2014 Wickiup Fishing Reports

[toolman]

Saturday was great! we managed 28 between Dad, B.I.L and myself... we tossed two big browns and a large rainbow back...dad had a slow start, not even getting a bite for the first few hours...then after he threw his banana over he started getting bit laugh hyst...all in all we had a very good opener with lots of action...

the $24 question is how does a guy increase his fish in the boat ratio...we've been fishing kokanee for years...sometimes we lose a lot sometimes we don't...this weekend we lost a ton...besides all the normal precautions (soft rod, snubber, double hook, rod tip in the water, long handle net...etc.)

any advice?



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[dragonfly]

this is what works for me. 7'+ glass rod for the limberness. I use the lamaglas JJs. 8 lb maxama mono for the predictable stretch. with that no snubber is needed. the reels I use are the tica and the Abu Garcia with the thumb bar probably the most important tool even though the drag is set sometimes the fish doesn't fit the drag you have adjusted and I can control that with my thumb rather than trying to adjust the star for different fish and runs the dbl hooks are a must, along with a good long handled net. I use the ego. short to store long when you need it, this puts a lot more fish in the boat for me. dfly

 

[Fallriverguy]

We had periods where we could not keep a fish hooked. Later we would go through a period where we landed everything we hooked. If you are running the right rods, reels, line and hooks, then there is not much more to do other that finesse the fish and not horse them in. DF had great advice about using the free spool and your thumb as the drag.

There were a couple of observations I had from the past weekend. 1) we lost more small fish that large one. I think the smaller fish have softer mouths. 2) When the fish are striking tentatively, due to not having some thing just right, we lost more fish. Aggressive kokanee were will hooked with both hook in deep in the mouth. Soft biters were barely hooked and often came unhooked after being netted.

 

[DLM]

I concentrate on bringing them in very sloooooow, with a light drag. I see a lot of people cranking as fast as they can and I think that is a mistake. Not only does it increase the possibility of a premature release, it also means that the fish is still full of fight when you get it to the boat and try to net it. I prefer to see them laying on their side and tired at boat side.2cents

 

[Dr. Matt]

Fallriverguy - nice haul, we were only able to eek out 4 on Sunday we fished the same area generally speaking the same tackle etc.

 

[Dr. Matt]

So I'm taking the day off and planning to get back out on the water tomorrow. Opening weekend I was fishing Paulina Peak Big Eye dodgers (silver) and Pauline Peak micro hoochies (orange) predominantly. I had four rods in the water and on one of them I did try using a brad's cut plug behind a wobbler. I worked, I did catch fish but not like the other tackle I was using. The other thing I was getting constant action on a purple wiggle hoochie. I fished two rods on the surface and the other two was anywhere from 5'-13'.

If any of you have been out the last few days I'd be curious to know how the bit has been and what tackle you're using.

 

[chukardave1]

Was out on Friday. Steady bite with a few 10 minute lulls. Same gear as the opener. Orange seemed to be color of choice in hootchies and spinners. Top and down to 20'. 3 of us put 59 in the boat. Lots of short bites and drive-bys and more lost fish on the way to the boat than the opener. Also didn't find the bigger fish like on Saturday. Was planning on taking the kids today but the wind and weather forecast made me change my mind. Looking at the winds currently, that might have been a mistake.

 

[Fallriverguy]

Based on what I see out my window you made the right choice.

 

[Love Kokanee fishing]

No complaints except for Sat 4-3-2014. They just weren't cooperating at all and then the wind kicked me off at 10 AM. Oh well. The prior 3 trips I put 75 in the boat so I am doing way better than last year. Man the Kokes lood great this year. I will be at it again next weekend. Orange seemed to be working real well. Sep's Gold Dodgers 4 1/2 in. and Moonglow Dodgers from Kokaneekid were working well also.

 

[DLM]

The wife and I got in a few hours Saturday morning, boating 14, premature release on 3. White anything was the key at daybreak and switched to orange hoochies about 7:30. This was our first actual fishing trip with the new boat so we were fine tuning a lot of stuff. Tried 4 lines at first but got a lot of tangles, gotta work on more of a spread. Very hot bite hit at 0900 and we could only keep two lines in the water. I think the way it was going we could have limited if we had all day to fish. We were running dodgers (White early, then gold) and hoochies 80 to 100 feet back, no weight.

 

[toolman]

hoochies 80 to 100 feet back, no weight.

thanks for the update DLM...gonna try to get back over there for the holiday weekend...

we usually run our gear 30-35 "pulls" which is about 50 ft...I cant imagine trying to real in 100 ft of jumping crazy hot Kokanee...lol I lose enough as it is...worthy12

 

[mrmike]

DLM Nicely done

 

[DLM]

thanks for the update DLM...gonna try to get back over there for the holiday weekend...

we usually run our gear 30-35 "pulls" which is about 50 ft...I cant imagine trying to real in 100 ft of jumping crazy hot Kokanee...lol I lose enough as it is...worthy12

100' makes for a very tired Koke when it gets to the boat, which makes it easier to net by yourself when your partner is working on the other half of a double. It was a Chinese fire drill a couple times which was a blast. Saddest part is it will be at least three weeks before I can get back over there.

 

[toolman]

HAHAHAHA...how true...that's great...
along with your slow retrieve and long handle net...
I will have to give that a shot next time...hopefully memorial weekend...

 

[Dr. Matt]

I took my wife and kids out yesterday (fun way to spend Mother's day) and the water was calm, the sun came out it was a very easy day on the water. The bite for me was very slow; seven hours of fishing for seven fish. Color, lure, location on the lake, scent nothing seemed to make a difference. I hope to be out again this coming weekend but we’ll see.

 

[chukardave1]

Fished today from 6:30 til two. Slow first off in the morning and then finally found some willing fish around 9:30. Pink hootchies long lined on surface and then orange and yellow on downriggers around 20'. Lost some and had a few driveby's where you just cant understand how a fish didnt get hooked. Wind came up around 12:30 making it tough to troll any direction except with the wind. Ended up with 21 in the boat. Some bigger ones than what I found 2 weeks ago. Largest couple were right at 17"

 

[toolman]

Fished today from 6:30 til two. Slow first off in the morning and then finally found some willing fish around 9:30. Pink hootchies long lined on surface and then orange and yellow on downriggers around 20'. Lost some and had a few driveby's where you just cant understand how a fish didnt get hooked. Wind came up around 12:30 making it tough to troll any direction except with the wind. Ended up with 21 in the boat. Some bigger ones than what I found 2 weeks ago. Largest couple were right at 17"

very good! where about did you troll?
by chance did you get a water temp?

 

[chukardave1]

off goose island Water was 55 to start saw it up to 60 and then back down to 58 after the wind blew for an hour or so

 

[chukardave1]

Took the kids back out yesterday. Fished from 10-1:30 in the blowing wind and rain showers. Could only wind drift but had steady action on surface with an orange spinner hootchie and on the downriggers with pink and green spinners. Fished the main body of the lake starting upwind in the davis and ending down near goose island. No one spot was a standout. Water was 57* so the cooler weather has slowed the warmup for now. Landed 15 and had a tough time losing some by myself trying to net while the kids played video games in the cuddy wrapped up in blankets. Seems every time I take my daughter with me the weather is not cooperative. All in all it was a good day and gave Mom some alone time.

 

[Fallriverguy]

I fished both Saturday and Sunday with a different buddy. Both days ended with 27 after a long day on the water. Did a lot of wind drifting like CD1 both days. Orange, pink and red hoochies all worked at different times. Had some luck with a pink and green spinner as well. fished a top lines and the 2 off the riggers between 10-20.