2013 Lucky Peak Fishing Thread

[kodiak1]

Fish and Game has planted mackinaw in Lucky Peak years ago, and has planted fall chinook on 6 occasions, as late as 2000. Have any of you ever caught either? I can't understand why it could be good for kokes and not chinook. I did try for lakers years ago, and after a day of dragging the bottom, gave up on that idea. Any info? Mike

 

[kok-head]

i was taking out at LP one day in spring 2011 and i talked to a guy who swears he caught a laker in LP before (i remember him saying at least a few years before 2011), he showed me a cooler full of big bows and koks so i know he knows how to fish but it could be a fish story he was telling...

 

[Rafting4fun]

Hey Mike, good to see a familiar post. I have not ck'd in ..in a while.. I have caught many Fall Chinook in LP. I caught a nice 23.5 Fall Chinook in AR. We have postulated endless times about big sonar readings from 60-90 feet. For the most part we have ruled out that they might be Mac's.. If they are, they are hard to catch.. I think we would have seen more post's from the masses dispelling this myth... however; is it a myth? Something is down there and maybe not Pike's Minnow's.... Again, either folks are really tight lipped, or these fish are not easy to come by. That in itself beg's the question. Mac's are easily caught on many bodies of water... why would it be so difficult to catch them at LP????? On a side note... Fall Chinook, are a hand full. They fight like crazy, however; the meat deteriorates at a much faster pace than the trout I was catching at same time. ......

 

[kodiak1]

You are exactly right about the macs. I have probably put in more time fishing for macs than any other species (McCall, mainly) and I was using the right techniques. I don't think they caught on, and that is probably why they are not being currently planted. With all the kokes in there, they would have no problem puttin on the pounds. Interesting that you have zeroed in on the chinook. They have planted them in Deadwood, and they were good sized this fall, with fish in the 9 and 10 # category, according to reports. Did any of your L.P. chinook have any size to them? Maybe people are simply confusing them with rainbows. Thanks for the info. Since the F & G continues to plant them, I am assuming they are surviving. I might just have to call them and get some info. Thanks, Rafting. Good to hear from you. Mike

 

[kodiak1]

Congrats, and welcome to the site. Yeah, heard you yellin' all the way down here in the North End!!! Mike

 

[kodiak1]

Maybe in the spring. My wife and I are getting tired of the cold and snow, and thinking about heading south for a while. Anywhere that temps. in the 50's and above!! Thanks for the offer. Mike

 

[Rafting4fun]

Hey MIke, I'm with you.. heading down to Zihuatenajo for a couple of weeks starting wed. It will be a nice break from this friggin cold/;snow... Maybe I should start ice fishing..... it's 88deg in Zihua, with a sunny forecast the entire trip... I love the humidity for a time. Not to mention I landed a nice sailfish last year.. I'm hoping to go Tuna, and maybe roosters this trip. We will see what's biting when we arrive..
The Fall Chinook for me were all in a two year period. I was hanging them on pop gear dragging a large crawler. Then the 17" kokes started slamming the crawler up in the no tellum hole. (mid lake). I would say my fish were in the 15" to 17" range except for the real beauty up on Arrow rock. I will say that most of the ones I caught , maybe 13 or so, were mostly on the silver super-duper with nothing on it except for scent. That's what i caught the big one on up at AR. They respond well to motor mooching, or just rap the throttle occasionally and hold on. The bite is vicious, but again, they have to bonked bled immediately as they are very delicate flesh compared to trout and even Koke's hold up better. I know what the Kam's did up on Pend oreille and would deduce they would be well into decimating the kokes on LP/AR. Still don't know. I think about targeting them but it's a tough call when the Koke's are swinging hard. Not to mention I get bored and I'll take a nice 17-20" koke any day on light tackle.. I love to watch that SST curl over and listen to my reel letting go many yards of line, "fish on".... I'm not sure it's healthy talking about this right now. I'm getting ramped up wayyyyy tooooo eeaarrrllyyyyyyyyyy..... Take care Mike, and go South 101chillpill101

