How Do You Catch Kokanee Fish?

  • It’s better with a boat
  • There’s jigging and there’s trolling
  • Color matters, some
  • Troll slowly
  • Remember the bait
  • Select light gear
  • Think salmon lures but smaller
  • Go with a stout leader.

Can you use regular corn for kokanee?

Most serious kokanee fisherman know that nothing works as well for kokanee as White Shoe Peg Corn Shoe Peg Corn is a specialty strain of gourmet white corn grown in the Midwest in very limited quantities.

What do kokanee salmon like to eat?

Kokanee feed almost exclusively on zooplankton, tiny aquatic animals from the size of a pinprick to the size of a small fish hook. They will also eat tiny plants, insects, and freshwater shrimp when available They strain zooplankton from the water by means of many fine combs on the gills called gill rakers.

What time of day is best for kokanee fishing?

Now while kokanee will bite all day long, the early morning and late after are the best time windows through most of the year for fishing. Unlike many other freshwater fish, kokanee will readily eat during the middle of the day but at much deeper and colder depths.

What size hooks for kokanee?

Hooks: Dropshot hooks (also called splitshot hooks) are much superior to the traditional Octopus style hook, said Black. He prefers sizes No. 2 or No. 4 and whether they are red or black does not matter.

What is the best bait for Kokanee salmon?

Popular Kokanee baits are pink maggots (real or synthetic), dyed-cured shrimp and dyed-cured white shoepeg corn Be sure not to put too much bait on the hook as it will take away from the lure’s action. Once piece of corn or 2 small maggots on each hook is adequate.

Do kokanee like worms?

Scent & Bait Popular Kokanee baits are Pink Maggots (real or synthetic), dyed-cured shrimp, and dyed-cured White Shoepeg Corn Do not put too much bait on the hook as it will take away from the lure’s action. Once piece of corn or 2 small maggots on each hook is adequate.

What speed do you troll for kokanee?

Kokanee prefer slower trolling speeds than trout or walleye. 1.2 mph is the ultimate sweet spot and speeds ranging from 0.8 mph to 1.7 mph entice kokanee to strike in most situations. Kokanee may be aggressive but they sure can be picky about your tackle presentation.

Should you bleed kokanee?

Registered. as others have said, always bleed all fish you plan to keep finger in the gills and rip them loose.

Are kokanee good to eat?

Kokanee is best eaten just before the spawning stage Their flesh is the dazzling bright orange that many anglers long for, and it is richer in flavor than trout but softer than other salmon. If the fish is longer than 12 inches, you can fillet it.

What do kokanee fish like?

Kokanee are attracted to a variety of colours ranging from hot pinks, fluorescent red, bright orange and chartreuse Using UV and Glow colours are excellent during low light conditions and when fishing deeper water.

Where is the best kokanee fishing?

errr I mean Holy Water of Kokanee anglers. No other body of water is renowned for its big Kokanee than this giant desert reservoir straddling the border of Utah and Wyoming Three pound or larger Kokanee are more the norm here than any other reservoir in the world.

What time of year does kokanee?

Spawning begins in August and usually runs into early February but kokanee have been found spawning as late as April. Again genetic factors and environmental factors like temperature both play a role in this timing.

What is the best bait to catch salmon?

Salmon eggs are the top choice for bait, although sand shrimp are very popular for chinook salmon. Some anglers like to fish both at the same time.

Can you eat kokanee raw?

After all, kokanee are salmon, and, as you may well know, sockeye flesh is the reddest of them all. And that flesh is richer than most trout, a bit soft like salmon is, and hates being overcooked, although you cannot safely eat kokanee raw unless it has been frozen first for at least a week.

Can you catch and release kokanee?

Some anglers prefer to harvest a limit of the larger sized fish, while releasing the smaller, more abundant Kokanee in the process. Or catching and releasing once their daily limit has been reached in order to continue fishing.

How do you fish for kokanee without a downrigger?

One easy setup that can be used for trolling for deeper-water kokanee without a downrigger involves using a cannonball weight on a sliding sinker sleeve that leads to a swivel (see below), followed by a 18-24 in. leader to a dodger, and another 6 in. of line from the dodger to the terminal gear.

What line is kokanee on?

Line: Black prefers monofilament , because kokanee are known for having a soft mouth. Maxima Ultragreen in the 10- or 12-pound strength are his staples.

What can I use instead of a downrigger?

The secret to trolling without a downrigger is being able to replicate success. That is why I highly recommend a level-wind reel with a built-in line counter If you don’t have a line counter for your reel, just find a repeatable method to play out line. Another consideration when choosing a reel is spool size.

What’s the difference between corn and shoepeg corn?

The corn was named for its peg-like shape. Shoepeg has smaller kernels and is sweeter than yellow corn If you cannot find it at your grocery store, substitute either white or yellow corn in your recipes.

Sources

https://www.worksharptools.com/kokanee-fishing-101/
https://www.kokaneetackle.com/
https://myodfw.com/articles/kokanee-fishing-oregon

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