Kokanee jigs

[black lab]

Hi everyone, I just stumbled on to this site while looking for kokanee jigs. I have a fair amount of experience fishing, but not for kokanee. I always thought they were only around 12" or so around here and never bothered with them. This summer my eye's were finally opened when I saw a cooler with half a dozen chrome 3# + fish. WOW Let's just say, "I am Hooked". tooexcited I found a near by lake that is said to have good fish. I went up to this lake and found them but I had no luck catching them. I have a fish finder and downrigger, but no luck yet. I was using a Wedding ring with pink maggots on the hook. I was thinking the next time up there I was going to try dangling a Very small pink jig above one's nose. Anyone like to pass on some secret tips. It would be very much appreciated. Jack

 

[DLM]

For accurate help you need to be more specific as far as what lake you are fishing. While there are general techniques and rigs, what works on one lake may not work on another. If you include the name of the lake you will certainly get responses from folks that fish that water.

 

[Bduck]

First of all welcome to this site black lab. 101welcomw As dlm said, it would help to know what fishing grounds you are on. There are alot of techniques that are basic that can help land you the silver prize. With the addiction of koke fishing, I keep adding to my tackle. Check out our tackle craft section. These guys have gone off the deep end 101ok101 making new tackle that is working very well. Start throwing your spare change in a jar because you'll certainly need it everytime you venture in or around a sporting goods store. thumbsup

 

[black lab]

The lakes that I am fishing most likely would be unknown to you guy's. I live in what a lot refer to as " The Great White North " The nearest lake is a Hydro Impoundment that has been stocked with Rainbow, Cutthroat, and Kokanee. It's a nutrient deficient lake and they have been fertilizing it for the last number of years and apparently the fish are doing quite well. The regs. limit you to 2 fish a day with a minimum length of 40 cm. or 15 3/4" Not many fish it because the road into it is Steep and Rough. Jack

 

[SilverBullets]

Welcome aboard black lab!thumbsup For jigging you'll want a rod with some back bone and a sensitive tip and a spinning reel loaded up with braid and around 10' of mono leader. The rod needs a sensitive tip for detecting bites and the backbone to set the hook. The braid offers no stretch for getting a solid hook set. The jigs you'll probably want to get are the 1/4, 1/2 and 3/4 oz size. The 1/2 oz works in shallower calm conditions, and 3/4 oz for going deeper and helps stay vertical in windy conditions. I use corn for bait but most days only a smear of gel scent is all thats needed.
There are a few ways to target them with jigs. One is to cast out to jumpers (1/4 oz jigs work best for this method.) Cast out and do a count letting the jig fall and start to jig it on the way in. Once you get a hook up and figure out what depth their hitting at do the same count to get back into them.
Another way is the anchor up over schools (this is when the 1/2 oz jigs work best) and jig a foot or so off the bottom lifting the rod tip up a foot or two. The hits generally happen as the jig is falling. Be on your toes to set the hook!!
Drifting over deeper water targeting suspended fish is also a way to fill up the cooler some days. Just let the jig (3/4 oz) down to where you see them on the fishfinder. You can do "pulls" of line to get to the desired depth or get colored metered braided line thats marked every 10'. This medhod works well when the fish are scattered and you need to cover more area to find them. Have fun and good luck. We'll be looking foward to reading your reports from the "Great White North!"101welcomw

 

[Torres]

Welcome to the board Black Lab.

Guessing on your "Metric" references you are from Canada, eh?

I've fished up near 100 Mile House in B.C. many many years ago on a lake that wasn't on the map at the time.

It was fantastic fishing in a beautiful area and the one thing i'll never forget while there was how bright the stars in the sky were.

The skies were so clear you could actually see the Milky Way!