3RivrFishr
Well-known member
Greetings from North central Idaho.
My experience with Kokanee fishing started when I was maybe of 6 or 7 years old. I dont remember a whole lot about those early trips except from the stories that were told by my dad while I was growning up and a few old, now faded photographs. Scattered throughout my childhood memories of trips for steelhead on our local rivers, rainbow trout in high mountain lakes and westslope cutthroat in cool freestone rivers are trips to some beautiful lakes and reservoirs for kokanee. During my teens and 20's I scoffed at koke fishing. I called it "old man" fishing and regarded it as a boring way to waste perfect water skiing time. During that time I would have much preferred to by fly casting for trout, drift fishing for steelhead or jig fishing for smallmouths. I figured kokanee were too easy to catch and not worth serious effort.
My approach to any kind of fishing has always been pretty hardcore. I tend to get overinvolved in the processes and prefer a more hands on rather than store bought approach. My shed has several shelves full of chemicals, dyes, scents and egg cures for example. Another 2 shelves are full of hundreds of leaders that I have tied for various steelhead and chinook applications. I have 3 boxes full of fly tying fodder because I enjoy the satisfaction of fooling a trout with a creation of my own more than purchasing what someone else put less heart into. I have rod wrappers, guides, handles, epoxies and thread for building rods...you get the point and I'm sure some of you are more hands-on obsessed than I am.
I say all that to say that I know my way around fish. Except for kokanee. I can go toe to toe with my guide friends on steelhead and salmon and come out pretty even. Except for kokanee. I dont have much left to prove to myself when it comes to fishing. Except for kokanee. Now that I am older and hopefully wiser my view of fishing is a much less competitive one though competition will always exist amongst fishermen. My hardcore approach is becoming much more recreational as I seek to relax and enjoy my surroundings, my aging father and my kids while I have the time. Kokanee fishing is the perfect way to balance my hardcore side with my mellowing side that seeks to relax more while enjoying the sport I love.
Problem is I'm a total Kokanee dork. Having fished only a couple times per year on average over the past 20 years with mediocre results. Mediocre results arent relaxing to me. I'll drive myself nuts trying to figure out what to change. I never really bothered to learn much about kokes or the techniques involved in consitently catching decent numbers of them so I have no basis of knowledge to change anything intelligently. This year with some research, advice from some people who have been willing to share their knowledge and a lot of time on the water I hope to start getting it figured out.
Wow, long winded first post!
Oh, and to the guys I scoffed at 20 odd years ago...please accept my apologies. I was young and dumb and you had it figured out! thumbsup
My experience with Kokanee fishing started when I was maybe of 6 or 7 years old. I dont remember a whole lot about those early trips except from the stories that were told by my dad while I was growning up and a few old, now faded photographs. Scattered throughout my childhood memories of trips for steelhead on our local rivers, rainbow trout in high mountain lakes and westslope cutthroat in cool freestone rivers are trips to some beautiful lakes and reservoirs for kokanee. During my teens and 20's I scoffed at koke fishing. I called it "old man" fishing and regarded it as a boring way to waste perfect water skiing time. During that time I would have much preferred to by fly casting for trout, drift fishing for steelhead or jig fishing for smallmouths. I figured kokanee were too easy to catch and not worth serious effort.
My approach to any kind of fishing has always been pretty hardcore. I tend to get overinvolved in the processes and prefer a more hands on rather than store bought approach. My shed has several shelves full of chemicals, dyes, scents and egg cures for example. Another 2 shelves are full of hundreds of leaders that I have tied for various steelhead and chinook applications. I have 3 boxes full of fly tying fodder because I enjoy the satisfaction of fooling a trout with a creation of my own more than purchasing what someone else put less heart into. I have rod wrappers, guides, handles, epoxies and thread for building rods...you get the point and I'm sure some of you are more hands-on obsessed than I am.
I say all that to say that I know my way around fish. Except for kokanee. I can go toe to toe with my guide friends on steelhead and salmon and come out pretty even. Except for kokanee. I dont have much left to prove to myself when it comes to fishing. Except for kokanee. Now that I am older and hopefully wiser my view of fishing is a much less competitive one though competition will always exist amongst fishermen. My hardcore approach is becoming much more recreational as I seek to relax and enjoy my surroundings, my aging father and my kids while I have the time. Kokanee fishing is the perfect way to balance my hardcore side with my mellowing side that seeks to relax more while enjoying the sport I love.
Problem is I'm a total Kokanee dork. Having fished only a couple times per year on average over the past 20 years with mediocre results. Mediocre results arent relaxing to me. I'll drive myself nuts trying to figure out what to change. I never really bothered to learn much about kokes or the techniques involved in consitently catching decent numbers of them so I have no basis of knowledge to change anything intelligently. This year with some research, advice from some people who have been willing to share their knowledge and a lot of time on the water I hope to start getting it figured out.
Wow, long winded first post!
Oh, and to the guys I scoffed at 20 odd years ago...please accept my apologies. I was young and dumb and you had it figured out! thumbsup
