To snubber or not to snubber,that is the question

Was up at Merwin Saturday...lost 4 kokanee on the way to the net.Not a big deal..some days they all stick. But got me thinking about trying them again...when up at Odell couple years back I noticed that nobody was using them,plus I was having trouble with them stretching and coming apart,so I quit.
Now noticing (Saturday) a lot more people using them again...although sounded like there was mixed results there also.
Don't really like the looks of them after the dodger,especially with short leaders..would probably put one a couple feet in front of the dodger,so as not to affect the action.
You guys use them? And where?....much thanks

I use them always for trolling kokes and trout on the lakes, I rarely lose anything using them. They are not very affective in front of the dodger/spoons/flashlights etc because of the added drag put on it, they ultimately have premature failure too when set up that way. I put it directly behind the dodger/flasher or whatever Im using with a 3' to 4' liter to my wedding ring or whatever the fish seem to be interested in.

I remember having the same issues when I first started fishing for Kokes...I must have lost dozens of fish before I landed my first one. My problem was I was using too heavy a rod spooled with braid so there wasn't much "give" in my setup. I now use to light action casting rods spooled with 10lb mono and I rarely loose a fish. Also I've learned that a slow steady retrieve is a must for landing these "spastic" fighters.
I tried snubbers too but I felt like I lost too much lure action with them. I also like no more than 8" between my flasher and lure so a snubber in that position doesn't work for me

Exactly... it could also depend on what you are using for a mainline- Mono or braid. That being said... I normally troll with lead core which doesn't have much stretch, and even then I don't use a snubber. You can get away with it when using a light action rod like the long light action salmon/steelhead rods I prefer to use. Set your drags light, and most of all don't HORSE the fish in!   

I prefer not to use them because kokes are very picky and leader shy to begin with, and I feel I get a better hook-up ratio without them.

I have never caught many kokanee intentionally.but all have Been caught on a longer limber rod.never lost any that I can remember.

My father-in-law uses snubbers for his braid; I do not because I do not use braid.  I always retrieve with a low pole and sometimes will bury my pole to the last eyelet to keep them from jumping out of the water and ripping the hook out.  If your snubbers a falling apart, make sure you keep them out of the sunlight when you store them. 

I'm still a novice kokanee fisherman and I started out using snubbers because that's what I read was the way to go. I quit using them last season and it doesn't seem to matter much as long as you have a limber rod and don't put too much pressure on the fish when you reel them in. I also use light mono and sharpen the hooks extra before I go out. I think my landing rate has improved since I started two years ago. As far as the snubbers coming apart, did you mean where the tubing slips off the swivel of one end? You can work that back together by pinching one end tight and working the tube back over the swivel on the end that came off.

It seems like the NWKA collective has been reading my mind lately

I just built a few small snubbers for light trolling this season and since I've never targeted kokanee very much I was curious if people used them or not.

Interesting too about the short leader between the flasher and lure. I have read that as well but it's always good to hear it from someone on here. I'll have to try that.

When I get out I might try one setup with snubber and one without just for fun and see how it goes. Good suggestion on running light line. I usually use heavy line on a medium or light rod (with the drag set to match the rod, not the line) when I troll and run lighter terminal tackle depending on the target species is. But I like the idea of having the lighter mono between you and the fish helping you keep the hook from ripping out.

I always retrieve with a low pole and sometimes will bury my pole to the last eyelet to keep them from jumping out of the water and ripping the hook out.

If you pull kokanee to the surface, they often thrash like a hummingbird and throw the hook.  I try to keep them underwater and guide them into my net while they're still calm.

I always retrieve with a low pole and sometimes will bury my pole to the last eyelet to keep them from jumping out of the water and ripping the hook out.

If you pull kokanee to the surface, they often thrash like a hummingbird and throw the hook.  I try to keep them underwater and guide them into my net while they're still calm.

This will be my third season fishing for kokanee. Sorry if I go off the topic a bit, but, I have read in some forums that some folks dispense with the net completely and simply yard the fish directly into the ice chest (on boats). Do you all use nets? I do but also have tried yarding the fish into my lap. I have not done it enough times to get a feel for what the success rate is but it seems like often, they come off during the netting process especially if they start going berserk once they get close. Thoughts?

Thanks for the input,guys...plan is to stay the course(no snubber) and work on my finesse a bit.Been trying to keep the leader 1 1/2 to 2 times the length of the sling blade...so the hootchie picks up the action of the dodger.Doesnt leave much room for a snubber,although I've seen guys rigged that way. I think I have a tendency to high stick it a little,try to play them too much. As I mentioned,I've had days where they all stick no problem. On these days the fish seem more aggresive on the bite ...on light biting days ,they also seem to come off more easily...maybe they're not getting hooked as deeply...?
Yeah, I used to skip the net...now I make the decision when I decide how big it is...if I think its over a foot...its net time.
Whats you're favorite koke bait?  For me tuna soaked shoepeg corn is the go-to,occasionally trying different scents.
Again ,thanks for the help!

I have read in some forums that some folks dispense with the net completely and simply yard the fish directly into the ice chest (on boats). Do you all use nets? I do but also have tried yarding the fish into my lap. I have not done it enough times to get a feel for what the success rate is but it seems like often, they come off during the netting process especially if they start going berserk once they get close. Thoughts?

When ice fishing for kokanee, we lift them out of the water, drop them in a bucket, and then remove the hook.  On February 22 I caught 88 kokanee on Georgetown Lake, near Anaconda, Montana.  But I haven't tried that landing technique when kayak fishing for kokanee.

Something else that has been a TREMENDOUS help for landing rate is I change over all of my wedding rings to small treble hooks.
Erik

Something else that has been a TREMENDOUS help for landing rate is I change over all of my wedding rings to small treble hooks.
Erik

Hmmmmm....wonder if that would work on a hootchie? What size treble are you using?

I don't see why that wouldn't work for hootchies. The size of the hook depends on the average size of the fish. These days the fish I'm catching in the cascades tend to be smaller, and they have small mouths to begin with. I usually use about a size 16 and go up or down from there. Back in the day we used a an 8 or 10, but some of those were 18-20+" Kokes!