8-27 @ the gorge

[fishinfrenzy]

We went up for another weekend at the gorge. Saturday's weather was decent for most of the day, and the fish were also cooperative. Fished Buckboard again at 68 to 72 feet down using KCT's Firecracker spinner, Black Pearl spinner, and Hot Pink Glow squid, all following Silver Streak, Shattered, and Matrix dodgers. The Firecracker and Black Pearl were very productive. We marked fish from 50 to 80 feet, and slowing down to .9 - 1.1 mph was just right to trigger the kokes. Quite fun for this time of year.

 

[Targa165]

Nice catch. Are most of them turning red now?

 

[fishinfrenzy]

Based on what I have been catching and close friends I have seen, I would guess about 2/3 are turning. We have caught all silvers (or most) on one day and caught reds/changing to red the following day at the same locations. No ryme or reason, looks like some three and four year olds are going into spawn mode a year early, while others in the schools are waiting until next year.

 

[Propnut69]

I have to ask,why oh why!!!!!!!!!!! do people keep red spawning kokannee??? If everyone took home a limit of reds , we would have a very low spawning rate. I realize that sometime a fish "won't go" after being caught,and there is no choice but to keep it. But no fisherman that cares about the fishery,would be keeping 'reds' on purpose.

 

[Targa165]

I have to ask,why oh why!!!!!!!!!!! do people keep red spawning kokannee??? If everyone took home a limit of reds , we would have a very low spawning rate. I realize that sometime a fish "won't go" after being caught,and there is no choice but to keep it. But no fisherman that cares about the fishery,would be keeping 'reds' on purpose.

I fail to see your logic here since all the salmon will turn red and become spawners eventually. The large silver kokes in the summer will turn red sometime in the fall. If what you said were true then keeping any kokes would be bad for the fishery. There was a discussion here not long ago about the catch and release aspect of kokanee fishing. I stand by the concept that catch and release fishing for kokanee is one of the most damaging things fishermen are doing to the population. To say that I or anyone else keeping a legally caught red kokanee does not care about the fishery is some what self righteous and short sighted. The Game and Fish closes the season September 10th as a management tool for the spawning population of kokanee. I think I'll let the Game and Fish manage the kokanee and abide by the law, and at this time it is not illegal to keep a red koke or any koke until the season closes September 10th.

 

[Targa165]

fishinfrenzy thanks for all the great reports this summer. I have really enjoyed reading them and I love seeing your pictures. The wife and I will be over there this weekend for one last blast. We'll be staying at the forest service campground at Buckboard. Leaving in a few hours!!!!

 

[Propnut69]

I fail to see your logic here since all the salmon will turn red and become spawners eventually. The large silver kokes in the summer will turn red sometime in the fall. If what you said were true then keeping any kokes would be bad for the fishery. There was a discussion here not long ago about the catch and release aspect of kokanee fishing. I stand by the concept that catch and release fishing for kokanee is one of the most damaging things fishermen are doing to the population. To say that I or anyone else keeping a legally caught red kokanee does not care about the fishery is some what self righteous and short sighted. The Game and Fish closes the season September 10th as a management tool for the spawning population of kokanee. I think I'll let the Game and Fish manage the kokanee and abide by the law, and at this time it is not illegal to keep a red koke or any koke until the season closes September 10th.

You completely missed my point. . If the fish in the above pics were released,their chances of living to make it til spawn are almost nil. Red spawning kokes like those above should have never be removed from the water.IMO they should of been returned immediately , no pic,no rough handling. this would help to ensure a better spawn,that was my point. If those fish went into the cooler they will have zero chance at spawning. We as fisherman have a duty to help the kokanne population at the gorge all we can.

Now as for the lecture on the spawning cycle of kokanee,and the laws pertaining to these fish. Believe me I'm very aware of both. If you want to go to the gorge and keep a limit of spawning kokes,before the season closes,be my guest. Yes it's legal,just not very ethical.

 

[Targa165]

You completely missed my point. . If the fish in the above pics were released,their chances of living to make it til spawn are almost nil. Red spawning kokes like those above should have never be removed from the water.IMO they should of been returned immediately , no pic,no rough handling. this would help to ensure a better spawn,that was my point. If those fish went into the cooler they will have zero chance at spawning. We as fisherman have a duty to help the kokanne population at the gorge all we can.

Now as for the lecture on the spawning cycle of kokanee,and the laws pertaining to these fish. Believe me I'm very aware of both. If you want to go to the gorge and keep a limit of spawning kokes,before the season closes,be my guest. Yes it's legal,just not very ethical.

