My kokanee outing

[Toni]

The phone rang around 8 am this morning. I answered it. The voice on the other end said “Where are you?” No, hello how ya doing. It was the Kokanee Kid who said he wasn’t fishing today but he was out on Clear Lake. I told him “I set the alarm for 4am and it went off. I could hear the rain so I reset it for 5. It went off and I could still hear the rain so I turned it off. I slept in. I told him I would get there after my grandkids left.
I got on the water at 9:40am and got a rainbow right away on a fly. I got to deeper water and put a dodger and spinner on to try to get kokanee as I made my way to the “Kid”.
To make this story shorter than my 8 hour day fishing the recap is I could not get the kokanee in the boat. I wanted a limit but they kept coming off. Kokanee Kid almost had his limit. Kokanee Slayer had his and they both gave me lures so that I could get mine. The Kid said he wasn’t leaving until I got a fish in the boat. Once I put the rig Kokanee Slayer gave me on I got a fish. Woohoo...it is a rainbow! The guys had to leave.
Then Fishinrob showed up. He can get them into the boat to.
Around 5pm I told Rob that I was going to go toward the launch and maybe I could get the 5th one on the way.
The wind came up and I had to speed the electric motor up just to get anywhere. The fish finder started acting up. Oh no, the battery is dying. I forgot the paddle. I hope I can get to the launch before It completely dies.
My cell rings and Kokanee Kid is on the other end. “Well?” I reply “I only have 4.” I say into the phone “Gotta fish on” I let the phone drop. It is a kokanee in the boat! I called the “Kid” back. “I did it.”
I found out today that I can hook kokanee but have trouble getting them into the boat even to release them.
It was a hard days work but I did it. My first limit of kokanees. Thanks to Kokanee Kid and Kokanee Slayer.

[The Quadfather]

I enjoyed your story Toni, nice to see you guys looking out for each other. Who was the guy in the boat pic?
Those Kokanee you probably already heard, have very soft, easily torn gums. I use an ultra light rod, ans recently picked up a St. Croix Kokanee rod which is a soft as whipping around a piece of spaghetti. It's insane.
I don't attempt any kind of hook set when trolling.

[Anonymous]

Hey Toni,
Great report and photos. You may also want to extend the length of your net handle. It seems to me that as soon as the Kokes see the boat they throw a big fit many times causing a premature release.
Also as Bodo says don’t set the hook…most times you’ll pull it right out of their very soft mouths.

[datsun]

from what I have been told and my personal experience kokannee have really soft mouths I lost a couple at the boat when I went out.

[rseas]

Congratulations Toni, that will be some mighty fine eating! Kokanee do have very soft mouths and generally you can not horse them in. As did Quadfather I also bought a kokanee rod. The original purchase was somewhat of a fluke. I was thinking I have 80 rods, what do I need one of those kokanee rods for? I ended up buying it anyway and it is by far my favorite rod for trout and kokanee fishing. As soon as I can afford it all the boat rods will be switched out for “kokanee rods”. My "get the fish to the boat/hook-up ratio" has substantially increased by using the kokanee rod. Kokanee rod or not when fighting a kokanee I keep the drag very loose and use my thumb to control the spool. This way there is no resistance when the fish makes a run and the hook is less likely to pull out. To gain line I keep the rod tip up above horizontal and very gently pump the rod. I will hold the spool with my thumb while lifting the rod tip ready to release it at the slightest hint that the fish is going to run. Then on the drop I wind the crank to pick-up line as I lower the rod tip. Using this method it takes a while longer to land a fish but most of the time you do land it. Based on my experience another thing to consider is that it seems that as the summer progresses the kokanee mouths get softer making it more difficult to get them in the boat. We bought one of those telescoping rubber nets this year and it has made a world of difference. Good luck and may the next kokanee limit come soon!

['OL GREY DOG]

HELLOFA WOMAN...is all i can say..LOLOLOL..
dont know if she hunts...
but if she does....
Bambi should be scared..WTG TONI...
DOG

[Toni]

I enjoyed your story Toni, nice to see you guys looking out for each other. Who was the guy in the boat pic?
Those Kokanee you probably already heard, have very soft, easily torn gums. I use an ultra light rod, ans recently picked up a St. Croix Kokanee rod which is a soft as whipping around a piece of spaghetti. It's insane.
I don't attempt any kind of hook set when trolling.

The guy was Kokanee Kid. I PM'd him and then called him up and he helped me and then kept after me.
I know they have soft mouths...I had one on a stringer hanging over the boat and it disappeared. I think I figured it out when I found one on the stringer that wiggled enough that its jaw was almost cut in two.

