Flaming Gorge questions

[gadbmw]

Hello all, I will hopefully be making my first trip to FG this spring and am very thankful I found this site. The info about the licenses, permits and inspections has been very helpful. I tried finding previous threads regarding my questions but my googlefoo skills are somewhat lacking. We are new to the kokanee fishing but after we ate a few that a friend had... well here we are.
My main question is regarding my boat and size. I have a 17 foot lowe deep V boat with a 50 evinrude(if I locate a bigger motor by spring I may have a few more HP). Buddies have said this is way too small to take to FG. The boat is mechanically sound, and has safety gear(pfd's, fire ext, hand held radio,safety bag with gear to camp onshore overnight). I will be purchasing the fishing pamphlet/report once I find the thread again.lol I dont need to race between spots, nor will I stay out once I notice the wind coming up(assuming noon 1pm most days), but I dont want to make headlines fishing by having a boat that should not have been out on the lake. I am hoping I dont have to fish directly by marinas and could venture away if we wanted. If you have comments about the boat size and areas to stay away from or head towards it would be apprecitated.

My daughter and I are the fishing part of our family, my wife and son will be hiking, relaxing, photography..... Are any of the campgrounds closer to better hiking areas?

I am torn between finding a guide to learn a bit of hands on experience for us or spending the funds on new rods/reels/equip and hoping videos from the internet, and a bit of luck will get us to the 3 fish limit. We are in NW Colorado so hoping to start making the trip on a frequent basis this summer.

 

[mtncat1]

i think your boat and boating skills will be fine , i wouldn't hire a guide to catch kokes , you should be able to find the info you need from this site and it' knowledgeable members to get into good fish , there are a lot of kokanee in the gorge and if you use the the tips you find you will have good luck.

 

[Keith1]

As Mtncat said your boat is fine. I sometime use a 15 foot Gregor with a 30 HP motor. One thing that is very important for fishing the Gorge however is to have a down rigger.

Regards, Keith

 

[smokepoles]

My thought is that you will be fine fishing and boating.. Bigger boats with concessions are nice for staying out on the water all day, but certainly not necessary. Some of the very best fishing I have had for kokes at the Gorge was within a couple miles of Buckboard or Lucerne. I concur that you should be set up with down riggers. I might suggest you fish from Lucerne as there is a variety of drives and hikes to do right from there - tour the dam, take the geologic drive, visit Red Canyon Visitor center ...... It is really quire fun for all whether you like to fish or not. As to a fishing guide, look for the armada and join in.

 

[liketrolling]

http://www.flaminggorge.com/marina.shtml
all the big kokanee are on the Wy side
To fish across state lines at Flaming Gorge, you must have a valid fishing license from one state and a reciprocal fishing permit from the other state. For example, if you buy a Utah resident or nonresident fishing license, you can fish the Utah portion of Flaming Gorge. After buying your Utah license, if you decide you also want to fish the Wyoming portion of the reservoir, you must buy a Wyoming reciprocal fishing permit. $10.00
Wyoming Non-resident AIS (Aquatic Invasive Species) decal (for boat)
$30 per calendar year all boats need to be checked for AIS (Aquatic Invasive Species) at a WY check station. Make sure you can pass before you bring your boat.

Buy them on-line here: https://wgfoapps.wyo.gov/ELSO/ELSOWelcome2.aspx

Utah
https://secure.utah.gov/hflo/main/se...2?server=serv1

http://www.flaminggorgewebcams.com/w...lucernemarina1

What are you staying in? when you come, Anvil is close to the Kokes and buckboard in Wy.
If you see some boats go by them and hope they know where the fish are
I can PM you some videos to watch and what lures to use, it depends on what time of the summer you are coming.
when the kokes go deep you will need downriggers and a fishfinder.
the good hiking is in Utah.

 

[gadbmw]

Thank you all for the quick responses, I look forward to others. I have one down rigger - an older manual cannon(wire line) I cant remember the size of the ball. I will get another one, but again it will probably be a manual one. Yes liketrolling please send me any info via pm. If its easier with a email I am happy to provide it. Our first trip will likely be beginning of May, and then hopefully once a month after that. We have both an older slide in camper and a fifth wheel(two trucks-boat+camper) just depends on who all is going as to which I take. Since all this will be new territory(from fishing to hiking for the wife) this year will all be fun, just hoping to learn.

 

[Bduck]

101welcomw gadbmw 101welcomw to the boards. Your boat is fine for the Gorge. Even the biggest boats don't find themselves battling the afternoon winds. Everything previously mentioned is good. There is a US Forest Service office in Manila in which they have the brochures to help plan your stay. A marine band VHF radio is an added safety precaution with 8' antennae. If trouble ever arises there will be plenty of folks as well as the authorities monitoring to assist in help. The best kokanee fishing is on Wyoming side but there are some good spots in Utah as well. Topo maps of Flaming Gorge are available at most sporting goods outlets which I always keep one in my boat. Downriggers are a must, most use an 8lb weight which is sufficient, manual type is fine but once you make the switch to electrics you'll never go back. 101ok101 Enjoy your first outing and make it a safe & memorable one. signfishin