Kokanee

DUDE: You know I have read so many times on various fishing forums about how some guy had a great time fishing for kokanee. He is bragging about how many he caught and retained, and how many he caught and released "in good shape to live for another day." Thoughts?

KOKANEE: Maybe I'm mellowing a bit in my old age. I am always grateful for good intentions. But I also believe that there are times when good intentions produce not so good results.

DUDE: Let me guess -- it is more complicated than I would have thought, and probably more complicated the well-intentioned kokanee fisherman realized.

KOKANEE: Indeed. Let's start first with the fact of just how old are the kokanee that bite. Most kokanee will respond to a well-balanced color and scented lure starting in their third year. Spawning will take place later in either their third or fourth year depending on location. Biting has everything to do with spawning. For the kokes that will be spawning later in the season, their scales are on course to transition from soft and flaky to absorbed and hardened.

DUDE: Come to think of it, the scales are very soft and flake off easily in the early spring bite. They get on everything. But late in the season, the scales do not flake off at all.

KOKANEE: It is a natural process of maturing. By pre-spawn, the kokes are well along in resorbing their own scales. They need hardened scales to withstand the rigors of the spawn. Do you know why fish have scales?

DUDE: Scales are the protective outer layer of the fish's skin. I can understand why hardened scales are protective, but what about soft scales?

KOKANEE: The outer part of these soft scales has a consistency similar to mucous, making the fish extra slippery in the battle not to become prey. The slime can come off without a problem. But the scales themselves have a very important function -- they act as a barrier to ward off infection. If some of the scales are removed from the fish, infection easily moves in. Remember, theirs is a water environment. Infection is easy to come by. Fish will not be able to get a prescription for an antibiotic, and the fish has no biological mechanisms to replace the lost scales. The result is usually a slow and painful death.

DUDE: So how does the well-meaning fisherman cause the harm?

KOKANEE: The harm is more likely early in the season when the scales are very soft. The scales come off with the use of any net, as well as any touching with the human hand. Well intentioned fisherman wanting to remove the hooks so the "fish can live another day" are shredding those protective scales. And although the fish when released happily swims off, the fatal damage is already inflicted. That fish gives the impression that all is well. All is not well.

DUDE: So how long does it take?

KOKANEE: You mean before the infection becomes fatal? Depends. Hours. Days. But it will happen. Of course other species benefit. Ospreys for example love those well-intentioned fisherman. So do mackinaw -- lake trout. Fish in weakened condition become a tasty addition to the food chain.

DUDE: So if a fisherman wanted to simply just release the kokanee without touching it from any means, just how is that accomplished?

KOKANEE: Let me refine your question a bit. Remember we are talking about the time in their life cycle before the scales are fully hardened. Let’s say a fisherman has a two rod stamp - which many states now have. Two rods - but single limit. Let’s further say that the fisherman is one fish shy of a limit. Both rods are out. Bam. A double. Only one can be taken. There are only two choices. First, land the one and then "release the other to live another day" using the net and manually removing the hooks - and thus killing the released fish. The other choice is to land the one fish, but as to the other fish, just let it have some slack. Unless it has a hook through the bone in the snoot, it will self-release. Neat - no net, no human hands, no loss of scales. Actually does live another day.

DUDE: What if it does have a hook through the snoot?

KOKANEE: Easy. If you have brought the fish to the side of the boat and just let it swim there, the fish will be pretty tired. Control the distance to the side of the boat with your rod. This works best with the boat moving forward. Without netting the fish or touching it, simply cut the line as close as you can to the hook and let the fish swim off. In most cases, the fish will be fine.

DUDE: You said "in most cases."

KOKANEE: Yes that is what I said. And kokes are generally resilient to injuries as long as the injury does not entail scale removal. I have seen some of my friends with broken and partially split lower jaws reach full fat maturity. There are some other injuries I have seen that even I have been amazed that the fish survived.

DUDE: So as you have explained it, any contact with the soft early season scales is likely fatal. But as the season progresses, the soft scales become harder, and don't flake off. When the pre-spawn kokes have reached this maturity, and I want or need to release it, then I can use the net and actually touch the fish to remove the hooks.

KOKANEE: Correct. Just be aware that this is a gradual process over the course of the fishing season. A smart and caring fisherman will make these timing observations and react appropriately.

DUDE: I have caught kokanee in the later part of the season, and the scales are flaky and come off easily. What gives?

KOKANEE: Think it through. I told you that the process of scale hardening and absorption is a characteristic of the pre-spawn kokanee. If you catch a late season kokanee with flaky scales, then it is not pre-spawn. As it turns out, there are quite a few precocious young kokanee that are ready to chase lures as they get towards the end of their second year. They will spawn the following year.

DUDE: I told you that I read as much as I can -- with a critical eye on content -- and I have run across a couple of other kokanee concepts that I would like to ask you about.

KOKANEE: I'll do the best I can.

DUDE: I have heard rumors that there are kokes that are bred to become "late season spawners." I have friends in Idaho, who tell me they can fish for kokes on Thanksgiving, and the scales are hardened, but the fish have not yet turned color and the males are just barely beginning to show signs of a kype. Seems like most of us see color and kypes sometime in late July, and definitely by late August and for sure by Labor Day.

KOKANEE: The rumors are true. We kokes are fairly adaptable to our environments wherever situated. Some kokes developed genetic characteristics that better guarantee survival. Let us suppose a particular kokanee world is a draw down reservoir - so the alfalfa farmers can get their late summer water. In that situation it makes good sense to spawn earlier in the streams and feeder creeks as they will not be water to spawn in in the main body of water. But some kokes have an easier situation. For these kokes size matters genetically. A longer growing season means consistently larger kokes if the food supply is adequate to support them.

DUDE: No harm in larger kokes.

KOKANEE: When the early spawn/late spawn characteristics become predictable, then such a population of kokes can be introduced into a water system that would be compatible with that characteristic. Manipulation of the species.

DUDE: You are not going to wax philosophical on me now are you?

KOKANEE: No. Just sayin'

DUDE: I got an invitation for next year to go and fish Wickiup Lake in La Pine, central Oregon.

KOKANEE: Believe me -- I know about La Pine and Wickiup.

DUDE: I hear the kokes there are huge -- sixteen to twenty two inches or more, and the daily limit is twenty five. I was passing through there last September and decided to go check the reservoir out. I could not believe what I saw. The only water I saw was in the river channel. There were vast wide areas of shallow dry lake bed gently sloping to the river, which was not very wide.

KOKANEE: And you probably want to know where the fish go when the reservoir dries up. Well let me tell you. The reservoir is to capacity just about every year in spring. But during the season, the water is gradually drained out down the Deschutes River. When the dam was constructed, it was not constructed for kokanee. It was built to provide irrigation water for downstream farmers and alfalfa growers. The kokanee in Wickiup are early spawners. They have to be. And it may come as a surprise to you but the kokanee fishery at Wickiup is entirely natural.

DUDE: Not supplemented?

KOKANEE: Not at all. This is a great example of the adaptation I was speaking about earlier. The kokes have to be ready to spawn before the water supply challenges and limits their ability to graze. Fortunately, just enough water is available to make redds that will be properly oxygenated even with the draw down.

DUDE: But the size and the great number?

KOKANEE: With so much of the reservoir being shallow when full, the draw down encourages a great variety of insect hatches. One species in particular thrives there. These are a type of fly. In larval form they are called chironomids. They are produced in such abundance as to be mind-boggling. Wickiup kokanee have discovered that these chironomids are a better source of protein than the zooplankton water fleas known as daphnia. These chironomids don't run and hide when the sun comes up, and the kokes can feed on them round the clock. And they do. An abundant protein source makes for very large kokes, much the same as the Mysis shrimp did for the third year kokes at Wallowa Lake. Only the chironomids don't destroy the next generation of kokes.

DUDE: And let me guess, the second year kokes at Wickiup can eat chironomids because the fly larvae are small enough, unlike the Mysis.

KOKANEE: Exactly. So the second year kokes gorge and become very large second year olds. As such, they have more strength to make it through the severe winter conditions at Wickiup. So when spring comes, now as three year olds, they are still in great shape, large and cranky - just the way they should be. In the meantime the three year olds have spawned. The drawdown of the reservoir provides a good measure of protection as virtually all motorized boating ceases. If left alone, the redds will produce huge numbers of kokanee fry ready to start the cycle.

DUDE: You have taught me so much and I don’t know how to meaningfully repay you.

KOKANEE: Well, there is a way you can do that.

DUDE: Anything.

KOKANEE: You know all those mornings when you get on the lake just before first light, and then some light starts chasing the darkness away? How quiet and still things seem to be. Your mind is filled with anticipation of the great fishing day ahead. And you take a slow deep breath – just trying to take it all in. Don’t ever lose that feeling, and don’t keep it to yourself. Pass on such ethics to your children, and family and friends. Help out and encourage those just starting out in the sport.

DUDE: Yes, I can do that.

KOKANEE: I’ll be on my way now. Gotta fulfill my real purpose. It’s been great chatting with you and I’m really glad you responded in the way you did. As for me, the ladies are calling.

DUDE: Some years, kokanee are pretty small, but in other years out of the same fishery, the kokes are much bigger. Is there an explanation?

KOKANEE: Yes. The correct answer takes in many considerations. Better sit down, as this might take some time to lay out for you.

DUDE: Done.