 

[kodiak1]

Hope you hammer 'em down there. There is much to be said for lots of action, but, like you, when I see my rod bend over when king fishing on the Olympic Peninsula (Sekiu), I get an adrenaline rush like no other. Some things are just worth waitin' for!! Now go hook into a big tuna. Mike

 

[Rafting4fun]

Tried to PM you, however; your box is full... That's always a good thing

 

[kodiak1]

Drove up to LP yesterday, if for nothing else than to get out of the inversion! Surprised to see the res. is completely frozen over; both ends. Thought the slightly warmer weather might loosen it up a bit but no go. Kokes are probably missing the sound of trolling motors above them! Mike

 

[mowrus]

true that...Been a long inversion.. Can't wait, they will be hungry signfishin

 

[kodiak1]

Went up to Idaho City yesterday, and LP is still frozen solid. Both ends. Not even any water on the edges.

 

[MackayGuy]

Yeah.....a buddy of mine is pacing to have a dealer take him up to LP for a test ride in a new boat he's drooling over. These 50 degree days will soften it up a bit.

 

[kodiak1]

Still frozen, but a few small patches of open water......and I do mean small.

 

[fishslayer13]

Hope you hammer 'em down there. There is much to be said for lots of action, but, like you, when I see my rod bend over when king fishing on the Olympic Peninsula (Sekiu), I get an adrenaline rush like no other. Some things are just worth waitin' for!! Now go hook into a big tuna. Mike

Lets here more about that salmon fishing at Sekiu , I thought about going there or Neah Bay but never have, with my boat. I take the boat clear up to Port Hardy BC. Great fishing but getting to be expensive trip with the ferry ride being $ 260.00 each way and almost 800 miles over there.

 

[kodiak1]

Exactly. We used to head up to Port McNeil, but as with you, it just got too expensive, and we were doing better at Sekiu. Neah Bay can be great, but we have a Hewescraft 16 Sportsman, and it just isn't enough boat for the open ocean. But it is perfect for Sekiu, which is more protected. King fishing has been great lately, and it stays open until Aug. 15. Coho start moving in in Aug., and the biggies arrive in Sept. The pinks are running this year (every odd numbered year) and they are just thick out there. We typically head out early, fish for kings until about 9-10, and then head out a few miles to fish for coho and pinks. Van Ripers is the best place to stay, and Olson's is the worst, in my opinion. Any questions, just ask. Mike

 

[fishslayer13]

Hey thanks for the info. I have reservations this year in port hardy again. But would like to go somewhere like sekiu next year. Can you keep many bottom fish there?
Thats one of the reasons I thought of Neah bay. I have a 22 foot off shore thunder jet so The bigger water isnt that bad other than Im a big chicken when it gets real rough. LOL.
When do you guys start fishing Lucky peak for kokes ? Might make a trip that way this year as dworshak dosent get good until june.
Van

 

[kodiak1]

Sekiu just isn't that good for bottom fish, other than an increasingly better halibut season. Neah Bay is definitely the place to go for bottom fish, and ling cod. Also good for tuna, if you want to go that far out. The Seattle Times gives great fishing reports, as does Salmon University, if you want to start checking out the fishing in the Olympic Pen. area. Mike

 

[Predator 2]

We also have reservations for Port Hardy again this year but are interested in going somewhere closer. We were thinking of somewhere on the Oregon coast - any ideas?

 

[Kokafish]

I have been reading this forum for a few years, but never posted anything. I didn't know there are so many people that go to Port Hardy and Port McNeil from this area. We have been there several times and I agree it is getting to expensive. I've been by Sekiu and Neah Bay but never fished there. Can you tell me where you stay or camp. We have a small RV and a 18'boat. Also, what is a good time to go? We fish Lucky Peak and Arrowrock and are wating for the ice to melt. Right now I'm having motor problems with a 115 4 stroke Merc. gas and water in the oil, but once we get it running again we will be on the water.