow type lures are also popular below 40' as well as on dark days.
Contrast to the water column can also prove to be successful. What dodgers and lures stand out against the background is very helpful. Bright colored lures on sunny days and darker lures on cloudy days can produce well.
Sound is an important factor. Kokanee, in cloudy or deep water depths are generally attracted to the sounds made by your lure or dodger. To this end, guys that troll with pop gear are to be avoided. To Kokanee, popgear sounds like a predator fish school, which it was designed to imitate. While it will draw the aggression bite it also will scatter a large school of fish in one pass. With the correct gear and several lines out, you can locate a school of Kokanee and limit out in three passes if you don't scatter them!
Lead Core Lines: Lead core lines will only reach to a certain depth depending upon your speed, trolled gear and line diameter. At Kokanee speeds you can probably only hope to reach a depth of 30' maximum no matter how many colors you let out. To test this you will want to find a sandy, gradually sloping bank and troll at speed, closer and closer to the shoreline until you feel the bottom. With a fish finder, which is almost a given for Kokanee you will be able to then determine your effective depth. The Troller's Bible'' Book by Mark Romanack is a great source to understand the depth of any line and lure combination with the effect of water and speed as resistance to depth.
What else would you like to know?
[signature]