KOKANEE: I want you to know that if I give away too much information, I might lose my spawning rights.

DUDE: All the more reason to pay attention.

KOKANEE: Size is first approached from an available food concept. And one needs to focus on the available food supply for a single kokanee. If you have just one large bucket of food for just one kokanee, that koke will be well fed. However, if all you have is one bucket of food for a thousand kokanee, then, with not much food to go around, no one is getting fat or big.

DUDE: OK -- number of fish and an available food supply – got it.

KOKANEE: You have only the start of it. Let’s talk about birth control.

DUDE: You are not going to play political football on me, are you?

KOKANEE: Would you rather catch a bunch of small kokanee or a few less of much larger kokanee?

DUDE: It’s obvious.

KOKANEE: Kokanee are not an endangered species. We are very successful at spawning, hatching, and generally have lower fry mortality than most salmon species. But if the spawning habitat is cut off from spawning kokes, then cutting off that habitat acts as birth control.

DUDE: Oh. Fewer fish for the same food supply equals bigger fish.

KOKANEE: For many excellent kokanee lakes, there are several spawning creeks coming into the main body of water. Placing weirs in the creeks so the kokes are not able to reach their spawning grounds effectively cuts down the population.

DUDE: So for the fisheries folks, it’s “to weir or not to weir – that is the question.”

KOKANEE: And their task is not quite that simple either. Science can make better predictions if there are fewer variables. And always keep in mind that science and politics don’t mix. To be considered are also the factors that affect the food supply itself. If the food supply has been constant over several years, then manipulating spawning grounds gives a more reliable result. Calculations are made based on the number of fish desired as a ratio to the reliable food source necessary to sustain that fish population.

DUDE: So you are saying if many variations affect the food supply, it becomes more challenging to use weirs as a means of birth control.

KOKANEE: Exactly. And many fish and game folks are thrown blame based on factors they cannot control.

DUDE: So what are some of the factors that affect the food supply?

KOKANEE: The pH of the water and the water temperature are the first to be considered. In chemistry, pH is a numeric scale used to specify the acidity or basicity (alkalinity) of an aqueous solution. Recall that the primary food for kokanee is plankton, more specifically zooplankton. Kokanee's favorite food is the zooplankton called Daphnia. Kokanee fry devour copepods, a smaller zooplankton. Zooplankton can move about in the water column and are not dependent upon wind and wave action to go on an adventure. Zooplanktons eat their share of the phytoplankton. Phytoplankton needs sunlight to produce the carbohydrates that the zooplankton rely on. If the pH of the water is too acidic, the beneficial green algae cannot survive. Algae, like other plants, utilize light to photosynthesize food for growth. Low temperatures slow algae growth. During the day, photosynthesis takes place due to the presence of sunlight. Algae draw carbon dioxide from the water to utilize during photosynthesis, promoting cell growth. Removal of carbon dioxide from the water raises the pH levels, as a result of the reduction in carbonate and bicarbonate levels of water, since they are used to replenish the lost carbon dioxide. At night, no photosynthesis takes place, so algae stop taking in carbon dioxide from water and go into a respiratory stage. During this respiratory stage, algae consume oxygen that was produced during photosynthesis and release carbon dioxide into the water. This increased production of carbon dioxide decreases the pH levels in the water at night.

DUDE: There’s more?

KOKANEE: Algae are a very welcome part of a lake’s ecosystem. They form the base of the food chain and are thus vital. They provide a source of food, energy, and shelter for the zooplankton, fish, and other aquatic organisms. Algae also play a strong role in the ability of an ecosystem to absorb nutrients and heavy metals.

DUDE: Temperature?

KOKANEE: If the water is too cold, green algae cannot sustain growth. This is the situation in the cold months of late fall, all of winter, and early spring. If the winter produces abundant snow in the high country feeding a lake, the rate at which that snowpack melts and flows to the lake determines, in part, how fast a lake will warm up after winter. Remember too that in winter the angle of the sun to a lake is lower than when the days get longer in spring and summer. Water has a great capacity to absorb infrared radiation (from sunlight) and to retain that gained heat. And sunlight drives the growth of green algae. So, snowpack inflows and the angle of the sun on the lake work together to make the lake’s temperature what it is.

DUDE: Let me see if I can apply this. Fishing in the early spring for kokes can be frustrating because the water is too cold and there is little food for the kokanee to eat, making them less active.

KOKANEE: Right. The type and amount of dissolved nutrients also affect algae growth. The most important one is the amount of phosphorus available and dissolved in the water. Less phosphorus, less algae.

DUDE: How do the dissolved nutrients get into the lake?

KOKANEE: You really have to think in terms of the entire watershed that comes into the lake. When the watershed has wildfires, nutrients are released that are washed downstream and wind up in the lakes. Heavy storms can cause significant erosion in upstream water paths. Rapid snowmelt can do the same. While some of the nutrients are already dissolved in the water flowing downstream, sediments that enter the lakes will take time to dissolve, becoming part of that lake’s ecosystem. So you can see that there are a lot of factors. In the old days, runoff from agriculture produced too much phosphates and other gunk into reservoirs.

DUDE: What other factors affect size?

KOKANEE: Manipulation of the natural food supply has sometimes produced huge kokes with disastrous long-term effects. Many years ago, Mysis shrimp were introduced into the Flathead Lake watershed in Montana. The Mysis managed to migrate downstream into Flathead Lake. The sole purpose was to be an enhanced food supply for the resident kokanee in the upstream lakes. The goal was to create large kokanee. Mysis shrimp pack a lot more protein than processing plankton. It is sorta like the difference between steak and salad. At least that was the theory.

DUDE: Let me guess. Things did not go as planned?

KOKANEE: Not even close. Glad you are sitting down. Remember, phytoplankton is the primary food source of the zooplankton, which in turn is the main food source for kokanee. Phytoplankton needs sunlight, so in most waters, phytoplankton distribution is limited to about the top 30 feet of the water column. Once the sunlight that penetrates the water column falls below about 10%, phytoplankton cannot achieve photosynthesis. Zooplankton migrate up the water column to feed in the evening because they avoid light. They descend the water column in the morning.

DUDE: OK so far. So I guess zooplankton are like lawnmowers -- consuming the green algae and keeping it in check. But what do the Mysis shrimp eat?

KOKANEE: They eat the zooplankton that the kokanee depend on. In fact, the Mysis way is to devour all of the Daphnia. Kinda like water Vikings. Mysis are vast consumers of the Daphnia and easily out-compete kokanee for that food source. The remaining zooplanktons, such as the copepods, are much smaller and less efficient at keeping the algae in check, and are much less of a nutritious food source for the kokanee. It has been thought that Mysis consumes more than six times the zooplankton as the kokanee do.

DUDE: Why don’t the kokanee eat the Mysis?

KOKANEE: In case you had not noticed, when kokanee emerge as fry, they are tiny. Mysis being 1–2 centimeters would be more than a mouthful. And the Mysis are eating the food that the kokanee fry and fingerlings need. No food, no survival. The two-year-old kokanee don’t eat them. With less and less available food, kokanee become size-challenged. Of course, there was a temporary exception over in Wallowa Lake in Northeast Oregon. Mysis were introduced, and the chain reaction started. But somehow the adults managed to develop a taste for Mysis, and as a result grew to record sizes. But when these monster kokes were caught or spawned, the kokanee fishery collapsed. And putting huge numbers of kokanee fingerlings into that lake made no difference.

DUDE: So the kokes that did survive had their main food source removed until the Daphnia could get re-established. And with less food, smaller kokes.

KOKANEE: And, another factor is the presence of predator fish that feed on kokanee. Generally, these predator fish, such as lake trout and larger rainbows, hang out at the lower part of the water column, and that is where the Mysis hang out during the day. These predator fish love Mysis and grow fat and large on the bounty. As a result, their numbers increase dramatically. And in turn, more predator fish feed on the kokanee population, reducing and in some cases devastating the kokanee population.

DUDE: So the kokanee never get a chance to get very big.

KOKANEE: Exactly. A double whammy.

DUDE: How long can it take to get things back in balance?

KOKANEE: 20 to 25 years. Some lakes never recover.

DUDE: I’ve got a feeling you can tell me more.

KOKANEE: So you are paying attention. Yes, there are more factors.

Next Month, the Conclusion of Interview with a Kokanee!

"Look at all those fish marks - kokanee for sure - darn things aren't biting though!"

It was a tough weekend of fishing for my wife JoAnn and I - lots of fish marks, but just a couple bites. Such is kokanee fishing. Kokanee anglers know this and accept our lot in life - some days can be lights out, other days you're scratching your head in frustration.

Kokanee anglers are always looking for the next great kokanee fishery and are eagerly searching the internet for fisheries that are exploding or unknown. To that list we humbly add Billy Clapp Reservoir. This reservoir and kokanee have an interesting history and offer a tantalizing possibility of another kokanee destination to add to Washington's list of quality kokanee fisheries.

I first became aware of Billy Clapp kokanee reading old reports from Dave Graybill, The Fishing Magician, a Central Washington expert on all things fishing. He talked about (and filmed) big, 18" kokanee coming out of Billy Clapp Lake. I scoured the internet and found tantalizing glimpses and reports of big kokanee caught over the years. Intrigued, I dig deeper, trying to puzzle out the mystery that is Billy Clapp kokanee.

