Nice...............
Dawn in the East(Nantahala Lake)
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Nice...............
rgarbar
Well-known member
Quick Trip
Hit the water for about 2 hours and stayed fairly close to the dock as the skies were threatening. Still a bit slow action at Nantahala. Did catch this 18" kokanee @ 2 1/4 lbs. and lost another on the way in. The fish were in the 36' to 42' water column.
Blackened salmon with sweet potatoes fries and broccoli tonighttooexcited
Hit the water for about 2 hours and stayed fairly close to the dock as the skies were threatening. Still a bit slow action at Nantahala. Did catch this 18" kokanee @ 2 1/4 lbs. and lost another on the way in. The fish were in the 36' to 42' water column.
Blackened salmon with sweet potatoes fries and broccoli tonighttooexcited
trollmonkey
Well-known member
Ron ,Great to see you and talk fishing today.Looks like I should have hung around for supper. I dropped the heads off as I went back to work, and managed to miss the rain. Stay after the kokes, and keep us posted. Mark
rgarbar
Well-known member
Good Morning at Nantahala Lake
Got out this morning. The action was slow for a while I looked for the fish. Marked fish in the vicinity of the dam all over the water column. Hooked up with these 2 bows and a koke. The three were down @ 32' to 42' deep. Lost another and had several other strikes. The sun is intense and the lake basin hot. Bring sun screen and a hat.
Got out this morning. The action was slow for a while I looked for the fish. Marked fish in the vicinity of the dam all over the water column. Hooked up with these 2 bows and a koke. The three were down @ 32' to 42' deep. Lost another and had several other strikes. The sun is intense and the lake basin hot. Bring sun screen and a hat.
rgarbar
Well-known member
A Banner Day at Nantahala
The bite was on early today and I found the fish fast not too far from the dock. Caught these 5 kokanee and lost a few others on the way in. Green/chartreuse caught the most. Lost a big "bow" and my favorite trout hootchie too a bad knot
The kokes were down about 42' the trout at 34'. The kokes ran about 15" to 18".
The bite was on early today and I found the fish fast not too far from the dock. Caught these 5 kokanee and lost a few others on the way in. Green/chartreuse caught the most. Lost a big "bow" and my favorite trout hootchie too a bad knot
The kokes were down about 42' the trout at 34'. The kokes ran about 15" to 18".
rgarbar
Well-known member
Another Good Day at Nantahala
Had a few good hours fishing until the wind picked up and killed the bite for me. Caught 4 kokes to 18+". Lost at least 3 on the way in and had a number of strikes. All fish were caught 42' down and green/chartreuse was the only color that saw action. The males are starting to develop the hooked jaws. Should be a good spawn this October.
Had a few good hours fishing until the wind picked up and killed the bite for me. Caught 4 kokes to 18+". Lost at least 3 on the way in and had a number of strikes. All fish were caught 42' down and green/chartreuse was the only color that saw action. The males are starting to develop the hooked jaws. Should be a good spawn this October.
trollmonkey
Well-known member
Awesome Ron ,You are into them. I hope to get out in late July /early August. My new Grandson should be here just about anytime now. In a few years I am going to need a way bigger boat. Take Care
Dr. Oc
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2010
- Messages
- 46
Trollmonkey/Rgarbar, I was looking to try something a little different on our trip this year and get off L. Nant. I've fished the Nant. Riv. for trout and the Little Tenn. R. for smallmouths. The trout at Lake Apalachia was on the bucket list. Is late July too late to go up there or would I be wasting my time? I have the equipment to fish any depth I need to, but how deep is the lake on average? The boat ramp looks a little iffy. Are the 6-8ft water depth changes a problem for a 19 ft?
rgarbar
Well-known member
doc
Give Calderwood or cheoah a shot. Got some smaller trout but a lot of hits and fish lost on Calderwood last september. Marked a lot of fish at cheoah on a kayak/w fish finder. I am back in Fl for a week, will start fishing for kokes and report sometimes next week.
