2017 Lucky Peak Reservoir Kokanee Fishing Report
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It was windy but I was out there...not quite as hot fishing as it has been for me as we'd hit a quick 3-4 fish then nothing for a while before finding them again (never in same spots though). We were done by 11 and am glad we didn't have to stay any later as wind/waves started getting worse and worse.
I do have a few questions though...how big should the chinook that were planted be by now? We caught one I swore was a chinook (bigger teeth, many distinct spots across the back and through the tail) that was roughly 15-16". As I went to release it I noticed white stuff on back of gills so I looked closer and it was full of gill lice. I ended up keeping the fish because of that. I started questioning my species identification and thought well maybe it's a rainbow but there was absolutely zero color through the sides or on gill plate and didn't seem like enough spots. I haven't heard or read anything about gill lice at lucky peak and didn't think the chinook would be that big yet. Any thoughts? I was thinking I'd take the fish to hatchery at Wilson Ponds next week and friend text a couple pics of gills to a biologist's friend to pass on. I'd post pics here of gills but can't figure it out on my phone
I do have a few questions though...how big should the chinook that were planted be by now? We caught one I swore was a chinook (bigger teeth, many distinct spots across the back and through the tail) that was roughly 15-16". As I went to release it I noticed white stuff on back of gills so I looked closer and it was full of gill lice. I ended up keeping the fish because of that. I started questioning my species identification and thought well maybe it's a rainbow but there was absolutely zero color through the sides or on gill plate and didn't seem like enough spots. I haven't heard or read anything about gill lice at lucky peak and didn't think the chinook would be that big yet. Any thoughts? I was thinking I'd take the fish to hatchery at Wilson Ponds next week and friend text a couple pics of gills to a biologist's friend to pass on. I'd post pics here of gills but can't figure it out on my phone
AverysAdventure
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- May 7, 2010
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What color where the gums? Black gums it a Chinook.
The weather wasn't too bad today. More wind than I'd like, but we stayed warm by buttoning up the enclosure and firing up the buddy heater. Caught ten between the two of us up around Lucky Peak dam. Fished between 8 and 15 feet with orange homemade spinners and Kokabow Talon in-line.
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Hope they uploaded correctly but here are the gills. The gums were more black than the rest of the kokanee we caught and like I said it had significantly more spots and bigger teeth than the other fish as well. I grew up fishing in Alaska and as soon as it was in the net I said that's a small king...but I'm no expert on these landlocked fish so guess I'll find out once I bring it in this week. I put it straight into a ziplock on the water and it's in the freezer now. Those pics are once we were back to town btw...so the lice had started to mush up and weren't as distinct as they were on the water.
I was the little white/green tri-hull out there within a mile of dam freezing our butts off...we had my son with us but called it quits after we had our 12(he was curled up taking a nap so he couldn't argue about getting his too). Homemade orange spinners/wedding rings with various kokabow and RMT dodgers with one cut plug were what worked for us.
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AverysAdventure
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Looks like a trout to me but I'm no expert. It will be interesting to see what they say about the lice. I've seen them before but can't remember where it was at. Here's a interesting article on them:
https://henrysfork.org/gill-lice-study-update
https://henrysfork.org/gill-lice-study-update
hooknhunter
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- Mar 15, 2016
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I see those on trout in Cascade Res all the time.
Slow day on the water
Fished Sunday 5/7, slow fishing today. Very windy in the morning. Then cleared up around noon for a couple hours. Only caught 1 Kokanee lost 2, an fought 2 trout. All around 12-15 ft water, mostly orange colored gear. Didn't hear much good from any other boats either. Are the fish with gill lice still ok for cooking an eating? Any effect of humans?
Fished Sunday 5/7, slow fishing today. Very windy in the morning. Then cleared up around noon for a couple hours. Only caught 1 Kokanee lost 2, an fought 2 trout. All around 12-15 ft water, mostly orange colored gear. Didn't hear much good from any other boats either. Are the fish with gill lice still ok for cooking an eating? Any effect of humans?
KokaneeJoe
Well-known member
Should be easy to ID Trout have a blocky or squared off tail and Chinook and Kokes have more of a V shaped tail. Chinook have a black mouth and a few spots on back and tail. The chinooks I have caught this year were all less than 12 inches and had obviously black mouths. Sometimes a female rainbow has very little color that would be my guess.
The lice are a bit concerning. I have been seeing them a lot more in the last few years. Not just in Lucky Peak. Not sure how big of a problem they are... Anyone know?
KokaneeJoe
Well-known member
I hope they are. I have eaten quite a few. They taste just fine to me.
metalheadgene
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- Mar 6, 2010
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They (sea lice) pose no threat to humans. Very common in Cascade during the summer month's. First I have ever seen evidence in Lucky Peak. In large numbers and over long periods of time the lice can pose a threat to fish populations but they really don't survive that long in freshwater.
Went last Friday, landed about 20, kept 7, released the dink's and also released about 5 trout. Caught all on either the top water rod which was pop gear and wedding wing or on the down riggers at around 12 feet on anything orange.
Went last Friday, landed about 20, kept 7, released the dink's and also released about 5 trout. Caught all on either the top water rod which was pop gear and wedding wing or on the down riggers at around 12 feet on anything orange.
Tagged Trout
Fished about 3 hrs yesterday afternoon. It was windy. We landed 11 but kept 5 kok size 14", release 2 little Kok and 4 good size rainbow trout. One trout has a tag #14-11651 and measured 15", we released it with the tag intact after get a quick info. I reported that tag fish in Idaho Fishing & Game's website. https://idfg.idaho.gov/fish/tag/add
There were few fishermen bagged their limit in earlier that I heard.