My research revealed a few interesting factoids. First, up until recently (more on that in a bit) Billy Clapp Lake has never been stocked with kokanee. So how is it that it holds kokanee? For the answer to that, we have to talk about Banks Lake, just north of Billy Clapp.

Banks Lake has a long history of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife efforts to create a thriving kokanee fishery, but due to white fish and walleye predication the kokanee fishery has never been able to get firmly established. Oh, there's been some scattered reports of 14-18" kokanee being caught, but overall reports indicate small fish and little angler effort, save some locals that "may" have the fishery dialed in. Certainly, Banks is not considered a destination kokanee fishery. Add to that my recent conversation with WDFW biologist Mike Schmuk who informed me that the long term plan was to end the Banks Lake kokanee planting program. Mind you, WDFW has been planting 400-500,000 kokanee fry per year into Banks, so it's a big deal that WDFW has decided to close the chapter on kokanee in Banks Lake.

At this point you're probably asking what in the heck Banks lake kokanee have to do with Billy Clapp kokanee? Well, Banks Lake and Billy Clapp are connected by a long, large irrigation pipe which fills Billy Clapp Lake. This is all part of an amazing vision by one Billy Clapp, lawyer, who in the early 1930s with fellow community members of the town of Ephrata came up with the proposal of damming the Columbia River to supply irrigation water. Namely, their vision led to the creation of the Grand Coulee Dam. We can thank Billy Clapp for an irrigation and electricity producing system that has fed millions of people since its construction. Say what you will about the loss of free-flowing water for salmon reproduction, you have to concede that the Columbia Basin has been an amazing engineering accomplishment that has benefited and fed generations of people since its construction.

The underwater pipe that flows water from Banks reservoir into Billy Clapp reservoir also delivered thousands of kokanee into Billy Clapp. Those kokanee thrived in a nutrient rich environment and produced (for those in the know) some amazing kokanee fishing. But for most anglers Billy Clapp was an enigma, a tale, a destination less traveled and a place of legendary but seldom fished kokanee lore.

Fast forward to 2021. I spoke with WDFW biologist Mike Smuck regarding my interest in Banks Lake kokanee. During our conversation he mentioned several interesting things to me. First, after an involved study WDFD had concluded that further planting of kokanee in Banks Lake was futile. The plan is to stop kokanee plants after 2020, and to focus on planting Banks Lake for rainbow trout. Then Mike dropped a bombshell on me. He reported that rather than me fishing Banks Lake for kokanee I should consider Billy Clapp Reservoir. The reason being, as fish biologist for that region, Mike had the discretion to plant excess kokanee wherever he thought appropriate, and he chose Billy Clapp Reservoir. He revealed that in 2018 285,000 kokanee fry were planted in Billy Clapp, and in the next two years over 100,000 additional fry were planted. That’s a lot of kokanee fry planted in Billy Clapp Lake!

With that information in mind, my wife JoAnn and I decided to give Billy Clapp a try in mid-April of this year. We fished hard for two days and came up with no kokanee. Despite the poor fishing, I was heartened by a couple things. First, the water temp was cold - 46 to 48 degrees. What this told me was we were a tad early in our quest. Second and just as important, we marked a lot of kokanee, especially at the north end of the lake by the power lines. This told me the fish were there, and we were early.

For kokanee anglers willing to take a chance and spend a few days exploring Billy Clapp Reservoir, I think the potential payoff could be substantial. The lake has a history of producing large kokanee, that is well documented. And with a recent heavy stocking program there may well be a couple years of outstanding kokanee production for anglers willing to give it a try. The wild card is what does the future hold for Billy Clapp Reservoir? Will WDFW continue to plant excess kokanee fry in Billy Clapp? Will they support this fishery? Or will they let it die, to become another Kokanee Destination Legend? Only time will tell. In the meanwhile, Billy Clapp could be a sleeper kokanee destination that may yield you your next 18-20" kokanee.

*Pictured - a beautiful rainbow trout caught on our trip. These beautiful trout are in there and make an amazing bonus catch to those elusive kokanee!

KOKANEE: Hmm. So what wisdom do you now possess after tempering theory with experience?

DUDE: I would say the most important thing is that I have a lot more to learn.

KOKANEE: Then you really have spent a lot of time on the water. My buds and I get a kick out of all the experts out there who spend fortunes on all of the most expensive boats, the highest-priced electronics, sometimes all for naught. Well, at least they get a nice boat ride.

DUDE: I admit I don’t have the fanciest of boats, but it is adequate. My sonar is color, and it is dialed in. I do have reliable downriggers, proper releases, and a trolling motor. I did spend the dollars on getting quality reels to match the ultralight rods. I can measure water temperature at depth. Got the rubber net, so the trailing hooks don’t break off anymore.

KOKANEE: And what did having the proper equipment do for your success?

DUDE: Well, I sure eat a lot more kokanee than before. Using a very short leader behind the dodger really helped, as did using only minimum drag – letting my rod and reel work together.

KOKANEE: So, did you figure out why many kokanee fishermen lose their fish during the fight?

DUDE: I learned early. There is no “try” – only “do.”

KOKANEE: OK, Yoda – explain yourself.

DUDE: What seemed apparent to me is that the average fisherman, once a kokanee is hooked, makes several mistakes trying to get the fish to the boat. First, they do not take the slack out of the line as soon as possible. They don’t reel fast enough to get the tension back to the rod. And some don’t stop reeling fast once that point is reached and jerk the hooks out of the fish’s mouth. So, lack of tension and too much tension will result in that dreaded long-distance release.

KOKANEE: What is the second thing?

DUDE: Many of these long-distance release failures seem to be caused by the fisherman trying to pull the fish out of the water. They have their rods pointed to the sky at about 11 o’clock, and then put the tension on the rod. I figured out that the very last thing you want to do is get that attracting dodger to the surface.

KOKANEE: Why is that?

DUDE: The surface of the dodger interacts with the surface of the water, and that can become a significant point of resistance, allowing the fish to escape the hooks – something like too much tension when you are reeling in.

KOKANEE: So what is it you do?

DUDE: Once I get hooked up and eliminate the line slack, I turn sideways to the fish, forming a 90-degree angle between the fish and my rod. I then lower my rod tip to the water and work the fish by applying and keeping sideways pressure on the fish at all times. When I bend the rod away from the fish, I know what the fish is doing as I can feel it. As the fish gives way, I continue taking in line but keeping that rod bent a bit, keeping that line pressure on.

KOKANEE: Do you adjust the drag during the fight?

DUDE: Not ever.

KOKANEE: How much drag is correct?

DUDE: Just enough drag to keep the rod properly loaded in the downrigger without the line going out of the reel.

KOKANEE: What about if the koke is really taking line?

DUDE: Excellent. Big fish. That’s why I have the ultralight rod. It allows me to exert proper pressure on the fish with my sideways approach, regardless of the size of the fish. The trick with the big fish is to know when the fish is heading back to you. Make sure you take in that line to keep that tension in the line. Keep bending the rod away from the fish, then reel in the slack. Learning just how much pressure to exert is the trick. Only experience can perfect the technique. However, once you get it, it becomes second nature.

KOKANEE: Sounds like you have really learned a lot.

DUDE: Learning how to properly fight the fish made fishing way more enjoyable. And it resulted in way more fish in the boat. Making the rod and reel work together works on all species of fish — not just kokanee. So if I’m out on the ocean after big salmon, I use the same methods. If I am combat fishing along the river, the same technique.

KOKANEE: Sounds like you have really come a long way. But are you ready to take your learning to the next level?

DUDE: Let’s get ‘er done.

KOKANEE: As I take you through all this new stuff, the best way to orient yourself is to reflect on each concept as it applies to what you have already learned.

DUDE: I have been reading all I can. But there is a lot of bad information out there that is passed off as expert. The one person who really seems to give reliable information is that Fish With Gary guy.

KOKANEE: I would agree with you on that. He gives it to you straight. But consider this: he is really smart, but he is no kokanee.

DUDE: So for trolling, the standard setup is using a dodger as an attractor with a lure attached a short distance behind it – really short. Of course, the exception is the apex type lure, which needs room to move – so more like 18-20 inches. Some kind of scent is applied to the lure. This setup is unknown in nature, so why does it work to catch kokanee?

KOKANEE: For that, I need to take you back in history to the time of King Nerca. He was the originator of “not in my neighborhood.” Essentially, anything that invaded Nerka’s space was run out of Dodge. His aggression became both a rallying cry and a lifestyle for the entire species ever since.

DUDE: Really?

KOKANEE: To us, lo these many generations later, it is not fake news. And getting run out of Dodge is how the “dodger” was named.

DUDE: I don’t have to believe that, do I? No need to answer. Coming to the attracting dodger for a look see is a far cry from actually biting the lure.

KOKANEE: Glad you are staying focused. Technically, the dodger’s disturbance action provokes that attraction response. Getting the fish to react to bite stimulants is the trick. Notice I said stimulants – plural. You want the fish to have a biting response to the bite stimulants.

DUDE: So break it down for me, please.

KOKANEE: For kokanee, the first real bite stimulant is scent. And not just any scent. It has to be the kind of scent that is both compatible with the kokanee’s natural biting response and sufficient on the other hand to overcome that initial attraction response. While you may be 100% successful in attracting the fish, you still don’t eat dinner if the fish does not bite. And you need that biting response to be so powerful that it becomes to main focus for the fish.

