Kokanee: The Basics

Kokanee salmon are more popular these days than Lindsey Lohan. They’re abundant, fun to catch, taste great on the grill (and never need to go to rehab!)…what’s not to love? You just need a few basics to get you started…and then you’ll be off and running.
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Downriggers: Precision Depth Fishing…Or?

When downrigger fishing, do you really know exactly how deep you are fishing?

Despite the fact that downrigging is called “controlled depth fishing,” there’s some room for error here.

Say you’re out on some large reservoir chasing kokanee. You’re dragging a chartreuse Needlefish behind a 4/0 dodger. The whole rig’s running 35 feet behind the downrigger ball. On your graph, you notice a school of fish at 50 feet and you drop your weight down to 48 feet so you’ll be just above the fish and in their collective window of vision.

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Trout Trollin’ with Flies

Okay, so the die-hard purist fluff chuckers may not approve of this, but one of the best ways to catch trout in the high country in the early season is to troll flies on light spinning tackle.

It’s an extremely deadly technique when the fish are up near the surface and I’ve had some memorable days in the Sierras dragging feathers and glue around. It’s a relatively simple technique, but there are a couple little things you can do to improve your success….
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The loveable Brookie

Even though they’re not native to the West Coast, I love brook trout…which really aren’t trout, but a member of the char family…ah, nevermind, it’s not important.

Anyway, brookies are about the coolest-looking fish you’ll ever see and they’ve got about the same amount of brainpower as a mayfly. That means they’ll bite just about anything you put in their face (small gold Wob-L-Rite spoons have always been a favorite of mine!). And when you’ve got a mess of 10 inchers, there’s nothing better over an open camp fire than fresh brook trout.

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Fish’s eye view of a flasher & Hootchie

Here’s what a flasher & Hootchie looks like under water. This rig is one of my favorite for landlocked kings, coho and kokanee. Always keep your hootchies (and other lures that have no action of their own) close to the dodger so that it can give your offering some enticing movement. A rule of thumb: make your leader 2 to 2 1/2 times the length of your flasher.

Underwater Video: Apex Lure

Sometimes, you’ve just got to get a fish’s perspective on things. Here’s what a Hot Spot Apex looks like under the surface. Damn tasty, I’d say…

Mackinaw Jigging 101

Wireline trolling with heavy tackle has long been the staple for mackinaw anglers in deep water lakes like Tahoe, and while it’s extremely effective, the technique isn’t always the most exciting way to catch fish. I much prefer jigging on light bass gear.

Not only do you get to feel the grab, but you also get a lot more spot out of the fish.

Rigging Up
Another cool thing about jigging is you don’t need a lot of sophisticated gear (besides good electronics). I like to fish with 6 1/2- to 7-foot rods rated for 10- to 17-pound line. You need enough backbone to be able to set the hook in deep water, but a sensitive tip so you can feel the bite — which, by the way, often come as the lure is falling. My favorite sticks are GLoomis’ MBR 843 or MBR 783, paired up with a Shimano Curado 200 DHSV reel, which has a 7:1 retrieve rate, which makes cranking up from 100+ feet all the faster.

I run 20-pound Power Pro on my reels — braid is a must when fishing deep because of its sensitivity and lack of stretch. Of course, you need a leader between the braided line and the lure like a 4-foot section of 14-pound Gamma Edge Fluorocarbon.

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Small Creek Troutin’

Sometimes, you’ve just gotta leave the boat, the expensive graphite rods and 27 tackle boxes at home and head for a tiny creek for some trout fishing. There’s just something so pure and basic about it. I don’t care if most of the trout are 9 inches long — it’s still a blast and, if I happen to catch a 12 incher, I’m as fired up about it as I would be a 12-pound steelhead.

Of course, summer’s the time to head out and try a little small stream fishing or “crik hoppin,” as we used to call it when we were kids. To get you all primed up for a season of light tackle fun, here are some basic tips.

Let’s start with the four main lure styles you’ll need to be successful.

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The Red Curtain of Death

With trout season here, it’s time to bust out the trick Jedi stuff! Before we go on, let’s make a little pact here. I’ll divulge my favorite stream trout getter — the “Red Curtain of Death” (RCD) — if you promise to practice a little catch-and-release. This method has been so stinkin’ deadly for me in the past that I fear you guys could go out and clean out a creek with it. So, keep a fish for two for the pan and let a few go too, okay? Deal?

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Jigging for Kokanee

Late in summer, kokanee salmon start to get edgy. With spawning season not too far off, the fish get all bunched up into tightly-packed schools, and in those close quarters, the salmon become aggressive. And, that, my friends makes them particularly susceptible to one of my favorite koke techniques: jigging.

While trolling is, bar-none, the most popular way to catch kokanee, there are times when jigging is the way to go – especially in late summer.
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