Give Calderwood or cheoah a shot. Got some smaller trout but a lot of hits and fish lost on Calderwood last september. Marked a lot of fish at cheoah on a kayak/w fish finder. I am back in Fl for a week, will start fishing for kokes and report sometimes next week.
trollmonkey
Well-known member
Dr. Oc, July can be iffy but rewarding. Cheoah has trout and musky . I haven't heard about any musky being caught but could be interesting. The upper end of Cheoah is fairly shallow with lots of sand bars the lower end is pushing 200' deep. A nice narrow lake with not much boat traffic. Our first day trip to Apalachia was in August 2013,we caught smallmouth chasing herring and 7 trout (15-17"). The ramp is definitely not a one man deal if they are generating, but we probably only saw a 1'-2' level change. Ap is shallow from the landing down the lake for three miles or so the drops to 40 or so . Down near the dam the lake is around 120' ,there are some standing trees down deep( 40+) that like to snatch lures and downrigger wts. We got some nice trout there in May and 6 catfish( two cats pushed 10 lbs) trolling. Have a great trip let us know how it goes. Mark
Dr. Oc
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- Joined
- Jul 12, 2010
- Messages
- 46
Mark, thanks for the tips. Good intel to have. Out of curiosity, how deep did you find the trout last Aug. and did you notice if the bite improved with moving water/generating. My experience is that it usually helps, but haven't been there before and it may be different. Ron, good luck on your return. Hope you are still finding them active. I can't wait to get back up there after missing a trip last year. Let me know if y'all will be there the last week in July.
trollmonkey
Well-known member
We found them 30'-45' in Aug.At the upper end I've caught a few in colder months especially with moving water. On our spring trips the upper end would hit the low 70's with no water running, and we didn't get any trout. Down lake you can't really detect any current but the fish probably notice. The water going through seems to affect the temp stratification. On the summer trip we found mid 60's from 25'down a long way, didn't seem to be cooling much with depth. This May we caught trout 10'-20'. Good Luck
rgarbar
Well-known member
Slow Day
Finally got back on the lake after about a two week layover. The bite is still on at Nantahala but not as good as it was 2 weeks ago. The fish are deeper. Caught two at about 17" each. The fish were caught at about 52' down, both fell to a chartreuse hootchie in the Rocky Branch abyss. Did mark fish 50 to 65' down but scattered. Lots of recreational boats flying up and down the lake.
Finally got back on the lake after about a two week layover. The bite is still on at Nantahala but not as good as it was 2 weeks ago. The fish are deeper. Caught two at about 17" each. The fish were caught at about 52' down, both fell to a chartreuse hootchie in the Rocky Branch abyss. Did mark fish 50 to 65' down but scattered. Lots of recreational boats flying up and down the lake.
rgarbar
Well-known member
2015 PB Kokanee
Another slow day but did catch my biggest Kokanee this year. It came in shy of 19" and weighed 2 3/4 lbs. Caught it at 54' down on a chartreuse hootchie. Lost another on the way to the boat at the same depth and same lure. Will probably try one more time next week. The thermocline is all over the place with all the generating at the dam/penstocks and the kokes are scattered and going deep. Will begin trailering the boat and trolling for trout at Calderwood and Cheoah reservoirs.
Another slow day but did catch my biggest Kokanee this year. It came in shy of 19" and weighed 2 3/4 lbs. Caught it at 54' down on a chartreuse hootchie. Lost another on the way to the boat at the same depth and same lure. Will probably try one more time next week. The thermocline is all over the place with all the generating at the dam/penstocks and the kokes are scattered and going deep. Will begin trailering the boat and trolling for trout at Calderwood and Cheoah reservoirs.
trollmonkey
Well-known member
Nice one Ron,We are still waiting for the new Grandbaby. It will probably be mid August before I get out there. Keep at 'em.
rgarbar
Well-known member
Bite Still On at Nantahala
Hit Nantahala Lake this morning probably for the last time for awhile. Caught 4 nice kokanee 16" to 18+". All fish were caught at the block houses by the dam. Strangely the fish were caught at about 42' down, a far cry from the 50+' down the last several times I went out. They might have been drawing water for generating from that far penstock pulling in cold water into the pocket. Today all they hit was a white micro hootch with a pearl glow spinner blade. Chartreuse was ignored. Anyway may not get back on the lake until August if at all. Who knows where the kokanee will be then. Thanks all for reading my posts. Hope to be back next year. I will be trailering to the likes of Calderwood and Cheoah starting in August. Will report on any success I have there.
ps What ever happened to the Connecticut kokanee crew?