DUDE: So what is the second bite stimulant?

KOKANEE: The second is visible, contrasting color.

DUDE: So why is scent first?

KOKANEE: Scent is dispersed into the water. We salmon species are known for our exceptional scent detection – measured in parts per million. Visible, contrasting color is visual for the fish at only about 20 inches or so. Scent is detectible over a far greater distance than 20 inches.

DUDE: Since the scent has a source, and if that source coincides with the visible, contrasting color, that is why they work together.

KOKANEE: Exactly.

DUDE: Remind me again about the 20 inches.

KOKANEE: It is often a challenge to get humans to accept that the human eye is vastly different than the kokanee eye. We simply cannot focus. We see near and far at the same time. We kokanee have relatively good contrast vision for dark and light, but very limited vision for color. We have to be about 20 inches from a target to discern its colors other than light and dark.

And that color has to be right in front of our snoot. So, as we approach a target, there reaches a finite point where the vision for light and dark suddenly flashes to color – and we could be talking about a distance of a quarter inch. Within that 20 inches – color; outside that 20 inches – shades of dark and light. Just barely inside those 20 inches is suddenly an explosion of color that a quarter inch before was only light and dark. That color flash, working with scent, creates its own biting response.

DUDE: You said visible, contrasting color more than once.

KOKANEE: Indeed, I did. On purpose. If the color is not visible, there is no color flash, no matter how close the fish gets to the target. We know that ordinary colors turn black at some point down the water column. However, as you recall from our last session, fluorescent colors do not fade provided there is some light to act on them

DUDE: Right. So even if there is only green, blue, indigo, and violet light left at that particular depth, a fluorescent orange with still be bright orange, even though there is no orange light to act on it.

KOKANEE: Don’t get me wrong. Black is a good fishing color if it contrasts with a fluorescent white or natural glow. Remember too that black will contrast with the color of the water except at deeper depths.

DUDE: And I do recall from our last discussion that the term “UV” is marketing speak for fluorescent. I also recall that UV light technically does not penetrate the water column more than just a few inches. So it is not UV light reacting with the lure colors. Visible light penetrates the water column, but is absorbed in stages as you go deeper in the water column. It is visible light that reacts with the lure colors.

KOKANEE: Exactly. Contrast is necessary because it makes the color easier to see. Not for humans, but for us fish.

DUDE: So, in tackle presentation, it is more important to understand how kokanee will actually see the presentation, rather than to evaluate it from a human perspective.

KOKANEE: But the one thing I can’t tell you is why a color or color combination works so well one day and not the next. It can even change hour to hour. I just know that it does. And most kokanee get the color change memo all at once.

DUDE: Sorta like getting a text?

KOKANEE: It is against the law to swim and use our cell phones at the same time.

DUDE: So to sum up this bite stimulant concept, we need our presentation to have abundant scent and bright, contrasting visible colors to be the most effective. For scent, most people use corn, or corn soaked in some kind of scent. From my view, adding corn to my lure makes the lure droop and interferes with its action. From your view, is this what is happening?

KOKANEE: You are correct. Weighing down an ultralight lure with corn does indeed interfere with the lure’s action, and it also acts as a drag. This is particularly true with the slow speeds that kokanee fishermen are fond of using. White shoepeg corn does work because it contains a particular enzyme that acts as a bite stimulant. So is it the corn or the enzyme in the corn that works? It’s the enzyme. So if you can deliver the bite stimulant enzyme without having the weight of the corn, you keep the action of the lure intact.

DUDE: How is that accomplished?

KOKANEE: In the past few years, there have been some significant industry efforts put into the science of scents. The results have been amazing. Scents now come in liquids and gels. You may want to try the gels on beaded spinners, simply putting the gel on the beads only – leaving the hooks bare. For the squids – hoochies. Try using only the liquid stuff. Simply dip the whole rigged up squid into the liquid, shake off a little of the excess, and you are ready to go. Again, leave the hooks bare. On spinner bugs, use a bit of gel on the body segments. Leave the hooks bare.

DUDE: Let me guess. Leaving the hooks bare eliminates the short bite. The fish is concentrating on the color and scent, and when the fish strikes the lure, the hooks have already done the deed.

KOKANEE: A year ago, you would not have gotten that.

DUDE: I guess there might be another good reason to use the gels and liquids. If there is a short bite, you don’t have to bring everything up to check and see if you still have corn, because you are not using corn.

KOKANEE: And using the scents instead of corn puts way more attractive scent on your lure.

DUDE: I don’t suppose you would mind telling me which scents are the most effective?

KOKANEE: That’s right. Don’t suppose.

DUDE: C’mon. I have been working so hard at getting better. Cut me some slack.

KOKANEE: Does your tackle box contain just one dodger and one lure?

DUDE: No. I have a lot of stuff to throw at them. I call it my arsenal.

KOKANEE: And the reason why you have an arsenal?

DUDE: Because I can’t tell from one day to the next which is going to be the most effective.

KOKANEE: Same with the scents.

DUDE: Oh.

KOKANEE: Here is a sampling of what my rivals have fallen on: Bloody Tuna, Tuna Garlic, Garlic, Kokanee Special, Mike’s Glo-Scent, and anything with anise. I’m not saying these are exclusive. Make sure you have an arsenal of scents. And the favorite scent for one body of water may not work very well in another body of water. Be sure and record your notes so you have a good record.

DUDE: I am faithful to my collection of 3×5 note cards. I record everything I can data-wise. Here is an example. I found out that pink, as a color, has a lighter, more natural version as well as the hot pink “in your face” kind of color. One day, the hot pink is tops, and on another day, the lighter pink rules. The pink stuff works pretty well earlier in the season, and then tapers off a bit. Then, toward the later part of the season, it seems to pick up again. Do you know why that is?

KOKANEE: I subscribe to several audio journals, and that concept has been explored. While there appear to be opposing camps, the best explanation for me is that, later in the season, maturing kokanee are undergoing hormonal changes, which makes the cones in their eyes more sensitive to pink. See my kype? Since I got this kype thing going on, pink seems a bit more intense.

DUDE: So, no help on the early season?

KOKANEE: Sounds like you don’t need any help.

DUDE: I guess that is a compliment. One thing I have found is pretty consistent. If I’m out later in the afternoon, using chartreuse works pretty well down to about 35 feet.

KOKANEE: Well enough about color, let’s move on.

To Be Continued…

This may or may not have taken place on one of my favorite kokanee lakes… but the advice is good whether it really happened or was just in my head…

KOKANEE: Ok, I'll admit it. I'm moody. But that does not mean I'm impossible. But being moody is as much fun for me as it is for the fisherman.

DUDE: You know, that might not be the case for all kokanee fishermen. Some can spend all day chasing you with no results. That is not fun.

KOKANEE: I suppose it is all in your perspective.

DUDE: So tell me why some days you cannot resist one particular color, and then the very next day you shun it.

KOKANEE: Well, it is a little more complicated. I hope you get it. If your readers had really carefully read and understood Kokanee University, Part 1, then the answer would be easy. But alas, you can lead some fish to water, but you can't make them swim.
So here goes.
Humans live in their world, and I live in mine. Most everything is different in my world from the human world. If a kokanee fisherman wants to become a whole lot better, he had better stop thinking about the material world and start thinking about what life is like in my water world.
I wonder how humans would like it if their favorite views were seen in contrasts of shades of gray, and light and dark. It might change their perspective a bit. Or suppose humans could only see color a distance of about 21 inches, and then only right in front of their nose. Or, how would humans react if they could not focus their eyes? Limited color vision and no ability to focus. For humans, limited color vision and no ability to focus would likely change a few things in your material world.

DUDE: You sound, maybe a little bitter. Only a guess, of course.

KOKANEE: I can do things in my world that humans only dream they could do. That kinda makes up for any human deficiency in my water world. Balance is achieved. It helps comfort me that my brain is the size of a pea, while the human brain…

DUDE: Please don't go there.

KOKANEE: As I was saying, my color vision is quite limited. And although I can see in shades of gray and black, the clarity of the water becomes a major issue for me. If the water clarity is limited, then that governs how far I can see contrast. Sometimes, the lack of water clarity makes it almost impossible for me to even see color within that 21-inch window.

DUDE: And the effect of light at depth?

KOKANEE: For sure, things get darker at depth. Go deep enoug,h and there is no light. Water literally eats light. Water gobbles light. Depending on the time of year, as much as 40-50% of the light that hits the water is reflected back and away from the water. That means there is less light under the water. Always. No exception.

DUDE: You said that water eats light?

KOKANEE: So I did. You are paying attention. When you go down the water column, things get darker. But not darker red or darker orange. As you descend the water column, it gets a reducing combination of darker green, blue, and indigo and purple before it goes completely black.

DUDE: So what happened to red, orange, and yellow?

KOKANEE: Dude, the water ate it.

DUDE: When?

KOKANEE: Up front. First the red, then the orange, and then the yellow. Gone. And this happens very quickly in fresh water. Except for early season, most of the fishing for us kokanee takes place in water that contains only green, blue, indigo, and violet light.

DUDE: Ok. I know that visible light can be put through a prism, and it then breaks down into the colors of the rainbow. In fact, as I recall, the colors of the rainbow are always displayed in the same sequence. Freaky?

