Cascade

[metalheadgene]

OK......here we go...last week me and couple of great friends caught five footballs on Cascade. We are not green and the consensus is they were Kokes.

Tackle Toms and the newspapers is touting Coho in the lake. A local shop in the treasure valley(who I respect) is saying Coho have not been planted in the lake for about 5 years and believes they are all Kokes.

I will admit I have a heck of a time differentiaing the two species.

What say you? By the way...my wife and i are up here as i type and they are starting to turn color...ever so slightly but the meat is still firm!

Thanks for your thoughts!

 

[jimbojump]

Can you post any pics to help us? I read kokes were in there...but havent been up there yet

 

[Aluma165]

Kokes?

My niece has a house on the shore at Crown Point. The small creek is full of Kokanee every fall...
I've heard there are both species in Cascade but have only seen the reds in the fall. They are definitely Kokes.

 

[metalheadgene]

I hope this works

 

[skookum9]

That looks like a nice fat koke to me. The tail looks totally koke and the missing scales give even more support. The best way I've heard to know the difference for sure is to check the gills. I was told recently that you can look at the gills and check the configuration to tell for certain on them. Thinking back to all the fish I've cleaned, I think that person was right. The gills on a koke look like they're designed to "rake" the water for the food that is in it, in much the same way a whale does for the krill it eats. On other salmon species, the gills should have very short little stubby white nodes on their gills where the kokanee have a strainer like design. I hope that helps some but I'm sure that there are others here who can do a better job of clearing it up for you. And that's a dandy looking fish, keep up the good work out there.

 

[kodiak1]

Absolutely no doubt that is a koke. As I have mentioned before, my wife and I have hammered the kokanee in Cascade in past years. The reason most people don't catch them is because they aren't fishing for them. Or, they are fishing in the wrong area! May I ask where you caught them, and with what gear. We always had the best luck on the west side across from the city ramp, and out a ways, in about 50 feet of water. Nice fish! Mike

 

[metalheadgene]

Last week and this week have been finding them in 39-42 ft deep water using downriggers with our gear set at 20 to 28 feet.

It's been flashers (beer can) with a green wedding ring and worm.

And for us it has been around Sugar loaf....SW to NW of the Island.

It's been slow last night and this morning but we did get 3...all huge and they are turing color but in still good shape.

We are going to do an evening perch jerk with maybe a quick troll by the city ramp tonight.

 

[BorntoFish01]

Here's some additiona pics from our trip with Gene last week. The 1st pic is Mel and Gene [wth his fish]. 2nd pic is me and Gene after I netted his fish.

I got to try out some new [to me] "Father Murphys Combos". Was pleasantly surprised to catch some kokes and trout on them when some of my other usual go-to's didn't produce. Anxious to try those combos on Lucky Peak.

 

[metalheadgene]

Here is one from this morning..

 

[BorntoFish01]

Way to go Maria....thats a great fish.

 

[kodiak1]

Nice fish. Next time, why not try some shoepeg corn instead of worm. Thanks for the info about location. By the way, the F & G has been planting coho in Cascade. 5 different times in May of this year alone. Also last year. And prior to that. Tons of fingerlings. Mike

 

[BorntoFish01]

Mike, good suggestion on the corn....don't know why, but we completely spaced that out whereas have used it in past elsewhere. Besides worms were also used the Gulp maggots in natural and yellow colors.

For those who don't know, the ID F&G stocking reports for state waters are available at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/apps/stocking/

After reading your comment about coho stocking on Cascade I had to see for myself what they've been doing in that regard in their recovery program for the past 5 years. Nice to see that they've been busy, but wonder what kind of natural reproduction [also survival] we'll see from these fish...