You have completly missed my point, that was catch and release fishing for kokanee kills many future spawners just for the sake of sport. I also fail to see the difference between a silver koke that has not turned red yet but is probably only weeks away from doing so and one that has turned red. Neither one will be able to spawn and they both would if they had not been caught.

I didn't say I wanted to go to the Gorge and keep a limit of spawning kokes, but releasing a fish that is hooked real hard is nothing more than throwing them away because they will die soon after going back in the water. My point was ALL the kokes will eventually become spawning kokes, so I fail to see your logic or your reasoning for saying that anyone keeping a red koke does not care about the fishery and now you say they are also unethical. The problem with these kind of forums is that a handful of posters take it over and make others uncomfortable about getting involved. I've seen it over and over with these kind of sites no matter what the subject matter.

 

[Targa165]

Doesn't anyone else want to chime in with an opinion here? I don't feel Propnut69 or anyone else on this forum has the right to question how much I or anyone else cares about the fishery or whether keeping a legally caught fish is ethical or unethical. That's why we have law enforcement with rules and regulations. Propnut is certainly entitled to his opinion I just don't think it is ethical for him to judge myself or anyone else on a public format. Just my .02

 

[SuperD]

Doesn't anyone else want to chime in with an opinion here?

In all my years of participating in fishing forums, I've never seen anyone get converted. These topics get turned into pissing contests with no winners. We all have opinions about how WE think fish should be caught and handled and many of our views differ. BUT, as long as everyone's view is within the law, we are entitled to express them but have no right to force them on anyone else. I had to sit on my hands so I didn't jump in this conversation with my own opinion because arguing these points don't really get anywhere. Fish your conscience and within the law. Beyond that, have fun doing it!

 

[Targa165]

Agreed SuperD. I wouldn't have joined the conversation either had it not been directed right at me. I don't take kindly to being called unethical and told that I don't care about the fishery. Sometimes the locals in Wyoming get to thinking they own the resource and are just letting the rest of taxpaying America use it. I know this because I've lived in Wyoming my whole adult life, 41 of the last 55 years. I graduated from high school in Wyoming in 1974 and have lived here since 1970.

It's not like I want a limit of red kokes, I would much rather have silvers, but the law says I can fish until Sept. 10th and since I don't live in Green River and can't get over there as much as the locals, I have to take advantage of the long holiday weekend to make the trip. By the way we only caught one red koke this last weekend and the rest were silvers. There were some guys from Rock Springs cleaning their fish while we were cleaning ours and they had a red koke they had to keep as well.

 

[SuperD]

Without jumping into the topic of red Kokes, I'll give you my opinion about the fishery at FG. Based on the recent surveys posted by Ryno, I would suspect that predation is having a large impact on survival rates of natural reproduction in the system far beyond fishermen. Both Wyoming and Utah F&G will have no choice but to up the percentage of stocked fish to maintain the quality of fishing we have all enjoyed for many years. The amount of revenue generated by FG tourism is too great for any declines to be ignored. More work and more fish plants might translate into more cost to us the fishermen, but I don't foresee anybody allowing FG to tank as a fishery. That's not to say that abuses should be allowed by any means but Kokanee, by the nature of the fact that they die in short span, are a put and take fishery. i.e. they aren't native to the lake and a species subject to extinction. Flaming Gorge is the big boys stocked pond, it is up to management to determine how much gets stocked.

 

[Rasty1]

Interesting discussion. First when I read the points being presented each of you makes a point. I am not sure either one really saw the other. Also I can't say one point is better then the other, because I don't see any facts presented, so it is opinion being presented and each of us has one and a lively discussion can ensue when facts are assumed.
And to quote Forest Gump, "That's all I am going to say about that."

 

[smokin' Kokes]

do the tributaries and rivers feeding the FG freeze up too hard and too deep to support quality spawning or is it the heavy predation of kokes by other species that limits koke self sustainment in the FG?

Wallowa and several other lakes here in the NW have both stream river spawners and lake bank structure spawners. Wallowa's short headwaters river feeding it had very limited capacity because of shortness

perhaps FG management needs to consider other kokes strains that exhibit better stream and lake shore spawning traits? the slime vultures in FG have gotten totally out of control, no fun to catch, like pulling in a long wet sock, but sure tasty in the frying pan. caught several this year that puked up kokes they were so feed stuffed after bringing them in the boat