Hit Nantahala Lake this morning probably for the last time for awhile. Caught 4 nice kokanee 16" to 18+". All fish were caught at the block houses by the dam. Strangely the fish were caught at about 42' down, a far cry from the 50+' down the last several times I went out. They might have been drawing water for generating from that far penstock pulling in cold water into the pocket. Today all they hit was a white micro hootch with a pearl glow spinner blade. Chartreuse was ignored. Anyway may not get back on the lake until August if at all. Who knows where the kokanee will be then. Thanks all for reading my posts. Hope to be back next year. I will be trailering to the likes of Calderwood and Cheoah starting in August. Will report on any success I have there. ps What ever happened to the Connecticut kokanee crew?
Congrats and thanks for all the updates and pics............ Haven't been able to make it back up myself, if no soon, maybe next year. Been a really busy year for me at work, so can only hope for more time out in the future..... Again thanks for all the updates and info......
Dr. Oc
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 12, 2010
- Messages
- 46
Ron, Great posts and glad to see you're still on them and in the same area that has produced for me in the past. Seeing your posts has got me really excited to get back up there. Missed it last year. I'll be there this weekend thru next and hope to fish several days next week. Look for my green Jones Brothers boat with the Yamaha and say hello. Are you marking the thermocline regularly now and marking the fish or are most "blind" strikes? What scents, if any, have been producing for you? Thanks
rgarbar
Well-known member
Fishing advise
Sorry I will miss you next week as I will be out of town. The thermocline has been fluctuating I guess because of all the rain and summer generating. I have been going with blind strikes and fishing at that depth when I catch one. I do use the fish finder to locate fish as well. I have not uses a scent at all. Most of my kokes were caught from Little Choga Island to that camping point on the forestry side as you come to the dam. The dam had produced pretty poorly until yesterday. Fish were concentrated at the block house corner but I did have several strikes and one fish on(lost) trolling to that corner so they are in the dam area, possibly be driven there by all the boat traffic running down to lakes end marina. I only fished hootchies following a small dodger. The majority of kokes were caught on a Green dodger towing a chartreuse hootchie. A hot pink hootchie towed by a small red dodger came in second. However yesterday those colors were ignored and they only hit a clear hootchie towed by a small silver dodger. As always the lures were tipped with shoe peg corn. I am sure other lures/colors(wedding rings, bugs etc.) will produce as well. Change colors as it worked for me yesterday and as always be patient. Let us know of your success. Enjoy your stay at Nantahala.
Sorry I will miss you next week as I will be out of town. The thermocline has been fluctuating I guess because of all the rain and summer generating. I have been going with blind strikes and fishing at that depth when I catch one. I do use the fish finder to locate fish as well. I have not uses a scent at all. Most of my kokes were caught from Little Choga Island to that camping point on the forestry side as you come to the dam. The dam had produced pretty poorly until yesterday. Fish were concentrated at the block house corner but I did have several strikes and one fish on(lost) trolling to that corner so they are in the dam area, possibly be driven there by all the boat traffic running down to lakes end marina. I only fished hootchies following a small dodger. The majority of kokes were caught on a Green dodger towing a chartreuse hootchie. A hot pink hootchie towed by a small red dodger came in second. However yesterday those colors were ignored and they only hit a clear hootchie towed by a small silver dodger. As always the lures were tipped with shoe peg corn. I am sure other lures/colors(wedding rings, bugs etc.) will produce as well. Change colors as it worked for me yesterday and as always be patient. Let us know of your success. Enjoy your stay at Nantahala.
