Goin to the Gorge, Need Advice

[MartyM]

I'll be up at the Gorge from the 19th through the 23rd. This will be my first time there. Posted about a month ago for help on catching Kokes and got some good advice. Followed up by buying Bizer's book and read it cover to cover. I'm now on my second go round. I'm a little overwhelmed when it comes to lures. My tackle box has a lot of Needlefish and flatfish, but not too much else. Without going bankrupt, are there some lure recommendations that any of you could make that would give me a good variety to start with other than the Needlefish. I also have a Fish-n-Map of the Gorge. Any good areas to begin fishing at? We'll be staying in Manila at Steinakers, so we will put in at the locar marina. As always, thanks for the help. Appreciate being a part of this forum.

 

[Mojo]

I'd say you need some Dodgers and hootchies (squid lures). You can tie up your own squid rigs and save a bundle. I put some little plastic beads on the leader before I thread the squid on so the hooks are behind the squid a little bit. Also I'd have some spoons like Rocky Mountain Tackle Serpent spoons or Dick Nights.

There is also the classic Wedding Ring spinner behind a lake troll of some sort. While I rarely use these anymore, they are at times the money maker.

 

[Kokaholic]

We have done well all year on a Bahama mama dodger followed up with either a Double pink RMT squid, or a White pearlescent squid. I would also try a Cotton candy squid. A hyper palid dodger is also a good bet.

Try tipping it with some Berkley gulp maggots or some live meal worms. Some Pro cure carp spit is also a great addition to putting a few kokes in the boat, Try up shallower in the early am and as the sun rises in the sky, go deeper.

 

[MartyM]

Mojo and Kokaholic, thanks . . .

. . . for the useful information. Narrows it down quite a bit. If I wanted to make some Hoothcies, where would I get the material? What pound test line to rig some up? Any special type of line, hooks? I'll be putting in at Lucerne Valley Marina. Starting out, any places to concentrate my fishing at? Thanks again and I'll let you know how I did.

 

[binthere50]

MartyM...just stop at the Chevron(Store) in Manila or at the other store down the street (can't remember the name) and buy some Rocky Mountain
Tackle dodgers, mid size, and the bigger 5.5 inch models in Hyper plaid, Bahama Mama, and Silver/Pink and pick up a dozen or so RMT rigged squids in white, pink, and blue....get a bottle of Carp spit scent and your in business.
Bring along some 12 or 14lb or flourocarbon leader material to re-tie worn out leaders, a few 4mm glow beads and UV beads (4mm) if you have them.
Have you rods rigged with 8lb Maxima Ultra Green......Run the squids about
8-12 inches from the dodger. Although I've only fished the Gorge once, last week....That's what we caught most on....from the surface down to 50 ft on the wire.....I don't know about where to fish out of Lucerne Marina, but just ask nicely, spend a few bucks there, and they will steer you in the right direction......Mike

 

[Bduck]

First of all you'll need a good map of the gorge. You can pickup one when you get to Manila. Depending on the speed of your boat to relocate you, when launching out of Lucerne, go north and start at the pipeline. Continue to work your way north, east shore across from Anvil point did us good. Still going north, you have Middle Marsh, Upper Marsh, Squaw Hollow, Skunk Cliffs, Big Bend and Buckboard. When you reach the Middle Marsh area, you are approx. half way to Buckboard. Some times its better to launch out of Buckboard and just go south to your destination. Excellent Kokanee grounds from either direction you launch from. Here is a couple of pic's of interest.

 

[Mojo]

. . . for the useful information. Narrows it down quite a bit. If I wanted to make some Hoothcies, where would I get the material? What pound test line to rig some up? Any special type of line, hooks? I'll be putting in at Lucerne Valley Marina. Starting out, any places to concentrate my fishing at? Thanks again and I'll let you know how I did.

I tie my hootchies on 10 pound Gamma Fluorocarbon. I use size 4 Gamakatsu Octopus style hooks. I use an egg loop or a snell knot and I tie my rigs with double hooks. I use between 3 and 5 4mm beads to keep the hook out far enough from the hootchie. I tie my leader then use a "doll needle" I "borrowed from the wife" to thread on the beads and hootchie. I generally run a 8 to 12 inch leader depending on whether I'm using a snubber or not. I bought most of my hootchie squids at Sportsman's Warehouse, but Cabela's also has them, as do Rocky Mountain Tackle (I just got 2 packs in the mail from them on Friday and they ROCK!!!).

If you can afford to get the same gear BDuck has, you are set up for life. I'm slowly getting there.

 

[Bduck]

I tie my hootchies on 10 pound Gamma Fluorocarbon. I use size 4 Gamakatsu Octopus style hooks. I use an egg loop or a snell knot and I tie my rigs with double hooks. I use between 3 and 5 4mm beads to keep the hook out far enough from the hootchie. I tie my leader then use a "doll needle" I "borrowed from the wife" to thread on the beads and hootchie. I generally run a 8 to 12 inch leader depending on whether I'm using a snubber or not. I bought most of my hootchie squids at Sportsman's Warehouse, but Cabela's also has them, as do Rocky Mountain Tackle (I just got 2 packs in the mail from them on Friday and they ROCK!!!).

If you can afford to get the same gear BDuck has, you are set up for life. I'm slowly getting there.

Actually, some of these are not that costly. I also make up some of my own as well. What you see in the pics is an idea what is used at the gorge.

 

[SuperD]

I've been going to the Gorge for a few years now and I've noticed that the hot lure one year tends to be cold the next. This year, purple was the hottest lure followed closely by pink and then by orange.

 

[MartyM]

NOW, I am off and running! A BIG Thank You to all who posted and have taken time to help a novice. I'll try my hand at making some hootchies and buying some also. An order to RMT is forthcoming. Marty

 

[Mojo]

Actually, some of these are not that costly. I also make up some of my own as well. What you see in the pics is an idea what is used at the gorge.

Hey BDuck, I was just joshing you. That looks like money in my book. I have a ton of other things that work sometimes, but those are the basics that you have to have in my book.

 

[Bduck]

Hey BDuck, I was just joshing you. That looks like money in my book. I have a ton of other things that work sometimes, but those are the basics that you have to have in my book.

Mojo, no offense taken. With retirement knocking on my door, I decided to pull together a few things. Especially the things that are going to be with me for awhile. At this point, I'm not done yet, far from it. I've got my wife showing interest now.