sawtooth
IDAHO Kokanee Forum Moderator
Hope your season goes well and you have lots to report from Dworshak.
2017 Dworshak Reservoir Kokanee Fishing Report
- Thread starter sawtooth
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kenbarb
Well-known member
Has anyone fished Dworshak this year for Kokanee (2017) ?
Hi Ken and Barb. We haven't been there yet but Toby Wyatt in his recent newsletter said that he caught a limit of 25 between 10 and 13 inches long. His letter had a picture and they looked nice and fat! He didn't include any details.
John
John
kenbarb
Well-known member
Thanks John, The Snake here in Hell's Canyon is high & cloudy, up until a week ago it was really good Steelheading. Think we may try Dworshak for a day soon, will make a post when we go, some fresh Kokanee would be pretty good. Will you please send me the email address for Toby Wyatt's newsletter, didn't know he put one out. Thanks again, Ken & Barb
His website, reeltimefishing.com, has a short form in "contact" you complete to get on his mailing list.
John
We fished Dworshak for the first time this year last Thursday. We put 6 in the cooler, the biggest was 12" the others were 10". We made passes near the dam and Indian/Canyon creeks. Talked to a group who had landed 20 using 4 ounces of lead. The fish we caught were scattered between 20 and 60 feet on the downriggers.
kenbarb
Well-known member
Thanks for the report John, really sounds encouraging, Barb & I may give it a try this week. I sure like catching them using downriggers, and ultralite gear, but for numbers it seems like we catch about three times as many with weights, and a gob of spinners. How was water clarity, and debris in the water? Sure glad you made the trip. Ken
Ken: Water was in very good shape, no debris. We never know from one trip to the next whether long lines or downriggers will work the best. A lot of times it changes during the day. We were going to go again this week but the weather has us hunkered down. Maybe next week.
John
jumperzee
Active member
Been up a few days this year, mostly getting a feel for my new boat. Not "seriously" fishing yet but caught kokes each time at Indian Cr. As mentioned above they're pretty scattered and you gotta hunt for them, but they're hitting. I was mostly fishing shallower, maybe down to 20' or so. Good size fish, looking forward to a great season. I can finally get the family comfortably onboard in my new (to me) 20' Duckworth. Once I get the DRs mounted it's going to be a koke hauling machine!
Spotty
Managed to pick up 22 last Thursday. Varying depths. Smallest just under 10", largest just under 12". Sure was nice to be on the water. Hoping they don't get flushed as biggest concentrations seemed to be near the dam, and huge spills are forecast through April.
Managed to pick up 22 last Thursday. Varying depths. Smallest just under 10", largest just under 12". Sure was nice to be on the water. Hoping they don't get flushed as biggest concentrations seemed to be near the dam, and huge spills are forecast through April.
April Flush
If you drive US 12 between Peck and Lenore you will see hundreds, if not thousands of dead kokanee that have been recently flushed out from Dworshak Reservoir. There appears to be two year classes present, 3-5" fish and 8-12" fish.
Hopefully IDFG will issue a salvage order, as it is possible to net some next to the shoreline, but the majority are in the main current of the Clearwater River.
If you drive US 12 between Peck and Lenore you will see hundreds, if not thousands of dead kokanee that have been recently flushed out from Dworshak Reservoir. There appears to be two year classes present, 3-5" fish and 8-12" fish.
Hopefully IDFG will issue a salvage order, as it is possible to net some next to the shoreline, but the majority are in the main current of the Clearwater River.
That is not necessarily bad news. Remember 2013? The Corps dropped the lake down 120ft and flushed millions of kokanee. This relieved the population load and the fish grew like crazy and were much easier to catch in our experience. I am very excited to see what happens if 10-12" fish have less competition for food. This could be an incredible summer on Dworshak.
If you have a passenger in your rig and are driving westbound from Orofino they will see them from Big Canyon creek near Peck to almost Lenore. Many are stuck up in the brush near eddies. Looks like they are staying in main current for quite awhile half alive, but then they wash up on the shore when they die. A bump on flow on the main river would probably wash them away.
not sure what happened
March was excellent both times we went out - 10 - 11 inches......... April so far has been very poor by all fishermen according to the Game Warden check at dock. We caught 6 yesterday (all day fishing), and we caught more than anybody else. Last week we did poorly also. Freeman Creek dock is still out of the water. Heard they were catching them above Dent.
March was excellent both times we went out - 10 - 11 inches......... April so far has been very poor by all fishermen according to the Game Warden check at dock. We caught 6 yesterday (all day fishing), and we caught more than anybody else. Last week we did poorly also. Freeman Creek dock is still out of the water. Heard they were catching them above Dent.
food
They are suppose to start putting the "nutrients" in the water in May according to the Game Warden.
They are suppose to start putting the "nutrients" in the water in May according to the Game Warden.
bigjim1992
Member
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2016
- Messages
- 22
Dworshak Kokanee
Anyone having any luck recently??
Anyone having any luck recently??