KOKANEE: This is where you could benefit from having a pea-sized brain. When I am talking about color, I am really talking about wavelengths. Most colors that are visible are a blend of other visible colors.

DUDE: Let me stop you right there. You used the term "visible." Are there colors that are invisible?

KOKANEE: No. And I guess I have to make an admission that you humans and we fish actually have something in common. We are both vertebrates, and we have vertebrate eyes. Within our eyes are structures that connect our eyes to our brain. We both have corneas, and attached to these corneas are both rods and cones. Although we have them in different proportions, these rods and cones operate the same way. Simply stated, rods help us differentiate between light and dark, while cones take care of visible color detection.
Color is only a visible concept. If you put all of the visible colors together, you get white. White light is what daylight is all about. Run that white light through a prism, and you get a display of the rainbow.
When you look at that rainbow, the colors are always displayed the same way. That is because visible colors have specific wavelengths. Wavelengths are measured by frequency. Frequency can be thought of as a way to measure how long or how short the wavelength is. In the visible spectrum, red has the longest wavelength, whereas violet has the shortest. All of the other visible colors are in between.

DUDE: OK. But how does water eat light?

KOKANEE: It eats light by wavelength frequency. As you descend the water column, the longest wavelengths are eaten first. That would be the visible color red. Go a bit deeper, and you also lose the visible color orange. Go deeper, and you also lose the visible color yellow. The very last visible color to get eaten is violet. After that, the water is black.

DUDE: I guess that black is the absence of light.

KOKANEE: Technically, black is the absence of visible light. There are other wavelengths out there that you might understand and feel the effects of, but their wavelengths are outside of the visible color spectrum.

DUDE: I hear so much about UV light. All of the manufacturers want me to buy their stuff because it is "UV."

KOKANEE: Here is where I get to "see" how much you have been paying attention. "UV" is short for ultraviolet. It is called ultraviolet because it is in that part of the spectrum that is beyond violet. It has shorter wavelengths than violet.

DUDE: But if UV light has a shorter wavelength than violet, then that means that it is not part of the visible spectrum.

KOKANEE: Exactly.

DUDE: So what about the claims that fish can see UV light?

KOKANEE: That claim is nonsense. Go back to our discussion of the vertebrate eye. We have rods and cones. There are no rods or cones that can detect UV light. There is a study that attributes UV detection to the Japanese Dace and some goldfish. It has never been shown that salmonids can detect UV light.

DUDE: But the fishing tackle makers would never lie to us, would they?

KOKANEE: Decide that for yourself. I can tell you this: their terminology is incorrect, and the reasons they give for their product's effectiveness are incorrect. However, the products are effective.

DUDE: Now you are really confusing me.

KOKANEE: I specialize in confusing fishermen.

DUDE: Well then, what is the correct terminology for "UV?"

KOKANEE: The correct terminology is the term "fluorescent."

DUDE: Then why don't the tackle makers call it "fluorescent?"

KOKANEE: I suppose because it is a lot harder to spell than "UV." And "UV" is a lot easier to text.

DUDE: Is that black light charging the material, you know, to make it glow?

KOKANEE: No. Glow is phosphorescence. It gives off light energy (glow) regardless of whether there is light present, provided that it has been "charged. Fluorescent materials do not need to be charged. All that is required is for some available light to act on it. Fluorescent materials retain their color all the way down the water column. There is no color fade.

DUDE: Color fade?

KOKANEE: Ordinary colors can fade as you go down the water column. Ordinary red will turn black in just a few feet of water. But a fluorescent red will remain red all the way down the water column, provided there is some light to act on it. Even if there is only one percent light way down deep.
Fluorescent red will remain red in the absence of the red wavelength in the water column. And you will recall that red is the first wavelength to be eaten by the water as you descend the water column. Because I have cones in my eyes, I can see a fluorescent red at 50 feet - if there is some light - even just blue/purple light at that depth.

DUDE: So no fading. Does this work the same for all fluorescent colors?

KOKANEE: Yes. In fact, some fluorescent colors are so effective, they get brighter in the water as you go down the water column. In any event, no fade.

DUDE: You said that the stuff marketed as "UV" is mislabeled.

KOKANEE: All of the stuff marketed as "UV" is really fluorescent. So all of the stuff you bought as UV is still good stuff, but call it UV as much as you like, it is not a dragonfly - it is fluorescent. Remember, since that stuff is in fact fluorescent, there is no color fade as you descend the water column and likely gets brighter as well.

DUDE: Would using UV/fluorescent materials increase the visibility of my presentation?

KOKANEE: That is exactly what it does.

DUDE: But you earlier told me that you can only see color about 21 inches in front of your snoot.

KOKANEE: True. But you forgot that I can see contrast in shades of dark, light, and grey at a farther distance. Fluorescent material can still be detected outside that 21 inches because they do provide good contrast.

DUDE: Fluorescent colors retain their color all the way down the water column, independent of your ability to detect them at distance, correct?

KOKANEE: Correct. Color is not the way I get attracted to your lure. What makes me want to investigate is not color, but vibration.

DUDE: Vibration?

KOKANEE: Yep. I'm thinking about good vibrations.

DUDE: Is there a difference between the way sound acts in water than it does in the air?

KOKANEE: Yes, and very much yes. For one thing, sound travels in air at about 1,000 feet per second. You humans see a flash of lightning, then count off one/one-thousand, two/one-thousand, three/one-thousand to determine how far away that lightning struck.
But sound travels way faster in water than in air. Sound travels in water at 5,000 feet per second. And I'm not just talking about sounds that you humans can hear. I'm talking about sounds that are beyond human ability to detect. I assure you that I can detect sounds that you cannot. Just because you cannot hear such a sound does not mean that such sounds do not exist.

DUDE: My head is starting to reel.

KOKANEE: It is fine with me if you would like to take a break. A few minutes to stretch, perhaps?

DUDE: Yes, that would be fine. Catch you then.

KOKANEE: Not likely.

To be continued....
 

Where superstitions rule on my boat, making sense of scents is a bit of a challenge. What scent, how often to apply it, and washing things down at the end of the day are all done with a nod toward my personal superstitions. Get it wrong, and I’m facing seven years of bad luck! Whether or not you’re superstitious, here are a few smelly tips to help ensure luck is on your side.

The application of scents to your lures and bait can act as an attractant or bite stimulant. It can also mask odors that repel fish. You can help reduce offensive orders by keeping your hands clean and free of sunscreen, bug repellent, petroleum products jellyfish goo, and tobacco products residue. On the day of your fishing trip, try to use unscented soaps or a light vinegar solution to wash your hands.

The use of scents should complement your game plan. They should work together with your presentation, location, and gear set-up.

There are numerous scent formulations out there: gels, liquid, sticky liquid, wax, oils, and water-soluble. Most scents are available in different “flavors". 

Frequently scent oils are used to infuse other bait to create a hybrid cocktail that your target species will find irresistible. 

With most sticky liquids, gels, paste and waxes you simply apply a small amount to your lures and let it work its smelly magic. Apply a thin even layer to the underside of spoons, spinner blades and plugs. Assure that the application doesn’t hinder the lure action. Scents can be very effective when applied to your dodgers or even downrigger balls.

Water temperature is your driver for how frequently to refresh your scent. With warmer water, you should pull your gear and refresh the scent more frequently. For most fisheries, I check the gear every 20 minutes or so and reapply the scent at that point. 

When using some of the paste type of scents it is a good idea to wipe your lures down between each application. Otherwise, you may experience waxy buildup which could affect the lure’s action or even your hearing. What was that, did I just hear a groan?

If using a scent cocktail that includes dyes, it is a good idea to wear nitrile gloves and work over a towel or a work surface separate from your boat. Bait dyes are potent and will stain both your boat and skin. There were many times during my suit and tie days when I was giving a presentation with orange, pink, or blue fingers

Liquid scents can be used to marinate herring, shrimp, white shoepeg corn, chicken livers, salmon eggs, and dough baits. Place your bait of choice in one liquid scent or another overnight.

One of my go-to kokanee baits is tuna corn. A day before a trip I upend a can of white shoepeg corn into a mesh strainer and let it drain overnight in the fridge. Then I open a tin of packed-in oil tuna and pour the excess oil into my drained corn. I divide the corn/tuna juice mix evenly between some small containers or Zip-Lok snack bags and then add a different scent of oil to each container or bag. 

Many freshwater salmon anglers marinate herring, sardine fillets, or shrimp in their secret mix of scent oils and amino acids then use the enhanced bait for trolling or wrapping their plugs.

Regarding flavor, everyone has their personal favorites for a given fishery. I find that garlic, anise, and carp-spit oils work best for Westside kokanee. For most Puget Sound salmon fisheries, I am partial to Anchovy. For general freshwater fishing, you can’t beat nightcrawler/garlic or anise. These are a few of my personal preferences (superstitions). There are a gazillion different scents available. Here in the PNW, scents like anise, sand shrimp, krill garlic, or bloody tuna seem to enhance any fishery.

It would be a good idea to visit a tackle shop in the vicinity of your fishery to pick up the local favorite. With its proximity to some solid fresh and saltwater fisheries, Holiday Sports in Burlington is a great source for local fishing information. Their scent corner is well stocked with numerous brands and different scents. 

