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Hit the Gorge yesterday with the mind set I was going to concentrate on the Koke's. Launched out of Sheep Creek at 9:00am and head down lake to Hideout. Started looking for concentrations of fish but was not marking anything. Figured that maybe everything was shallow or there simply were no fish around. LOL Anyway put the downrigger at 10' and put out a rig on the planner board. Pulled that around for about 45 minute, nothing. Marked very few fish was well. Pulled everything up and headed to Jarves.
Put the same set up down but still not marking any fish. Went about a 200 yards and the board rod got bit, 1st koke of the day. Came on a green and clear squid with a silver and green sling blade. Went back through the same area and another koke on the board. Started switching things up on the downrigger/color, depth, line out. To make a long story short I never got bit on the down rigger. Everything came on the board. I caught 4 Kokes and 4 bows. All were within 20' of shore running probably at a depth of 8-10' deep. Best speed was slow .08-1.0 mph. Any faster and nothing... That is what was causing me problem, the wind was so bad I hard a hard time maintain speed. I finally got sick of fighting the wind and set out to find the trout.
Hit venous places in the canyon and was rewarded with 15 or so 3-6 lb. bows. My personal best day for size at the Gorge. Everything I caught was over 19' with the biggest at around 24'. Tube jigs and jerk baits were the ticket. Attached pics don't do the fish justice.... Great day at the Gorge!!! [cool]
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great writeup, great looking fish! thanks for sharing.
question, when you go up that far, do you stay the night over there or just come back same day?
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Yesterday was a day trip, left ogden at 5am and got home after 12am. Long day and it is hard on the body. But most of the time it's all I have time to do. Plan on spending more time up there this year so staying a couple nights in a row will need to happen. Just need to convince my wife that it ok... [shocked]
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I was only putting it back 35'.
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Nice 'bows! I love the Gorge especially for it's fantastic rainbows.
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Beautiful rainbows sporting their spawning colors.
I am so ready to catch some Kokes.
Thanks for sharing.
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wow, that is pretty gonzo! You must be younger than me.....
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[quote jurkneyes]Yesterday was a day trip, left ogden at 5am and got home after 12am. Long day and it is hard on the body. But most of the time it's all I have time to do. Plan on spending more time up there this year so staying a couple nights in a row will need to happen. Just need to convince my wife that it ok... [shocked][/quote]
I would be scared of falling asleep behind the wheel.
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Nice nice rainbow. So a pink and white tube jig 1 1/2 long, 1/8 oz? Never tried that, on my list. I am usually a 3 or 4 inch 1/8 on purple, or smoked, or darkish green, or rainbow or white pearl fleck.
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Not sure how far back you were running off the down rigger but many times I have found that early in the year when the kokes are up real shallow like now that you need to drop it back 150 feet or sometimes more off the downrigger. My theory is that the shallow fish move out as the boat comes over them and you need to drop back that far before you catch them moving back over your boat track. You might give that a try next time you find those conditions.
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Sunrise on the water
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That is exactly right with Kokes
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I believe the tube jig was 2 1/2" and 1/4 oz head. It may have been a 3" tube though. The rainbows this time of year are not shy..
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Wet1, thanks... I am very new to using a down rigger. In the situation I was fishing last Friday it was such a small area I didn't dare put it back more then 50'. But honestly I don't think I would have even thought of going that far back. I will defiantly try that next time.
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[quote jurkneyes]Wet1, thanks... I am very new to using a down rigger. In the situation I was fishing last Friday it was such a small area I didn't dare put it back more then 50'. But honestly I don't think I would have even thought of going that far back. I will defiantly try that next time.[/quote]
100' set back off the down rigger will work this time of year. change your downriggers from 10' to 30' down, when it warms up and the kokes go deeper my set back is from 50' to 30'. on the planer board your 35' set back ' should work, I go 50' set back. put weight about 3' back of the dodger to get it down 10' to 15'
last week I saw a school of kokes down 60' on the finder most kokes are scattered this time of year, one or two together not a lot of schools.
you can catch 10 kokes and not see them on the fishfinder this time of year.
and most of the big kokes are on the wy side.
but I have got a lot of kokes at Hideout.
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So I am very appreciative of any info on trolling for koke's. So I do need to ask, if you don't see fish at 30' are you still working that area of the water column? I was somewhat suppressed I marked very few fish last Friday. It was like the lake was empty of fish, but I know better. So your saying stick with it at 30' even if your not marking them this time of year?
I need to get to know the lake better on the WY side. I have fished it a few times up around Anvil. Use to go up there and jig for the koke's in the fall but I have never trolled up that way. Just got my downrigger late last summer and have a lot to learn still. But the WY side is on the to do list this year.
I use the boards a lot, there a great tool to have...[sly]
Anyway, thanks!!!
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I think why you don't see them is they move away from your boat
that is why boards work so good.
if you have SIDE IMAGING and can read it good you may be able to see them
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Side Imaging question
Please rate it as a tool for finding fish off to the side.
And then rate it as a tool for observing bottom structure off to the side.
Which above niche use has Side Imaging filled the need most?
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