Just can't kick my Koke habit

I haven't had much time to fish lately and I've been bummed about not being able to make the Salmon Sleigh ride due to some work commitments. 
Oh well, American Lake is less than a mile from my house on Joint Base Lewis McChord and this time of year the dumb-ass water skiers thin out and the Kokanee action picks up so I snuck away in the pre-dawn hours (when I was supposed to be PT-ing) for a bit of Koke trolling...that's kind of like PT, right? 
Anyways,  I had the lake to myself and in the first 45 minutes of daylight, Poseidon rewarded me with some of the best fishing I've had since Dirk1730 and I assaulted Destruction Island last month...but that's another story best told over a cold IPA.
Anyways, it was a steady rain and the barometer was rising so I just new the fishing was gonna be hot. I pedaled out towards the VA Hospital shoreline and got my first rod set up off the downrigger about 26' down in 65 FOW and started setting a "flatline" rod on the opposite side of the boat with a 1/2" egg sinker about 60' back. I didn't even get the flatline setup before the downrigger side came unclipped and line started peeling out...this was a pretty good fish I thought...I grabbed the rod and started a slow steady retrieve. After a couple good runs I figured this must be one of those triploid rainbows they stock in there but as the fish came to the net I realized this was what looked like my personal best Kokanee...about that time the flatline rod started doing the "fish-on" dance I got the first fish in the net and chucked the whole damned mess into the drive well and grabbed the flatline rod...this one was a good fish too. The net was full of flopping Kokanee so after a brief battle including a couple drag peeling runs, I just yarded this 2nd fish into the boat and miraculously it didn't come off. I had a tangled mess at my feet but finally managed to get it sorted out and got the downrigger rod back in the water and peeled about 40' of line off the reel (I hadn't even cranked the ball back up yet) I grabbed the flatline rod and started setting it out when suddenly the downrigger side (which wasn't even clipped into the downrigger yet but was just trailing behind the boat just under the surface) started dancing...DAMNIT!  I stuffed the flatline in it's rod holder and grabbed the downrigger side and brought in another Kokanee bigger than any I'd ever caught before...this was starting to get interesting. I was admiring this fish when I noticed the flatline, which I hadn't even gotten fully deployed was doubled over with fish #4 pulling hard. A couple more runs and a pretty spectacular jump later, I had my personal best Kokanee in the boat measuring in at 17.5"...gorgeous fish! I was one fish away from a limit so I cranked in the downrigger, set the flatline back out and within a couple minutes had my fifth fish on...no way!......way!  I'd just gone 5 for 5 in under 30 minutes with all 5 fish between 16.5"-17.5"...my 5 best Kokanee ever!
The sun was just starting to rise and I just drifted out there in the rain for a few minutes and marveled at how awesome life can be sometimes...and I almost went off to work without stopping to smell the Kokanee.

Great day out there! Those are nice fat kokes.

What were you using? I want to try some koke fishing this next year and could use some tips.

What were you using?

I was running a  couple Dick Nite dodgers with custom tied hoochie setups...pink on one side (pictured) and green on the flatline side. I tipped the hooks with pink gulp maggots. Color didn't seem to mater, they were hitting anything. I like a shorter leader between the flasher and hoochie...about 8" is perfect. I was trolling at about 1.2 mph.

Good luck!

Another quick limit this morning...not quite as fast and furious but I still managed this limit and got home in time to cook breakfast for my family.

Good stuff!  I love that lake in the winter.  Too many water terrorists in the summer.

nice!  kokes are a blast!

You inspired me to give it a go.  I think I was getting on the water when you got off.  I only had about 3.5 hours due to an afternoon appointment, but was able to get a couple.  The buck was the best fighting Kokanee I have ever had.  4+ reel screaming runs! 

You inspired me to give it a go.  I think I was getting on the water when you got off.  I only had about 3.5 hours due to an afternoon appointment, but was able to get a couple.  The buck was the best fighting Kokanee I have ever had.  4+ reel screaming runs! 

Nice!  Glad you got you some but sorry I missed you. I was out early and had the lake all to myself...where'd you launch from?

Yup, these fish are a lot of fun on a soft rod...a PBer said there was a 21 incher caught earlier this week

Great kokanee!  I wish the kokanee were that big in Montana.  In most lakes in Montana, an 11.5" kokanee is a Boone and Crockett fish.



Looks like about half of the fish which Nangusdog and Widgeonmangh caught were beginning to change color and getting long jaws as they prepared to spawn.

..where'd you launch from?

Exit 122.  -  I think I saw you just as you were taking off. I launched and headed for the VA, and you were just south of the VA and were just picking up your gear.  If it wasn't you then it was someone else in a Hobie.  I didn't have my gear in the water.  I targeted that area in front of the VA an North but didn't get any action.  I caught mine on the Southwest side of the Island.

pmmpete - That is actually true for WA too. American is an exceptional lake for Kokanee.  Lake Chelan also puts out some really big Kokes, never fished it though.

..where'd you launch from?

I think I saw you just as you were taking off. I launched and headed for the VA, and you were just south of the VA and were just picking up your gear.  If it wasn't you then it was someone else in a Hobie. 

Yup, that was me...The WDFG launch off exit 122 is only about a mile from my house on McChord Field but I usually drive around and  launch from Russell's Landing on JBLM (Lewis North) as I've had my jeep broken into over at the WDFG site and once forgot to display my discover pass and got slapped with a $99 fine for not displaying something I already paid $39 for. After several phone calls and a letter with documentation, I was able to get the ticket dismissed...and "got off" with a $69 administration fee...sheesh!

Someone has to pay for all the free heroin needles.

So far so good for me.  Never had an issue.  I try and park beside jeeps. 

While I appreciate the effort to get non-fishing/hunting folks to help pay for the launches, sometimes they use enforcement as a collection agency/revenue source instead of protecting the resources.  Their little printed things are a pain.

 

Thanks for the great report and pictures! You are always super helpful Nangusdog. I have this next Saturday open and I think I am going to have to get out there. I wonder if we might be able to get a Kokanee tournament together for American Lake??? It's in a great location for everyone to get to, has plenty of parking and launch space, and there is a park for the weigh-in and party. Do you think there would be an interest in a Fall/Winter Koke tournament? Just a thought. I'll make an American Lake post later in the week and maybe we can get a group out there.

A disadvantage of a fall-winter Kokanee tournament is that the biggest Kokanee are changing color and spawning in late October or early November.  As of a couple weeks ago, the pre-spawning Kokanee still tasted fine, but in my experience by December they taste lousy and look all mottled and creepy.  I think it would be better to have a late summer or early fall tournament so you'd be catching Kokanee which are big, but still silver.

Here are pictures of a couple of Kokanee which I caught at the end of September in Placid Lake in Montana.  They still tasted fine at that time, but they go downhill pretty fast.