Been meaning to post a report for the last couple weeks but haven't gotten around to it. Been good fishing (the number of boats out last few weeks show that isn't a secret) with fast limits. The males beaks started to grow a little last week and this weekend caught the first ones starting to show a little hint of pink on the tail, dorsal, and anal fins. Usually not to many weeks left once that starts to happen. Tackle has been dodgers with hoochies. Average fish is 12-13" with about 1 in 4 being 15-16". Yesterday put in at 0630 and had 3 person limit at 1000. Today put in at 0630 and had 2 person limit by 0730.
Had a hell of a circus yesterday with the kids. Hooked a koke and was bring it in, my son was getting ready to net when I noticed another rod going off so he handed me the net and hooked that fish. I net my fish solo (many of you know how that is when you are also trying to steer the boat, have a bunch of lines in, and the wind is blowing, fun fun). As I am hurrying to get my fish out so I can net my son's fish (I try and avoid double netting if possible because it usually leads to long down time for the inevitable tangle cluster) I feel this big drag on the net. I look down and my rod is in the drink and sinking behind the boat! The only thing keeping the road from sinking to the bottom is the drag of the fish in the net.
I grab the line quick and drag the rod back into the boat. That accomplished, I turn my focus back to taking the fish out of the net only to feel the drag again. THE DAMN rod slid out the back again! I had reeled up kinda close to net solo and there wasn't much slack line; the back of my boat has a raised bench-style deck so there isn't much of a lip out the back, it just kept sliding off because I didn't have enough line to set the rod down below that deck. Luckily, I get the rod back in the boat just in time to land my son's fish. To do it I had to hold my rod (with the fish still on it) in one hand and net his with the other. I get both fish into the boat and let out some line setting the problem rod below the raised deck. Catching my breath for a split sec.I realize that the last rod in is going off. My son drops his rod (in the boat) and grabs that one and starts reeling that fish in. I wake my daughter who has been sleeping through all and ask her to drive the boat so can I manage the two rods still attached to the netted fish and get the third fish. This all is happening in less time than it took to read about it. There was another boat within rock throwing distance behind us watching the whole thing. I can only imagine what they were thinking watching me net three fish still attached to the rods while pulling 1 rod out of the drink twice, all in about 1-1.5 minutes.
I have my daughter drive us out of the trolling circuit where I untangle the mess and contemplate the crazyiness of koke fishing. Only kokanee can leave you drifting aimlessly while you are just shaking your head wondering what the hell just happened. Guess it is why we all spend the time and money chasing such a pain in the ass fish with a notoriously fickle attitude (that and they just taste so damn good). Makes up for the times when you go 2 hours without a sniff. Koke fishing, feast or famine.
Probably fish one more weekend at LP then might head to Anderson the last week in July and see if I can get a cooler full for canning. If I do I think I am going to try catfish pliers for skinning and then just cube them and cook them down with the bones in on the little ones. If I do it and it works will post here for folks. Good luck the rest of the way to those out chasing these wonderfully stupid fish.