May, 2011 - 473,545 fingerlings 3-6 in
Sept, 2010 - 101,775 catchable 6+ in
June, 2020 - 148,050 fingerling
Sept, 2008 - 123,210 fingerling
Sept, 2007 - 213,510 catchable
May, 2007 - 282,325 fingerling
Sept, 2006 - 221,350 catchable
June, 2006 - 193,200 fingerling

Interesting to note that during the past 5 years the F&G has also been stocking lots of Triploid Kamloop trout [Troutlodge and Hayspur varieties] besides the usual unspecified rainbows. Don't know much at all about these but whenever I hear talk of "triploids" or "kamloops" elsewhere in the state we're talking BIG fish. Damn....I need to get back up to Cascade!!! tooexcited101cheers101

 

[upser]

triploid trout

Yes those triploid trout do grow huge. The record was just broken buy one of them that the fish and game had raised in the hagerman valley for u of i aquaculture. They figure there is probably one that could go 50 in the next couple years as i think that that trout that was caught is not much over ten years old. They also triploid that brown trout but not sure where they planted them.

 

[Ken Jones]

Coho (Planters)

All the cohos in Cascade are all planters. They do knot reproduce in Cascade. Why I don't know. I was told where the Fish and game got there fingerlings but don't remember where it was. Call fisheries and they surely will be able to help. Those are nice Kokes you guys pictured.101chromefish101

 

[Aluma165]

Heading Up

I'll be at Cascade for a few days beginning tomorrow. May be too late for Kokes but I'll post whatever when I return. Not familiar with Cascade from a boat so it'll be entirely search and seek... Hopefully, my old Humminbird and DR's will turn something up.
Going back up again for a 10 day family camp at the end of the month. Tomorrow's a "scouts out" trip.
Black and Silver Alumacraft Navigator 17' w/ 60 Yamaha. Shout out if you see me. Ridgeview C.G.

Note: Bought some .99 / lb. Alaskan "fresh" pink salmon at a local Albtsns.
Fileted five fish up for the smoker and then promptly through it all away... When you pull the pin-bones and they bring loads of flesh along with them I've always considered the meat too far gone. Had that dark look along the vertebrae too... First time I've contemplated store bought fish smoking; went for the cheap price... should've known! Never again.
Thoughts?

 

[kodiak1]

Hey Aluma,
As you know, Kali and I bring back lots of pinks from Sekiu WA every other year when they are running. With the pinks, it is especially important to treat them correctly--bleed them and get them on ice fast--but they do have a more tender flesh, and yes, when you remove the pinbones, it does bring some flesh with it. I would not let that bother you. On the other side, I don't trust Albertsons when it comes to fish. The are notorious for selling chum, ie dog salmon that has been dyed red and labelled "silverbrite" salmon. I know many assume that it is coho, or silver salmon being sold. I have found that Fred Meyers has much better quality fish. Anyway, the pinks sure smoke up great, much better than the coho. Good luck at Cascade, and you might try dragging a wedding ring or hoochie around with a little shoepeg!! We are heading to Sekiu this Saturday. Mike

 

[Aluma165]

Thanks, Mike. Good luck in WA.
I'll have all the usual gear w/treated peg.
I think Albertson's had these fish for 7 or 8 days when I bought it. It also didn't pass the smell test. I caught so many pinks in Ketchikan two years ago my arms ached. They were sea fresh and firm. Kept two and grilled them; wow, awesome. These were definitely pinks but at least a week from fresh... They were calling them "wild caught"... but no other description. I'll try some from Freddie next time.

 

[kodiak1]

Yep, sound raunchy. The nose knows! Funny how everyone on the coast likes to look down at pinks, but when we have folks over for salmon after one of our Olympic Pen. trips, we typically cook some coho and some pink fillets. Almost every time, they show a preference for the pinks....the milder flavor. I tend to agree. Too many people place far too much emphasis on the color of fish. Mike

 

[Aluma165]

Salmon or trout filets are great on the grill. I like them on cedar planks with that lemon-butter sauce in the small bottle from Fred Meyer. That stuff's so good you could almost make a pikeminnow taste good...