Detroit kokes

I was 1 for 5 when I went a few weeks ago trolling by the island

I presume the thing to do if you aren't a koke fiend is just longline trolling, real slow, with one of those many-bladed getups and corn with some kind of scent ? Does it have to be more complicated than that ? I don't feel a strong need (yet) to bother with downriggers and finding a way to mount that beast.

Pinstriper, I went with my wife, bb2fish, and another friend on the 6th. Except early in the morning, they go a bit deep and I could not reach them with 1.5 oz lead. My wife had 3 oz and bb2fish had a down rigger and they scratched out fish all day. I was skunked and never got a bite after about 9:30 AM. The fish were all 30 -50 down after that. I was trolling over the top of them.

Downriggers can be really helpful to catch kokes when they are not at the surface, plus lots more fun than the drag from long lining gear.  My Downrigger is just an extra butt end from a stout fishing pole with a line counter reel.  I send down a 4lb cannonball weight with a release clip.  It gets the job done without a permanent complicated mount on the kayak. Jigging is also an option early in the season!

Jigging is also an option early in the season!

BB- Why do you say jigging early in the season? I've had phenomenal success with them any time of year. I used to troll exclusively, but now I just find a school and stop trolling and start jigging. If I don't start nailing them immediately, switch color till I do. Chartreuse Nordics will work 80% of the time. Other times blaze orange was the only thing they would hit.

Jigging is also an option early in the season!

BB- Why do you say jigging early in the season? I've had phenomenal success with them any time of year. I used to troll exclusively, but now I just find a school and stop trolling and start jigging. If I don't start nailing them immediately, switch color till I do. Chartreuse Nordics will work 80% of the time. Other times blaze orange was the only thing they would hit.

What do you jig with ? A jig with a tube bait ?

You can use Buzz Bombs or other similar type jigs, spoons work, crippled minnows sometimes do too.

Jigging is also an option early in the season!

BB- Why do you say jigging early in the season? I've had phenomenal success with them any time of year. I used to troll exclusively, but now I just find a school and stop trolling and start jigging. If I don't start nailing them immediately, switch color till I do. Chartreuse Nordics will work 80% of the time. Other times blaze orange was the only thing they would hit.

What do you jig with ? A jig with a tube bait ?

No. A Nordic Jig. Hard to find nowadays... but there are other models that work the same. Buzz bombs, Crippled herrings, Krocodile. Ive never needed to add worms, corn or anything other than scent.

Downriggers can be really helpful to catch kokes when they are not at the surface, plus lots more fun than the drag from long lining gear.  My Downrigger is just an extra butt end from a stout fishing pole with a line counter reel.  I send down a 4lb cannonball weight with a release clip.  It gets the job done without a permanent complicated mount on the kayak. Jigging is also an option early in the season!

Good to know!  Thanks, Barb.

Jigging is also an option early in the season!

BB- Why do you say jigging early in the season? I've had phenomenal success with them any time of year. I used to troll exclusively, but now I just find a school and stop trolling and start jigging. If I don't start nailing them immediately, switch color till I do. Chartreuse Nordics will work 80% of the time. Other times blaze orange was the only thing they would hit.

Just seems to be that the biting kokanee stop taking jigs once the water warms up.  I can't get them to bite on my jigs, so I troll through them.  I use BuzzBombs - so maybe it's my jigging technique.  Would sure like to learn how to jig better - got any advice?   I'm ready to try again - might go to Odell though, so I can catch more than 5.  I need some kokanee for the smoker. Mmm smokanee.

Jigging is also an option early in the season!

BB- Why do you say jigging early in the season? I've had phenomenal success with them any time of year. I used to troll exclusively, but now I just find a school and stop trolling and start jigging. If I don't start nailing them immediately, switch color till I do. Chartreuse Nordics will work 80% of the time. Other times blaze orange was the only thing they would hit.

Just seems to be that the biting kokanee stop taking jigs once the water warms up.  I can't get them to bite on my jigs, so I troll through them.  I use BuzzBombs - so maybe it's my jigging technique.  Would sure like to learn how to jig better - got any advice?   I'm ready to try again - might go to Odell though, so I can catch more than 5.  I need some kokanee for the smoker. Mmm smokanee.

You are right. Kokanee have got to be the moodiest fish I know! I guess, I should have prefaced my statement a little better. It’s not always as easy I just made it out to be. What can work one day can completely change the next day… or even by hour. Early morning bite and evening certainly has an influence! Early in the season I find they are more voracious and less picky about what they will bite on. Later, it’s a game of trial and error with what they like- if at all. Odell is a good example that you mentioned. The lake inversion phenomenon that takes place in these lakes is important to note. Get into the high lakes as early as possible for the best bite. They are more concentrated for one, and are very hungry. Later it quite often it does just come down to technique and color. My tackle box has quite a collection of stuff from over the years, but pays off when you find that right oddball lure that no one else has! That is of course… once you find them. Then you start catching them by the bucketful! (you can always just save some time by just looking out across the lake and find the clusters of boats that already found them and go pile in with them).  Later they are scattered and tight lipped. (Sore mouths too probably). The predator fish- namely Macs and Browns can have them spooked and scattered. When I think that is happening, I will switch over to trolling jointed Rapalla minnow imitations (shallow) or flatfish/kwikfish (deep) to target them. Go deeper in the afternoon on the outskirts of where all the Kokanee boats are bunged up. Twilight I go for the shoreline shallows where they are feeding on the minnows.

Twilight I go for the shoreline shallows where they are feeding on the minnows.

Kokanee feed only on plankton and other invertebrates.  They don't eat other fish, so it's a bit of a mystery why they chomp on the kinds of lures customarily used to catch them, such as wedding rings or hootchies baited with white corn or gulp maggots behind a dodger or flasher.  The theory is that kokanee are territorial or aggressive, and snap at the lures and bait even though they don't look anything like the things that kokanee eat.

Twilight I go for the shoreline shallows where they are feeding on the minnows.

Kokanee feed only on plankton and other invertebrates.  They don't eat other fish, so it's a bit of a mystery why they chomp on the kinds of lures customarily used to catch them, such as wedding rings or hootchies baited with white corn or gulp maggots behind a dodger or flasher.  The theory is that kokanee are territorial or aggressive, and snap at the lures and bait even though they don't look anything like the things that kokanee eat.

I think you missed it Pete. I was referring to targeting the Macs and Browns which feed on the minnows.

I was out there Saturday peddling around island with 2 oz weight and various color lures, hoochies, wedding rings. Got one good strike and that's it.  Not many boats out and few fish caught. It was my first attempt at these.  Sunday I drove around the south side of lake to see if there was a place to put in close to blowout creek arm...nope! I have heard Olallie lake has good Kokanee once snow clears but could be just a rumor?

What's the water level look like ?


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I have heard Olallie lake has good Kokanee once snow clears but could be just a rumor?

No kokanee at Olallie Lake.  Planter trout (and a few brooders) only.  Are you thinking of Wallowa Lake in eastern Oregon?

-Sam