Billy Chinook

[Bill]

We made it out to the lake on Monday, and it was fabulous weather. It was the annual"first time getting the boat out", for the year, disorganized, unprepared boat ride. I know I remember charging the trolling and starting battery last fall when I put the boat away. I remember telling myself the night before to prepare the fishing poles for immediate action,but Super Bowl Sunday had its own distractions. Thank God I have never forgot stabil in the gas again, that was real bad and I am still mad at myself 10 years later.
Anyway the merc. pull stared on the second try and after digging through the tackle mess from last fall, I thought I organized it after the last trip, we were trolling up the Crooked River Arm. No downriggers we were using slingblades and hoochies and trolling way to fast,trolling motor battery was dead. Managed to lose the few we hooked right at the boat. Marked a lot at 60 to 100 feet. Others with downriggers got their limit. Surface temperatures we saw were 49 to 50. Weather was awesome for Febuary in Central Oregon. Tried to upload some pics but tells me I don't have permission.

 

[oldranger]

Was at Billy Monday as well, also Friday and yesterday. Koke fishing was great. Didn't bother with down rigger. Gold dodger, orange hootchie, just used 3 to 4 oz banana sinker let out 120 to 175 feet of line and fish on! Most about 10" but a couple of 12." Developed the following strategy. Focus on kokes until get 7 or 8 fish for two anglers. Then use down rigger (i only have 1) to then focus on bulls with two lines stacked 20 feet apart. Then have 3rd line out flatlining for kokes. We easily managed to fill limit on kokes plus threw a bunch lightly hooked back. Now the bull trout story is not so happy. Over the 3 days managed one 18" bull. Fish finder indicated lots of them between 80 and 120 feet. So we tried to get lures set at 80 and 100 feet and about 1.5 mph. So when we pulled out of the water yesterday I talked to another angler that caught a 10lb. 14 oz. bull that I actually saw in the back of his pickup. We had been fishing in the same area as he was (near the dam) but he was fishing shallower (about 60 and 80) and slower, less than 1 mph). He also caught an undersized one and lost one at the boat that he estimated to be 7 lbs. Last friday was a bit breezy with some that I talked to complaining about being blown off the water. But with the bow mount motor it is possible to deal with the wind a bit better than with rear drive so the wind and chop didn't bother me that much. Monday was an idyllic day, sunny mid 50s and calm. Yesterday there was an inversion with fog hanging high above the lake until about 3. But no wind.

Tempted to go out again tomorrow but probably will wait until next tuesday.

Mike

 

[Bill]

Nice going ranger,I can't wait to get out there again. That was my first time there and really liked it.

 

[oldranger]

Couldn't help myself and went back to LBC today with a different friend but same result. Could have quit with limits of kokes in less than an hour. But switched to 3 rods targeting bulls and one for kokes. Still limited early then switched to 4 rods for bulls. My friend managed 1 17" bull on herring I rigged for him. I was skunked again. Bull trout not as dense near the dam as earlier. Wonder if they are heading up the Metolius arm? Still loads of Kokes in the Crooked river arm. Haven't seriously checked out the Deschutes Arm because I have been going where I know there are fish. See what happens next Tuesday.

Mike

 

[Bill]

oldranger do you fish this during the summer also? Seems maybe it turns into a water skier environment.

 

[oldranger]

Not usually, tend to fish Wickiup, Odell, and Paulina when I'm home. Kokes are usually bigger in these lakes than LBC. But I'm just a rookie when it comes to fishing from a boat. If you read posts on Central Oregon lakes you will find posts by much better anglers than myself. But I usually abandon central oregon and my wife for about 6 weeks of backpacking/fishing in mid summer.

Mike

 

[Bill]

Ok. I have heard the kokes from Wickiup can develop a muddy taste. We did try Odell last year but my god the wind was just too much .

 

[oldranger]

Get on the water early and you can usually get a few hours in before the wind kicks up. Haven't fished Wickiup after May but early fish tasted fine!

Mike

 

[DLM]

Ok. I have heard the kokes from Wickiup can develop a muddy taste. We did try Odell last year but my god the wind was just too much .

I have fished wickiup up to mid July with out any really noticeable change in the taste. The key I think is the water temp not the water level. As it warms they seem to take on the muddy taste. I have heard that if you soak the fillets in milk it takes the muddy out but have never tried it.

 

[Bill]

Yes that makes sense, I love the taste of trout from colder water compared to warmer water. I have also heard some remove the skin.

 

[Jurassic Cowboy]

The KPO is now collecting catch records for all the lakes in Oregon. To help us out please go to the Kokaneepoweroregon.com website and under fishing reports fill out the catch record form each time you go out fishing. We can then share this data with the ODFW to show them what is being caught at the area lakes. The KPO will be working with the ODFW this year to stock Detroit Lake with larger sized kokanee in hopes that they will not be just food for the trout and chinook in the lake.

Thanks for the help improving our fishery.

 

[oldranger]

Will do! Tried! entered info but there was no submit button so all I could do was exit and it said I lost data. ?????????

Mike

 

[Jurassic Cowboy]

Ooops. Fixed now. There is a Submit button.

 

[Bill]

Wed and Thursday is looking really good out there.

 

[oldranger]

Wed and Thursday is looking really good out there.

yeah! Going Monday and Wednesday!

Mike

 

[Bill]

Your profile didn't say but I assume you must live in C.O. To be able to go there so much. Takes me about 2 hours from the west slope of Mt.Hood to get there. Good luck on the Bulls.

 

[oldranger]

Your profile didn't say but I assume you must live in C.O. To be able to go there so much. Takes me about 2 hours from the west slope of Mt.Hood to get there. Good luck on the Bulls.

yep! Bend

Mike

 

[Bill]

Well how'd you do Mike? I just don't get it,we got skunked today! Trolled everything at every speed from the C.R. Ramp to the dam,zip,ziltch nada. No riggers just 2oz banana weights. Dag-burn-it.

 

[oldranger]

Gee Bill I don't know what to say. What kind of boat were you in? We couldn't relax we had so many fish on. Could have gone home by 9 if we hadn't gone to C&R. Did you read my formula on ifish? Just lucked into it. We were using 3 oz banana sinkers with base of 120 feet of line out but if a tight pod was at 45 feet we would reel into 75 feet and if the pod was at 60 feet we'd leave 95 feet of line out. I tryed to send you a pm but not sure if it worked.
Next tuesday on to the Metolius arm!

Mike

 

[Kokanee5]

Mike:

What lures were you catching them on?

TS