Any scent discussion must include a segment on proper storage. Scents have different shelf lives depending on the product. Generally, they are: 

Super Gels, Sauces and Paste: 7–10 years

Bait Oils: 3–5 years

Water Soluble: 3–5 years

It would be a good idea to use a permanent marker to mark the purchase date on your scent bottles. Typically, you’ll run out before they are ineffective but knowing when you purchased them gives you something to talk about. “I caught that huge walleye on 10-year-old worm sauce”.  

A couple of thoughts on storage:

On the boat store your scent collection out of direct sunlight in a cool place. While fishing I put a wet towel over my scent containers on my workstation, making sure to keep it damp as required.

At home store them in a dry, cool place. Preferably a metal cabinet in the garage or in the bait/beer fridge. The mice in my garage love to chew through scent bottles.

At the end of the day, make sure you clean your gear. Being superstitious I use Lemon Joy to wash all my lures and attractors. Lemon Joy or not, just make sure you clean everything after each trip.

Where your local knowledge, trip planning, gear set-up, and presentation are important in a successful outing, the use of scents will help you consistently fill the fish box. 

Proper scent storage, application, and clean-up will go a long way in making sure your fishing trip doesn’t stink!

So, you want to become a better kokanee fisherman? Yes, we all do. I assure you that you can be, but it takes some effort. It is not just getting out on the water, but it is using solid knowledge about kokanee that will make you more effective when you are on the water.

A while back I put together a wheel showing the inter-related concepts that occur in successful kokanee fishing. For a starting point of this paper, please consider:

The idea is that if you get all of these factors right in your presentation, then you are fishing with 100% efficiency. There is some truth that IF you are in the right temperature zone, using a correct dodger at the right speed, then you are hovering around 50-55% effectiveness. Even a blind sow gets an acorn occasionally. But you will be at 0% effectiveness if you are not in the correct temperature and using the wrong presentation setup. As a fisherman, you already know that from practical experience. Taking the time to learn about all of these related factors will most likely help you become a better overall fisherman for kokanee and other species as well.

The single best predictor of kokanee location is temperature. I am not talking about surface water temperature, but rather the correct temperature down in the water column, or temperature at depth. For kokanee, the preferred temperature is close to 54 degrees. They can indeed be found at temperatures between 44 and 59 degrees. Below 54 degrees the kokanee are less active. Much above 54°, any extended stay will have detrimental or even lethal effects. Kokanee biology functions best at 54 degrees, and they will seek it out if it is available.

That temperature provides the most efficient growth from feeding. That temperature also allows for the least amount of energy consumed for swimming and generally being in the business of being a kokanee. Wherever that 54 degrees is in the water column, that is your target depth. Early season temperatures may not be as high as 54°, which accounts for sometimes slower fishing. There are a few reliable devices available that you can use such as the Fish Hawk model 840. Search Amazon for more options. 

Since kokanee have a very elongated air bladder, you can use your fishfinder to determine their approximate depth. Kokanee will show a bright orange with a color fishfinder. Take an average depth of the images and have that as your initial target depth. Set your presentation within five feet top and bottom of that target depth. If the fish that hit your presentation are smaller than what is generally being caught, lower your target by five feet. Continue this process until you are zoned in.

Generally, kokanee fishing picks up in the spring, when water temperatures are warming, and continues through August. This period can be broken down further into categories, each with distinctive features and methods for the best approach to your fishing. But to grasp the reasons for the differences, some additional discussion is necessary.

Zooplankton is animal plankton. Zooplankton can move about without being totally dependent on current and wave/wind action. For our kokanee, the most important zooplankton are daphnia (water fleas). Daphnia are intolerant of light and when sunlight hits the water, daphnia descend down the water column. In spring, the kokanee are waiting for them from below. The chase often ends (or continues) with kokanee jumping out of the water, much to our entertainment.

The absolute enemy of kokanee is the tiny mysis shrimp. Mysis eat the phytoplankton at such a rate that it virtually eliminates the food supply available to young kokanee. If there are no young kokanee, soon there will be no mature kokanee. These lessons were learned too late in Flathead Lake and Lake Tahoe.

As long as the kokanee can find that plankton in their preferred temperature range, all is good. Kokanee gorge and grow and grow and gorge. But as the season progresses, 54 degrees continues to lower in the water column and reaches a point where there is no growing phytoplankton where the 54-degree temperature depth is located.

The temperature range has dropped in the water column to the point where 54 degrees is below 10% light. The result is that the phytoplankton, though abundant, is in a temperature that is too warm for the kokanee. When that happens, kokanee will stop eating. And stop growing too. This is when kokanee enter the pre-spawn period. And changes start happening to the kokanee, as their stored energy (from gorging) is then directed to those body parts necessary for spawning.

A key factor for growing large kokanee is how long that 54 degree zone can remain within the growing plankton. Keeping that zone in the phytoplankton is influenced by inflows (the cooler the better), reservoir depth, and amount of heating (infrared) by the sun. If the water warms too quickly, kokanee will not have enough time to feed to achieve their maximum potential size. And there can be even more dramatic size downward if there are too many mouths for the available food supply at the temperature where kokanee prefer. Obviously, the spring weather and natural spawn success have a lot to do with it in either case. A mild spring, with an excellent slow melting substantial snowpack is ideal.

You can easily confirm the pre-spawn time. If you land a kokanee and clean it, and if the stomach is empty, that not only tells you it is pre-spawn, but it also tells you that the 54 degrees is now below that 10% light threshold in the water column. Fortunately for us, kokanee will continue to strike out at a proper setup, even in reduced light. Even in no light.

Understanding this fundamental principle that water absorbs light and that there is always less light at depth is the first step in deciding what dodger and lure combination (the setup) to fish.

To proceed further, we have to understand another two interlocking principles. Kokanee are first attracted to proper vibration, then to color. It is not the other way around. Proper vibration and color cannot be separated.

Yes, scent does play a role, but even the correct scent will not make up for a bad presentation at incorrect depth, speed, and dodger/lure choice. In fact, a bad scent choice will condition the kokanee not to strike. That is one of the best reasons to have scent choices on hand and to move to new fishing areas with a different scent. Simply staying in the same area but changing scents will do nothing to remove the bad scent already in the water. Only time and current can do that.

Regardless of species, we have all seen at times fish come and have a look at our presentation, only to swim away. When we send a setup to the target depth we are trying to accomplish two things. We want our setup to attract our target fish, and we want our setup to provoke a striking response to our lure. The whole point of kokanee fishing is to catch kokanee (and enjoy being on the water of course). But we do not put microscopic plankton or tiny daphnia water fleas on our hooks and go from there. As it turns out, kokanee are in fact attracted to colors, contrasts and objects that do not exist naturally in their environment.

Leading the proper setup is a dodger. The lure is then attached to the dodger by a short leader. Frankly, the shorter the better - a minimum of five inches but no more than 14 inches (except for apex types). The deeper your target depth is in the water column, the shorter the leader. For squids, RGTs, hoochies and bugs a five-inch setback is more productive than a 14-inch setback regardless of target depth.

But what does the dodger really do? The dodger is the most crucial part of your setup.

As the dodger moves forward through the water, it displaces water. When water is displaced, it creates a wave. The kind of wave and its intensity is determined by the shape of the object moving in the water and how fast it is moving. While a sleek shape will still make a wave, a shape that moves side to side will produce more intense waves. Squids, RGTs, hoochies and bugs are sleek. But while they still make a wave as they are pulled through the water, they do not make much of a wave. Yet place them a short distance behind a dodger that is moving side to side, and you have given your sleek presentation abundant action.

This back-and-forth displacement of water is creating a particular kind of wave: a low-frequency sound wave. Even though we cannot hear it, the important thing is that kokanee can hear it. How they can hear it deserves some comment. Kokanee have three tools to aid in sound detection. The first is their inner ears up front. The second is the lateral line on each side. Lateral lines are really a series of pores that contain a network of sensory structures called neuromasts. The third is the very elongated air bladder that kokanee have (much longer than in other freshwater fish). This air bladder acts like a drum in picking up sound waves. The three tools work together to give the kokanee a three-dimensional picture of what direction the sound is coming from.

Be assured that the sound you are creating with your dodger travels outward, upward, downward, backward, sideways and forward at speeds way in excess of the speed you are trolling. And kokanee can swim way faster than you are trolling.

If you are to be a successful kokanee fisherman, then you want your setup to make the kind of sound waves that will in fact attract kokanee. This is to also say that if you want to be a successful kokanee fisherman, you do not want your setup to make sound waves that repel kokanee. In my opinion, using flashers either ahead of the dodger or on the downrigger ball produce just the kind of sounds that repel kokanee. The reasons are basic. 

Every manufacturer of flashers claims that their action produces sound that mimics wounded baitfish. And that they do, without question. Essentially flashers are predator attractants. Except kokanee are not attracted to wounded baitfish. But fish that eat kokanee are attracted to wounded baitfish. Any right-thinking kokanee (a survivor) has learned the sound of predators and what attracts them.

Kokanee hear that sound and go the opposite direction. You might in fact pick up a kokanee using flashers because there is always a really dumb one in the mix. But you will scatter the rest quickly. Many times I have heard and read that when the fishing is slow, use flashers. Bad advice. If the fishing is slow, change your setup to a larger dodger and different matching lure. Change location. Change scent. Change speed. Adjust depth.

Next month I will go further into kokanee eyesight, colors, and presentation to up your kokanee success. 

