Osoyoos lake Sockeye North vs South

[Skaha]

--Can't give a report yet but Osoyoos North will be open July 31st for sockeye... 2 fish limit in Canada side.
--I'll be fishing it Aug 7-11 if all goes as planned.

--thought it might be fun for a bit of North vs South friendly trash talk.

--I will be trolling with downriggers... flasher and hoochie
--Not sure what you're using south of the boarder. I think you have a 5 or 6 fish limit.

--In any case leave some fish for me... but I wouldn't mind some friendly advice as to how to catch them on my side.
--I'll give a report once I get fishing.... assuming I catch something to report.

[Skaha]

--august 2nd 70 vessels checked 90 fish counted
--average fishing time less than 1 hr per fish.
--note as only 2 fish limit hard to say if some released fish but due to warm weather people were asked to keep their first two fish as fish released in this heat being caught 50-60 ft below the surface in cooler water would likely not survive.
--some fishers stopped fishing even if no fish caught as surface temp rose. (thanks for that) others fished for one to two hrs early morning only and stopped fishing before 10:00am.

--catch rate does not necessarily reflect on the fish available... as this is a relatively new fishing opportunity for the area... it will take a while for people to dial in

[Skaha]

--august 3rd...5 boats participating in artisan fishery.. 23 fish caught... of note all fish caught by 2 boats.
--hot lure of the day ws an apex trolled behind flasher with bait... outfished the hoochies 3:1
--reported mostly caught in one area.. fisher suggested change up of rigs often for best success.
--fishers starting to dial in as they share catch information... catch rate .6 per hr. so increasing with similar conditions.
--some cooler night time temps may improve early morning catch today.

[skidynastar33]

I got a few questions for you,
1. Do you know how many fish have made it to skaha lake? I know they just made fish passage this year.
2. When do you think they are going to make fish passage to okanogan lake? Seems like they could double or triple the run by just making fish passage? What's holding it up?
3. Apex lure never heard of that for sockeye. What size or color and do I use a dodger? Seems odd but if it works if works!
Kyle

[G-Man]

I can say for sure that the 2" Apex and Pro-Troll kokanee killers will both take Sockeye. I rig them with 12lb leader material, anthing heavier and it restricts the action. I do bait the hook(s) when targeting kokes and/or sockeye.

[Skaha]

--I don't have the fish numbers for Skaha yet... I'll post them here when I get them.
--Sockeye have been making it into Skaha for a few years but it is controlled. It is part of a long term Okanagan salmon community initiative... if you google that you'll likely find current information.
--The hold up is a planned one as in the past these introducitons or in this case a re-introductions was just done. In this case there was and is a long term plan which includes studies on the effects of the re-inroduction and then political decisions will be made on acceptable risk to current species.
--It is likely that some sockeye will be released into Okanagan lk this year with tracking devices or tags so their movements can be monitored. Just a note the Kokanee we were catching in Okanagan lake mid 80's were much larger than the current returning sockeye.
--Check out Okanagan Nation for links to the many projects that are on going.


--For several years kokanee fishing was not allowed in Okanagan lk due to poor numbers especially stream spawning kokanee... adding sockeye could have a significant effect on kokanee.


--Apex lures...very popular here for both kokanee and trout . As they have there own action can be used without a dodger/flasher or with a longer leader behind a dodger to allow it to act.
--They have a number of colours.. orange/pink for kokanee

[Skaha]

-- I actually got to fish Osoyoos today so no more second hand information... Seemed to be slow but steady for most boats in the area.
--I started out using an Oki flasher....one green onion UV with matching hoochie and other rig Oki flasher pink haze with a pink UV hoochie.
--Both caught fish but not heavy takes some didn't release from the downrigger and were difficult to detect but we were able to land three...of our four allowed for two people... Not a regulation but after we have three we go to one rod as for the most part in this warm weather if you land a fish it won't likely survive release.
--Still need some more time on the water to get dialed in.. . we varied depth and speed but caught all three at about 60 ft. depth varied speed due to wind from .8mph to 2.2 mph.

--I have a number of other rigs ready but wasn't brave enough to switch from the old standard.
--Had one for supper on the BBQ.. with fresh garden veggies.. really in style with the 100 mile diet.

[primetime]

Is this true for most sockeye landed in any lake or river that their survival rate is low if released?

[Skaha]

Is this true for most sockeye landed in any lake or river that their survival rate is low if released?

--I won't say any as I am not sure.. in Osoyoos... most are caught 55-70ft... the water temp above those levels is warm and low in oxygen... so when you take a fish out of the 60 ft depth and land it by dragging it through low oxygen warm water its chance of survival is much less.
--That is why I keep the first two (limit on the lake Canadian side) and do not cull for larger fish.
--As it is a keep fishery I am using siwash or tru-turns hooks of a size which tends to kill smaller fish even if they could survive release.

[Skaha]

--Only funny if it isn't you.... got another day in fishing ... sockeye, trout and kokanee..
--small kokanee couldnt feel it on the downrigger that was set up tight for the sockeye... Trout tripped the clip no problem and gave a good run.
--Several boats on the water most got their fish but as is often the case a few got none... I can never really figure this out.
--They are fishing within a few feet of others catching and using similar rigs and speed but for whatever reason the fish Gods just don't favour them.
--Acually though that it was going to happen to us.. almost emberassing to not get a two fish limit with the amount of fish .
--We got the trout early... going faster on the way up to the honey holes. Not sure how long we dragged the kokanee not long though as found it when checking for weeds as not bites.
--I got serous after getting nervous about not catching so we kept the rig in the water that was producing... trout and the kokanee. Tried a few different rigs then finally a spoon I've had success with for kokanee behind the dodger...Near the end of our planned day then hit sockeye on the new rig as soon as I got in the water and saved the day.

--Update as of today limit is 4 up from 2 ... and I think it has been extended to end of the month.. originally woud have been closed nown.