I was told to keep pressure but no hook set. I tried this but they seemed to pull back and then sling shot forward and off they go.
I am wondering if I had a different rod I might be able to play them better?

[Toni]

Hey Toni,
Great report and photos. You may also want to extend the length of your net handle. It seems to me that as soon as the Kokes see the boat they throw a big fit many times causing a premature release.

Thank you. I did think about having a longer net handle.
They told me to let them tire out before seeing the boat.
I still think they do a sling shot dance even then.
I picture in my mind the sling shot move from the roller derby...anyone remember that?

[Toni]

Congratulations Toni, that will be some mighty fine eating! Kokanee do have very soft mouths and generally you can not horse them in. As did Quadfather I also bought a kokanee rod. The original purchase was somewhat of a fluke. I was thinking I have 80 rods, what do I need one of those kokanee rods for? I ended up buying it anyway and it is by far my favorite rod for trout and kokanee fishing. As soon as I can afford it all the boat rods will be switched out for “kokanee rods”. My "get the fish to the boat/hook-up ratio" has substantially increased by using the kokanee rod. Kokanee rod or not when fighting a kokanee I keep the drag very loose and use my thumb to control the spool. This way there is no resistance when the fish makes a run and the hook is less likely to pull out. To gain line I keep the rod tip up above horizontal and very gently pump the rod. I will hold the spool with my thumb while lifting the rod tip ready to release it at the slightest hint that the fish is going to run. Then on the drop I wind the crank to pick-up line as I lower the rod tip. Using this method it takes a while longer to land a fish but most of the time you do land it. Based on my experience another thing to consider is that it seems that as the summer progresses the kokanee mouths get softer making it more difficult to get them in the boat. We bought one of those telescoping rubber nets this year and it has made a world of difference. Good luck and may the next kokanee limit come soon!

Thank you for the information. I am psyched now. I really do feel like I am on a mission to get them as I know they are great eating. As are the bigger rainbows. Unless I have the opportunity for steelhead or salmon.

[Toni]

HELLOFA WOMAN...is all i can say..LOLOLOL..
dont know if she hunts...
but if she does....
Bambi should be scared..WTG TONI...
DOG

You are funny.
I did hunt years ago but I have to choose because I don't have money or energy for both.
My best hunting memory was standing on the road with all those males, listening to them BS. I wander off and into the clear cut just yards away from them and get a spike in my sights, shoot it and it runs off. They come over running to see what I shot at. I couldn't find the deer. They were saying "Ya sure or you missed". I went over to where I saw the deer run to. It had collapsed right after it jumped over a huge log which hid it from view.
When gutting it we found that I shot half its heart away...right where I aimed!

[Matt]

I would recommend carrying a cooler as opposed to a stinger for keeping your catch fresh. This time of year surface temps on the water are around 60* which is no temperature to be storing raw meat at. Kokanee in particular have a tendency to go soft vary quickly if not properly cared for as well. I would recommend clipping a few of the gills (I usually just pop them out with my finger on each side) and allowing the blood to drain out then throw the fish in an ice box with lots of ice, this will keep them nice and firm/fresh.

Good looking catch! Keep it up!:cheers:

[bionic_one]

You can also get a 'snubber' which is basically a section of rubber tubing that will absorb the shock of the hit.

[Toni]

You can also get a 'snubber' which is basically a section of rubber tubing that will absorb the shock of the hit.

That wasn't the problem. It was at the boat.

[Matt]

You can also get a 'snubber' which is basically a section of rubber tubing that will absorb the shock of the hit.

That wasn't the problem. It was at the boat.

Snubbers don't ONLY help absorb the shock of the hit they also help take some of the tension of the rod off of the fish while playing it. They are helpful the entire time the fish is on, not just initially when they strike.

[fishing collector]

I found that using a 10.5 ft ultra lite noodle rod works quite well for kokanee. I have used both a $125 Lamiglas and a $50 Browning without any noticeable difference. So you might stay with the cheaper rod.The long ultralight rod seems to take up the shock of the strike and I don't have much of a problem with the hook releasing from the soft mouth. I use a down-rigger and keep the lure out about 100ft back from the DR Release. I don't use any weight when fishing for kok's. If we don't have a regular down-rigger then I use a makeshift one made from a 4-6oz ball weight hanging from a salmon reel and a half-rod on a rod holder. It works really well and is easy to transport when going from my boat to someone else's. Sometimes I don't even use a half-rod and reel.....just a handline and lead weight along with a regular type release. When trolling in a lake it doesn't really matter if you are only going down 30' or so, either way works well. Kok's are a real kick to fish for if you use light gear. Have fun this summer and enjoy yourself...take a kid with you and teach 'em how to fish. Good luck, Steve