Gary Gordon | Fish With Gary Tackle Company

https://www.fishwithgary.com

By Mike Carey

“Conconully, that tiny town nestled in a mountain valley on the sunny side of Washington's North Cascades, bounded by two lakes, and embraced by state and national forests -- is waiting for you. It is a unique community in the heart of Okanogan County and the welcome mat is always out!”

Thus starts the Conconully Chamber of Commerce web site. JoAnn and I had been looking forward for months to our Memorial Weekend get-away to Liar’s Cove Resort in Conconully.

As we drove our final miles, climbing up the Conconully Road from Omak, the trees and green hillside became ever more beautiful. Then, appearing on our left, we saw Conconully Reservoir, glistering dark blue, the sun just beginning to settle behind the hills to the west.

Trout dimpled the surface, a promise of good fishing to come. We knew at that moment it was going to be a special weekend.

The genesis of our holiday weekend getaway actually began in Puyallup many months earlier. Wandering the Sportsman’s Show, we stopped at the Conconully Chamber of Commerce booth.

There we met a friendly, easy-going man by the name of Gene Bussell, owner of Liar’s Cove Resort. I introduced myself and reminded him that they were sponsors on our web site. “Are we now?” he replied. “Well, you’ll have to come out and pay us a visit”. Twist my arm and show me where to sign up!

Just like that we had our Memorial Day weekend booked (no small bit of luck, that, and in a nice lake view cabin no less) and months to wait in anticipation.
I’d been to Conconully once before, what seemed like a million years ago.

Memories faded by time, I do remember some pretty decent fishing.

But not at all what we were about to experience…

We pulled up to the resort, our brand new boat in tow. When we checked in we got to meet Linda, Gene’s spouse. She and Gene run a first rate family resort! Even with a twenty foot boat and the resort sold out, I had no difficulty parking.

With Gene ever present driving his little white golf cart, er, mini-truck on the grounds I felt no anxiety leaving my gear in the boat. Rig parked, we unloaded and took our dogs, Rudy and Diesel, for the first of many walks over the next three days.

The dogs were in dog heaven, sniffing a plethora of new smells, taking in new sights and sounds. Plus, the family atmosphere that is Liar’s Cove resort meant lots of kids and other dogs to meet and greet. Yup, we had two happy dogs this trip.

Morning came and I awoke at 5:15am to the sounds of birds greeting me. Anxious to get on the water and fish, I left JoAnn snoozing and backed my boat down the state park launch. The launch is unimproved, but has a nice angle and steady drop off making it easy to launch my boat. Liar’s Cove also has a boat launch, but for a bigger boat the state park launch is the better choice.

As I pulled around from the launch and motored over to the dock, two friendly early bird anglers, Mike and Jason, assisted me tying down my boat. I walked to our cabin and tried to get JoAnn up, but she was having none of 6ish in the morning fishing, so we agreed to meet at the dock at 7:30am.

When I returned to my boat, it occurred to me that fishing all alone in a twenty foot boat would be kind of lonely and a waste of a lot of good fishing space. Seeing an opportunity to share my good fortune, I invited Mike and Jason on board.

They were more than happy to join me, and very soon we were steadily hooking trout and kokanee on the glass smooth lake. I don’t know something about being in a small town, far away from the craziness that is the Puget Sound corridor just makes people friendlier.

At least, that was our experience this weekend. The fishing was steady and we lost as many as we caught. By the time we returned to the dock to get JoAnn and the dogs, my new friends had a half dozen trout and kokanee to add to their stringers.

JoAnn and I continued the fast action on our own. Dogs comfortably resting, we targeted the kokanee at the far end of the reservoir, by the dam. This end of the lake is the deep end, dropping down to 48 feet in a large oval bowl.



I ran the downriggers down to twenty five feet, which kept us below the prolific rainbows. The kokanee kept us busy over the next hour and a half. Small dodgers, pink or orange hoochies, and a piece of corn were all we needed.

The kokanee weren’t huge, running 10-12”, but they were plentiful. It was an easy limit of five each and we were heading back to the cleaning station with our fish, done for the day fishing, and ready to relax and explore the area.



Conconully isn’t big. Heck, there’s only a couple dinners/bars, a small museum, store, Post Office, and (yes!) place to get fresh espresso (Salmon Creek Bistro). But each place we visited felt like home. I’ve never met so many nice, friendly people in one spot before

It must be the water, or maybe it’s the air. I can say this for sure – this is one friendly little town! Of course, if you yearn for fast food the towns of Omak and Okanogan are just down the hill, fifteen miles or so, a whole lot closer than my daily commute to work.

But that’s just the reason you would want to come to Conconully – to get away from hustle and bustle, to stop. And breathe. And relax for a moment and leave the insanity of your city life far behind.

And you will, trust me; you will feel your brain waves mellow out and slow down. You’ll feel yourself begin to have an inner smile again as your worries drop away. And if you don’t? Well, then, buy a duck!

Huh? What? I said buy a duck, or three or four. And don’t miss this fun event. The Duck Race. That’s right, a duck race. But not the feather kind, no, these ducks are your vintage rubber duckies. But they aren’t in your bathtub.

They get released into the creek that runs from the upper lake into the reservoir. Each duck has a number. The top three ducks earn cash prizes for the winners. It’s a super fun event, with kids running along laughing and cheering on the ducks.

Like I said, the town of Conconully is all about good, family fun. Other events to check out include a real small town Fourth of July celebration, Cowboy Caviar in August, Grubstake Open Golf Tournament, Town-wide yard sales, and not to be missed, in January internationally covered, The Outhouse Races. Yes, outhouse races.

Let your imagination run wild, or just come on up and check it out. OK, the anglers out there want fishing info, and I’m going to share it. If you thought the lower lake (reservoir) was good, then I have to tell you, the upper lake is just as good! The next day I again set out on my own at 5:30am, this time to try the upper lake.

This lake is a long, narrow, deep lake. Although, I would call it a reservoir as well, since there is a long earthen dam at the city end of the lake. This, by the way, is an excellent spot for bank anglers to wet a line.

The state park also has a launch on this lake. It’s paved, two lanes, and has a long dock, which made putting my boat in a breeze.

As soon as I launched and turned on my fish finder I was struck by the amount of meter marks indicating soon to be “fish on”. Now, I won’t say exactly where I started fishing, but I will say, I don’t think it would have mattered much.

Because everywhere I motored I saw lots of fish on the fish finder. Gene told me earlier the state had planted several hundred thousand kokanee and trout in the two lakes, plus, the chamber of commerce plants larger fish as well.

And, for you warm water anglers, both lakes have healthy populations of smallmouth bass – with some real trophy fish to be had!

Back to the kokanee… as soon as I put my gear down, it was “fish on”. I mean, literally, apply brake on downrigger, tighten rod slack, and bamm! A kokanee. The upper lake kokanee acted like they had never seen kokanee gear.

They would slam my rigs and pop releases left and right. And these fish were a bigger class. We caught 12 to 15 inch kokanee.

By that, I mean to say; after I caught my five fish I returned to the cabin (that long, one mile drive, right?) and woke JoAnn up. By 8am she and the dogs were enjoying the same hot action I had just experienced on my own. I know, it’s tough, isn’t it? We had ten kokanee by 9am, all 12-15 inch shiny bright fish.

Word of advice, drop your gear down to 28-35 feet to avoid the rainbow trout. I have nothing against rainbows, but if I can get kokanee like we were catching then I’m on a mission! As to the gear, we used small dodgers and a small hoochie with a Colorado blade in front, and a 10” leader.

Add a piece of corn and every few minutes it was bouncing rods, barking dogs, and a whole lot of big grins.

There is one thing I would be remiss if I didn’t mention. Last year, this area had a lot of fires. Some of the Washington’s worst fires were in the areas around Conconully. We witnessed evidence of fire damage and were grateful that the town survived intact.

Gene and Linda want you to know the town is welcoming guests with open arms. Small towns like Conconully depend on our tourism dollars to survive. I hope I’ve gotten your interest and you’ll give this little corner of Washington a try. I think you’ll be very happy you did.



Liar's Cove Resort

By Mike Carey

There has been speculation exactly why anglers are seeing such large and healthy kokanee in Lake Chelan. Site member Toni (Wannafishalure.com) recently contacted WDFW Fish Management and got these two responses:

From Larry Phillips, Fishery Manager

"My understanding of Kokanee (based on what I’ve read in the published literature) is that growth is closely related to density. More kokanee=smaller size. Because they are specialized feeders (almost exclusively daphnia which is a species of zooplankton), they can overgraze their forage base.

I suspect that in the case of Lake Chelan we had a couple of weak year classes prior to the year-class that supported last year’s fishery. The weak year classes may have been the result of high water or high predation which limited overgrazing.

This would have given the prey base a couple years to build and support much higher growth. Obviously this is a guess because I’m not the biologist for that area.

Recall that all kokanee are genetically identical to sockeye and most naturally occurring sockeye populations have an associated resident (kokanee) component. Also recall that several 20+ inch kokanee were caught in American last year……so Whatcom Lake (our state source for kokanee) also has high growth potential.

When prey abundance is high kokanee have the potential to get very large. Several other factor can affect growth but it typically comes down to the relationship between kokanee abundance, prey availability, and prey size. Other issues include predation, temperature, and turbidity."

From Travis Maitland, Fish Biologist

"Larry’s previous explanation to you of what has been going on with the Kokanee in Lake Chelan the last couple of years is “spot on”. I will only elaborate a bit more on a few points that I hope will help answer your questions.

