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Cavanaugh Lake Report
Skagit County, WA

Details

08/07/2016
61° - 65°
Trolling
Rainbow Trout
Attractor
Pink
Cloudy
Dodger
Morning
66° - 70°
08/08/2016
3
1002

Hello All,

Figured I would write up a short report since it's been awhile that one was posted for this lovely lake. Coming from Lynnwood, my son and I hit the lake about 0815. Weather was dry but clouds were looming and you could see the weatherman's report would come true later in the day.

I have a want to catch kokes since it is new to us but hey, catching anything is good by us! Leaded line rods out; 1 with a #3 uv and pink sling blade and uv pink wiggle mini-hoochie and the other was a #3 uv and green sling blade with uv green mini-hoochie. A dab of Mike's Uv Trout scent. 2.5 - 4 colors in the water.

As my son was letting out the 3rd color a fish hit, he got excited and set the hook with the spool still free-wheeling. Wahoo! Yeah, no. But luckily no rats nest in the reel. I caught someones rats nest the weekend before, thanks whomever you are...

For the next 45 minutes, quiet. Quiet lake, quiet fishing but then the kid hooked up and coming in, whatever it was got off. He was bummed, said it felt heavy and it did have a good pull on the tip. From what I have read about kokes, it may have been one since you need to be "gentle" and that's hard to teach even if he is 17 years old. :-D

About an hour later on the east side of the lake about mid way up and 2.5 colors out the kid hooked up again in 45 feet of water, this time while he was eating his sandwich. With sandwich hanging from his teeth and eyes bugged out trying to say something, he was being more careful on his reel in this time. When it was about 10 feet from the boat we could see all silver, wide silver and I think I was more excited than he was. That's a kokanee dude! Awesome job!! 13.5" little chunker. I was surprised as I thought this was a bit shallow for kokes at 2.5 colors and 70 deg water surface temp but i guess I'm learning.

How cool, now i can learn how to filet (God help that fish). The Kokaneekid has a pretty good video on how-to though so maybe this fish will still be edible when I'm done.

Reset the poles and started trolling again sticking to the east side of the lake from middle to the shore. Kid hooks up again about 30 minutes later after 3-4 drive-by's. Brings in a decent little 12" cutt at 3.5 colors out.

We trolled around for a bit longer with the kid getting a few more drive-by's but nothing wanted to jump in the boat so we decided it was a good time to head out at about noon since the wind was starting to point the boat wherever it felt like.

I should mention the kid was using the pink and having all the luck. I was on the green with 1 early on drive-by all morning. But that's okay because I was out with my son and he caught a KOKE! :-)


Now to just get my down rigger in the boat and get a little more precise.


Love it! Good luck to all.


Comments

cobrar543
8/9/2016 8:11:00 AM
My favorite lake bar none
dmjjwood
8/9/2016 10:16:00 PM
It is a beautiful place for sure. The better half and I are looking at rentals up there just so we can hang longer. Just got the mount for the DR, now to fashion it into the boat...
majorhunting
8/10/2016 5:00:00 AM
We headed up there last Saturday. Wrapped up with 4 kokes and released about 25 or so rainbows. White shoepeg corn with procure garlic bloody tuna is what we used. Most on chartruse and orange and 4/0 dicknite dodgers. We couldn't shake the rainbows off. Everything we had was 40-60ft range. We were about 400 yards from the launch on the other shore trolling that side pretty hard. We had a great time as well. Was going to write a report and never got around to it. It was the first time out with my new boat and I was nervous we weren't gonna catch anything, but now with blood on the deck it's time to get after it. Glad you and the kid had fun, good report.
dmjjwood
8/10/2016 7:23:00 PM
I couldn't bring myself to add corn on the hook. Jut seemed to be "so much" going on but I suppose it's not for me is it? Thanks for the info and glad your trip went well too. I'll never mark a 1 star for a report, there's no such thing as a bad day fishing, just slow catching.... :-)
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