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Banks Lake Report
Grant County, WA

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07/25/2017
Downriggers
Kokanee
Corn
White
Sunny
Spinner
Morning
07/26/2017
5
3584

Went to Banks to a area I was told Kokanee could be found and sure enough, we found them. The bite was a little slow, then somebody turned on the lights and the bite was on for about 30 minutes, then off again. It seemed to repeat this pattern until about 10 when it was to hot to fish. We caught most of our fish trolling at 1.3 mph and 53 FOW was the magic number for us. Kokabow dodgers in watermelon color along with home made flies and hootchies with 10" leaders did the trick tipped with shoepeg corn scented in various scents (all corn caught fish). The lure colors we tried all caught fish with none of them catching more than the other. We tried white, orange, purple, and pink lures with all of them working. By the end of the day, we had 14 in the cooler, just couldn't get that last fish for some reason. We lost about 6 at the boat, but that's Kokanee fishing.

Comments

Mike Carey
7/26/2017 7:17:38 AM
what size were the koks? I've seen the stocking reports for Banks, first time I've seen a report. Nice job!
Walleye Be Damn
7/26/2017 9:08:19 AM
10-12" not real big
Walleye Be Damn
7/26/2017 9:08:20 AM
10-12" not real big
downriggeral
7/26/2017 7:53:01 AM
Thanks for the report. I too have seen the stocking reports and wondered about Banks. They couldn't all get eaten! When I was a kid we used to fish there for monster kokanee. Guess a research trip is in order....when it's cooler! Also want to do the whitefish this fall but that's another subject.
Alan - "The Experiment Must Continue"
outtheresomewhere
7/26/2017 8:24:16 AM
Thanks for report - won't be headed that way again until mid-late Sept, depending on heat, but interesting to see that the stocking is yielding some
positive results - do you know if they were trips or the reproducing kind ??
Walleye Be Damn
7/26/2017 9:11:00 AM
The only thing I know for sure is that they are "Grilling Kind" as they taste fantastic when grilled. I don't know if they are planters or natural spawn.
Walleye Be Damn
7/26/2017 9:07:46 AM
For got to mention the fish were 10-12", not big, but decent.
outtheresomewhere
7/26/2017 10:15:34 AM
re -the grill'in kind - like the old cajun chef used to say "dat sho be guud, i gar on tee"
DavidA
7/26/2017 10:57:24 AM
Way to Go WBD! Now if you could get out a '5' walleye report, I'll be able to convince my friends that a fall trip there is needed!

Koke spot in Banks, huh!? Hmm!
buc
7/26/2017 6:23:02 PM
when I was a young buc we used to go down w the neighbor and hammer giants he was old now I'm old. wonder if those old spots work, better go see for I get any older >>>
rseas
7/26/2017 7:38:00 PM
Wow! Thanks for the report. I've heard of kokanee in Banks but thought they were a myth. I see a trip to Banks coming on...
hewesbob
7/27/2017 9:50:14 AM
Thanks for the report, glad to hear you got into them. I saw a picture of a limit of kokanee that was caught last week out of Banks, most fish were 10 to 14 but one koke was right at 18 inch. I think they may have reestablished a great fishery and just hope that folks don't get excited and start over fishing them.
downriggeral
7/28/2017 10:02:05 PM
It's kind of interesting the state planted 300,000 Rainbow trout in May at Banks. In June they planted 147,500 kokanee and will plant 556,000 in October. That's a lot of walleye and bass food except the kokes like cold water and the spiney rays like warm. Idaho went with "earlies" at Pend O'Rielle. They mature in two years and grow so fast it limits predation. http://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/01900/wdfw01900.pdf
Bent hook pontoon
7/27/2017 4:11:10 PM
Great report. Interesting to see what happens here!
Kevinzoch
5/7/2018 7:26:27 PM
Near steamboat rock or what?
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Available Guide

Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Washington Guide Services

Phone: (509) 881-9052