Historical Lake Productivity: Lake Chelan is the textbook example of an oligotrophic body of water. Bodies of water like this tend to be relatively deep, nutrient poor, clear, light transmission is high and the euphotic zone is deep.

Even though light penetrates to a considerable depth, primary production of phytoplankton is limited by the lack of nutrients, all of which results in a biologically limited body of water.

Lake Chelan Kokanee history: Although details (Strain and numbers) of stocking history prior to 1933 are missing….we do know that Kokanee were first stocked into Lake Chelan in 1917. WDFW stocked only this initial naturally reproducing stock of kokanee back into the lake from the early 1940's until about 1957.

In 1957 Kootenay Lake stock kokanee were introduced as eyed eggs, and in 1966 Whatcom stock kokanee plus, Kootenay stock kokanee began to be stocked as eyed eggs and in later years as fry. Recently only lake Chelan stock (so, a conglomerate of Kootenay, Whatcom and what was originally stocked) are being stocked.

There are no records that I know of that point to the ocean going form (Sockeye) ever being stocked into the lake and no genetics work has been conducted to my knowledge.

Recent Year Classes

During the last couple of years, the Kokanee available in the fishery came off of relatively low adult spawning escapements….and by that I mean the parents of these fish were in relatively low abundance by the time they made it to spawn. As Larry also mentioned, this can also be caused or compounded by things such as predation or high water events that may have taken place on the spawning tributaries.

All of this comes back around to numbers. So, for what information we have at this point…I am comfortable in saying that the fish have grown to some larger sizes in recent years because they have been present in relatively lower densities with the same available food source, thus giving them the opportunity to grow larger. There is no evidence that suggest this is genetically driven.

I have been hearing a few good angler reports as well of good sized Kokanee already this year…..12”-16”.

I hope this has helped and please feel free to contact me if you have any further questions."

Best regards
Travis Maitland
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Dist. 7 Fish Biologist
Wenatchee District Office
3860 Hwy 97a
Wenatchee, WA 98801
(509) 665-3337
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No doubt, the quality of the kokanee in 2013 was phenomenal and hopefully 2014 will prove a repeat. As noted above, fish are beginning to be caught. For my wife and I, last year April was red-hot into early May.

Anglers continued to catch fish into the late spring/early summer, but early spring was best. By mid-April the weather generally is pretty good in Chelan, and the crowds are light. The fishery is well worth the drive from east or west side to centrally located Lake Chelan.

by Randy Castello

With football season recently behind us, baseball opening day is months away and they’re just dropping the checkered flag at either our local or at sanctioned tracks nationwide, how are we supposed to burn off our nervous energy? Assuming that you have already completed your winter maintenance regiment for your boat and gear, made all the lures that you and your neighbors can use in the foreseeable future, and read every issue of NW Reel Life for the third time, it’s time to go fishing. 

The decision to wet a line is always the easy part, sorting through seasonal closures and winter accessibility can be a challenge. As with any PNW fishery, double check the regulations and Emergency Changes before you head out to participate in the many solid fishing opportunities available this time of the year. The following are a few ideas to get you started, and may your fish box need frequent cleaning. 

Lakes

Lake Washington is an urban gem. Cutthroat trout, kokanee, perch, and various warm water fish are available year-round. There is great trailer boat access as well as a number of fishing piers. During the winter months it is primarily a cutthroat, kokanee, and smallmouth show but there are also large schools of perch available along deeper drop-offs.

The primary winter cutthroat and kokanee fishery is at the south end of Mercer Island. But if you are willing to go on the hunt, there are other areas that hold fish; some real trophies. Make sure to quickly release any chinook that take interest in your offerings.

Lake Merwin is a local go-to for winter kokanee. If you are traveling to get there, make sure you check the wind forecast before you head out the door. The lake can get very windy and choppy, make sure that you have all your safety gear in order.

When fishing Lake Merwin during the winter, try to troll at 1.0 MPH, and the smaller your presentation, the better. You will see multiple schools of fish on your electronics, but not all will be in a playful mood. When you do find a snappy lot, mark it on your electronics or take a visual bearing and keep after it.

Lake Cavanaugh and Lake Samish both host a winter kokanee fishery. They are kind of fickle during the winter and the bite may be during a brief afternoon hatch. We have limited at either lake during the winter but that’s not the norm.

Persistence is the name of the game. Troll 1.0-1.3 MPH. Small micro hoochies, flies, and spinners seem to have the edge. In addition to your secret corn recipe, a small tidbit of nightcrawler, worm, or a live maggot will greatly enhance your allure. You may even want to add them to your hooks, it will drive the kokanee wild!

Lake Roosevelt; as the weather permits, if you’re looking for lunker kokanee, Roosevelt is the place to be. Although I don’t like hauling the boat over the pass in the winter anymore, I love fishing Lake Roosevelt, so with the right weather forecast we may head that direction. I’m sure kokanee are available throughout the lake, but we usually fish out of Spring Canyon.

We tend to focus on the dam area but we also fish the lower 5 or 6 miles. I typically start at 10-40’ with a 60’ setback, but may fish deeper as required. Because there is the potential to hook a 3+ pounder, I typically up my leader to 20-pound fluorocarbon.

Winter road conditions are still a possibility. I addressed this in a previous article but it’s worthy of a mention. Again, pay attention to winter boating safety/etiquette. If the road conditions are questionable, carry chains for both your tow vehicle and for at least 1 axle on the trailer. Bring a couple sand bags and shovel. A liberal application of sand can be a lifesaver. 

At the ramp, assess the situation before you back down a long, icy ramp. Take the time to chain up your tow vehicle if required. The area between the top of the ramp and the water could be icy. If you lose traction, don’t panic, it is likely that once your tires hit the water, you’ll regain traction. Just keep your cool, you don’t want to jackknife ½ way down the ramp.

It would put a damper on your plans. Once the trailer is wet, you may have to let the rig sit in the water for a bit to thaw before the boat will boat float free. No kokanee shuffle or celebratory dancing while onboard or at the dock, you don’t want to slip and end up sharing the lake with your aquatic rival. The fish won’t bite when they’re laughing their tails off.

Finally, and as a courtesy; at the end of your time on the lake load your boat and slowly pull out of the water just enough to clear the water. Stop and let the rig drain or drip-dry, this will minimize ice buildup on the lower 1/3 of the ramp.

In addition to winter lake opportunities, a trip on the salt can be very productive. Both Marine Area 10 and 13 should be open. MA 10 is scheduled to be open February 1, 2023 through March 31st, but check the WDFW Emergency Regulations for early closures or seasonal schedule adjustments. MA 13 is open year-round, but again, check the WDFW Emergency Regulations before you leave the driveway.

When open for winter chinook, MA 10 is one of the most consistent salmon fisheries in the state. The minimum size limit is 22” and the fish need to be clipped. 4-10# fish are common, with possibility of a trophy fish any time you hook up all makes for a very exciting fishery. I believe that pound for pound, blackmouth are one of the hardest fighting fish in the PNW.

Although many fish are caught mooching cut plug herring or jigging, the fishery is primarily a downrigger show. You want to be fishing right on the bottom. Often you will notice that your fish is all scraped up and find gravel in the fish’s belly when you clean them. Flies or small spoons paired with 11” flashers, plugs and helmeted anchovies all catch fish. 

We fished the MA 10 opener this year. My boatmates and I had agreed to make it a C &R day. We hadn’t fished salmon in the salt since September, and didn’t want to go 3 and out in the first hour. We had a stellar trip. From the moment we went gear down, we had fish on. We had to wade through a lot of 20-22” fish and cycled through probably 10 or 12 legal fish before keeping one. I pulled the hook on the big fish of the day and the estimated 10 pounder swam off before we were able to slide the net under it. 

I took full responsibility for the lost fish and had to wear the “farmer” overalls. We had already decided to finish the pass and pull the plug for the ride back to Everett. The meter showed a cloud of bait with a few salmon holding just off the bottom. 1, 2, 3, BAM! The port downrigger goes off, and we are on a very solid fish. Hoping to hook the second meter mark, I decided to keep the boat at speed and put the screws to the fish. It was up on top but way off to the side when it got sideways to the flasher, and it swam off. We rarely lose a fish, and I got too big for my farmer britches. 

Although we had plugs and an assortment of both trolling flies and spoons on board, we started with Skinny-G spoons and never looked back. We did determine that the lighted flashers had an edge over our regular flashers. We fished the bottom in 80-120’ of water and tried to stay on the down current face of any underwater structure, or along underwater points. It was an incredible day of fishing and an excellent option for a winter fishery.

There are a number of winter steelhead opportunities in the PNW. Many coastal streams are open and occasionally Puget Sound rivers open under WDFW Emergency Rules. I considered breaking the February, April steelhead fisheries down, but I think that that is a whole different article and best written by a coastal steelhead expert. The point in mentioning winter steelhead is that when many of our fisheries are closed, we have a steelhead fishery available. A theme here; again, as with any PNW fishery, double check the regulations and Emergency Changes before you head out.

Fishing withdrawals, cold sweats, and general heebie-jeebies? There don’t have to be, with a little research you have multiple options to treat your fishless disorder. Whether you’re a freshwater, salt angler, or bankie, there are many opportunities to soothe what ails you.