Northwest Fishing Reports

I have never target Kokanee before but i want to try for them in Chain Lake Near Elk Washington. I know the lake does not open till the end of April but i also was woundeing if you are able to keep them. I looked at the regs it says they are to be released. So i take that as a no. I was looking at the regs for Loon lake and it does not say much about them except for that they are not part of the trout limit. SO i am assuming in Loon you can keep 5 but none in Chain? Anyhow, i guess trolling with a wedding ring tipped with white corn or a maggot is a good methood for them right? Chain lake is a very fun lake to fish. I have never had termendious luck there, i am a bass fisherman mostly and i have cought a few decent bass in there. Also, i was woundering when the KOKs really start getting active, i think they like the colder water correct? SO any tips or info would be greatly appreciated. Stay safe out there everyone. O one other question, what county is Elk in? Maybe i was looking at the wrong lake in the regs. Maybe this lake is open year round, it may not be in the regs. The only one i found is in Pend Oreille Co.

Ok, well i answered my own question, Chain is in Pend Oreille Co. and does open the end of April. I guess i just had to check out the map. It is just across the County line. Also, has anyone ever fished lake of the woods? I could not find it either time i tried looking for it. Don't know anything about that lake except that it is not in the regs. Ok, stay safe out there everyone.

If you want to fish for Kokanee and be able to keep them, go to Chapman. The limit is 15 per person. They are delicious. Go read the Chapman reports and find my report about our 17hr day there. I think I give pretty clear instructions on what to do to catch them.

Aaron is correct about Chapman, there are a lot of Kokes and they are for the taking. I find them fairly small, but tasty.

On the other hand, if you learn Roosevelt, there are some big Kokes in there, but notice that the limit is very restricted.

Rufus Woods has a fair number that wash through Roosevelt. If you find them, they are as big or bigger the Roosevelt, but again, the limit is restricted.

Horseshoe, near Elokia, has/had a respectable number of Kokes. After a road was redone that blocked the major spawing water, the numbers have dropped, but the last time I was out there, plenty could be had in the deeper water if you found the school. I have not tried for them in about 6 years there, so don't quote me on this.

Near Spokane, you do have Coeur d' Alene, but I have no information on them.

Hey Aaron, Is this the Kokanee report your referencing?

http://www.washingtonlakes.com/ReportCo ... &lid=5&t=1

Im after the few that are hiding in Lake Tapps.

Yes. That's the one. It was an exhausting day, but worth it. If we had know the trick beforehand, we would have just showed up at dusk, had our limit, and been gone in just a few hours with a mess of fish.

And as AnglinArcher said, they are small, mostly in the 9-10" range, but the meat is red, they taste great, and you can keep enough of them for a feast.

Hey Aaron, When ya get more of the KoKanee try Your Smoker and recepie on them Extremely tastee.

blufin loui wrote:Hey Aaron, When ya get more of the KoKanee try Your Smoker and recepie on them Extremely tastee.

Yea, then goto the "Smokers" thread and let us know how good it was. :chef: Dont forget the pics.

Hey guys, how in the world do you smoke Kokes, my wife won't wait long enough to let me try.

She fries them up like Rainbows and loves them just as much.:bounce:

AA,

I heard that! The family can spot a koke in a heartbeat, they never make it to the smoker or the freezer.

Are they that much better that trout and trips? Do you know of a lake list or any lake on the olympic peninsula that has them?

Thanks

Anglinarcher wrote: I find them fairly small, but tasty..

The fish on the left is a 4 lb koke taken ice fishing here in Wyoming in January. They do get big:-$

Morpheous,

If you did a blind taste test, I think Kokanee would be an easy majority winner against any trout. There are a few lakes on the peninsula that have kokanee, I don't know of any that are close to Kalaloch though. I believe the closest lake would be Summit Lake which I have not fished in more than 10 years.