Fish we caught with DR from 4 ~ 12'.
By the end of fishing day we met very nice Kokanee Forum's fisherman. Nice to talk with you Mr. David Triplett.
Fished about 3 hrs yesterday afternoon. It was windy. We landed 11 but kept 5 kok size 14", release 2 little Kok and 4 good size rainbow trout. One trout has a tag #14-11651 and measured 15", we released it with the tag intact after get a quick info. I reported that tag fish in Idaho Fishing & Game's website. https://idfg.idaho.gov/fish/tag/add
There were few fishermen bagged their limit in earlier that I heard.
Fish we caught with DR from 4 ~ 12'.
By the end of fishing day we met very nice Kokanee Forum's fisherman. Nice to talk with you Mr. David Triplett.
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Nice Day
It was a nice day. When we get there at noon, there were 17 fishing boats in the dam area. Fished 5.5 hrs we landed 15 fish and kept 6 kok size 13"-14", released 5 trout and 2 little kok. DR from 5 - 15' with dodger and pink squid. Long line pole 100' no weight with 3 blades flasher and wedding ring + shoepeg corn.
There were 3 pictures that I dated wrong, it should dated May-10-2017. Sorry.
It was a nice day. When we get there at noon, there were 17 fishing boats in the dam area. Fished 5.5 hrs we landed 15 fish and kept 6 kok size 13"-14", released 5 trout and 2 little kok. DR from 5 - 15' with dodger and pink squid. Long line pole 100' no weight with 3 blades flasher and wedding ring + shoepeg corn.
There were 3 pictures that I dated wrong, it should dated May-10-2017. Sorry.
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crappieslayer
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Lucky Peak 05/10
Went with my friend Barry to break the cherry on his new boat, and for his first Kokanee experience. He hooked his first Koke in 5 minutes. We caught 5 trout and 6 kokes and 2 small chinook. Pretty good day considering we had to get used to new boat, new fish finder, and dance with all the other boats.
As we were leaving we met G3 Longliner. Nice to actually meet people I see on the forum. Only other member I have met was TrailBob and that was at Anderson a year or so ago.
Went with my friend Barry to break the cherry on his new boat, and for his first Kokanee experience. He hooked his first Koke in 5 minutes. We caught 5 trout and 6 kokes and 2 small chinook. Pretty good day considering we had to get used to new boat, new fish finder, and dance with all the other boats.
As we were leaving we met G3 Longliner. Nice to actually meet people I see on the forum. Only other member I have met was TrailBob and that was at Anderson a year or so ago.
Hit lucky peak today. Had to irrigate this morning, so I didnt get there till 1030. Not ideal, but it was the maiden voyage for 2017. Working any kinks out. Got 6 in the boat, and lost as many by 2pm. They seemed to be soft biting a lot. Many single bounces on the pole, then nothing. Could have been because of the wind. It was causing us to move faster than ideal. The only depth I could catch them at was 25 ft. I quit stacking at 15 after the first 2 hours. No strikes. And nothing on the long line. The ticket was silver spoon. And a orange/yellow kokabows
Thursday 5/11
Was brutal wind early this morning but when I wake my 7 year old up at 5 to go fishing...she wanted to go no matter what we dealt with! We hooked our first fish on the third rod as she was letting it out and it was game on from there! Kind of a rodeo early on trying to keep my little boat off the dam while reeling or netting fish so our land to hook ratio sucked! Went 7 of 25 kokes with additional 2 small released and 1 big squaw...lots of additional hits that resulted in no fish by time we picked up the rods. Orange was once again our color of the day with 1 rig without any weight and the rest with 1/2 oz at 65-100 feet back. Water smoothed out and weather was very enjoyable by about 10 or 11...great day on the water with a great little fishing buddy!
Was brutal wind early this morning but when I wake my 7 year old up at 5 to go fishing...she wanted to go no matter what we dealt with! We hooked our first fish on the third rod as she was letting it out and it was game on from there! Kind of a rodeo early on trying to keep my little boat off the dam while reeling or netting fish so our land to hook ratio sucked! Went 7 of 25 kokes with additional 2 small released and 1 big squaw...lots of additional hits that resulted in no fish by time we picked up the rods. Orange was once again our color of the day with 1 rig without any weight and the rest with 1/2 oz at 65-100 feet back. Water smoothed out and weather was very enjoyable by about 10 or 11...great day on the water with a great little fishing buddy!
Lucky Peak kokanee
I have only caught a few this year but something that I noticed which I thought was unusual is that when I cleaned them they had nothing in their stomach. They still had some fat but that was it. Has anyone else noticed this? Usually their bellies are completely full this time of year. I wonder if the amount of water moving through the reservoir is flushing their food source downstream.
I have only caught a few this year but something that I noticed which I thought was unusual is that when I cleaned them they had nothing in their stomach. They still had some fat but that was it. Has anyone else noticed this? Usually their bellies are completely full this time of year. I wonder if the amount of water moving through the reservoir is flushing their food source downstream.
Fished from 5:30 to 9pm last night in the middle of an attempted storm it was quite the ride in my canoe. Wind finally died down @ 7pm, after that I had 7 on only got 2 in both were under 10".
Got them all on flashers and wedding ring with the pink booger on it at about 7ft.
Got them all on flashers and wedding ring with the pink booger on it at about 7ft.
