Lake Roosevelt Kokanee

[downriggeral]

It's been a while since I was able to go fishing. Friend Ron invited me to go to Roosevelt December 11th and chase down some of those beautiful kokanee we have been seeing in Northwest Fishing Reports. We had a good drive down to Keller Ferry except for some heavy frost on the hill but it was sanded and in good shape thanks to the highway crews good work.

We got on the water around 9:00, what a nice morning it was. Sunny and very little wind with the temp warming to over 40 degrees ....and this is December! Didn't even fire up the heater. We headed down stream from the launch and looked for other boats. Trolled three colors deep at 1.7 mph with dodgers and pink hoochies baited with shoepeg corn cured overnight in a secret sauce shared by a fellow angler. It wasn't long before we were rewarded with a couple of nice trout and the hunt was on for the kokanee. The first kokane was landed about twenty minutes later. What a beauty fat and feisty.

Fishing was steady with the fourth kokanee and 6 bowes landed by about noon. We switched out the gear to Kekeda perch flies and Rapalas and finished out the rest of the rainbow limit. What a great finish to another awesome day at Roosevelt.

Tight lines all - Alan

 

[Bogey]

Nice, I'm chomping at the bit to get out there!

 

[Strike Zone]

downriggeral: Wish I could have been there also at that time. Looks like fishing was great. I am hoping the fishing is still good starting this Wednesday for a few days as the snow looks like it will be letting up for awhile. We are planning on heading that way on Jan. 4th also, but if it starts snowing again at that time we'll have to reschedule. Anyway, way to go on the beautiful fish.
Denny
Happy Daze

 

[liketrolling]

Nice I have never used a dodger like that. Thanks for posting, all I can do is dream till March.

 

[SuperD]

Nice I have never used a dodger like that. Thanks for posting, all I can do is dream till March.

Very popular PNW salmon lure that doubles as a dodger when the hooks are removed.

http://anglerwesttv.com/mini-extremewobbler.aspx

 

[downriggeral]

That particular dodger works very well. It is light , doesn't pull hard and wobbles like crazy. That one is loaded with UV and is sold as a Kokanee dodger. I also really like one called Blue Goo.

http://www.hawkenfishing.com/category-s/1861.htm

SuperD - Hope it's OK to share the info on the dodger.

 

[downriggeral]

I was planning another trip to Roosevelt yesterday but my crew backed out. Seems the temps overnight in the teens scared them off !! Guess liketrolling could come up and we could go.

 

[SuperD]

I was planning another trip to Roosevelt yesterday but my crew backed out. Seems the temps overnight in the teens scared them off !! Guess liketrolling could come up and we could go.

Did you tell them that you had a heater? LOL! Short of high winds, that sounds like a good fishing day wasted.

 

[downriggeral]

Ah yes a good fishing day gone away; can't get them back either! All of that said we are really going to be cold the next week or so. I usually try to get out for a New Years Day trip...we'll see how things are looking weather wise. I spray the reels and line with something called Real Magic I think it is. It helps shed the water from the line reducing ice build up (leadcore is bad about it). Sometimes have to stick the pole in the water to get the ice out of the guides. All of that is a small price to pay for getting to fish when every one else is just wishing spring would get here.

 

[Strike Zone]

Alan: Was a pleasure visiting with ya last night. I see it's supposed to start snowing on the passes next Wed. for a few days so we've decided to wait till we get another week or so of sunny days up there before we head east. We don't want to take a chance on having to try getting back to the west side while pulling a boat behind a pickup. Too many things can go wrong to take a chance. Will give ya a heads up when we do come your way tho. Here's a pic. of the boat we'll be using. Hope a heater inside will suffice in your cold weather over there. We'll have another heater in the back for the guy running the trolling motor.
Denny
Happy DazeView attachment 8323

 

[froggie]

Alan, Great to hear a report for Dec. kokanee fishing at Roosevelt. When we were in the area last summer we did not get to Roosevelt. Nitefishing for kokes with you was a NEW experience, now we'll have to try winter koke fishing too!! We were wondering about the Spring trip to the Columbia that you were talking about?
Judy (Sonora, CA)

 

[downriggeral]

Hi froggie - We did have a blast night fishing kokes at Loon last summer. You will have to come up for the winter kokanee and bowes at Roosevelt. Might be a little "cool" for you folkes from the "warm" country though! It warmed up to 21 presently (5:00 pm) and is supposed to be 2 tonight......brrrrrrrrr. I have a friend who is going in the morning and was invited but having family over tomorrow.

I don't know what Columbia spring trip you talking about. I usually go to the Washington lakes (now Northwest Fishing Reports) get together at Chelan in early May to kokanee fish and swap info; it's a blast. We finish on Saturday with a pot luck and the host serves something made from fish, fish tacos last year. Maybe that's what you were thinking about?
Alan

 

[froggie]

We'll think about early May, but that's also usually hot here for kokes. We're planning a July trip to Flaming Gorge. Ben said it was a Spring salmon trip that you talked about...maybe the Deshutes??

 

[downriggeral]

We fish the mouth of the Deschutes in early September. They have a spring run of salmon called springers on the Columbia but I have never fished them. Will go for Sockeye on the upper Columbia in mid July to Early August.

 

[froggie]

Thanks for the info and clarification.

 

[downriggeral]

You're welcome froggie. let me know when you are planning a trip up this way....who knows we might go fishin' signfishin

 

[GET THE NET]

Alan: Hi from back here in Castle Rock. Hope all is well for you and your family. Thought I would share a little about my trip to Roosevelt. I was able to spend a couple days near Keller Ferry going after kokes. WOW! They don't grow em like that in the lakes around here. They were from 17 1/2 to 21 inches with mostly being around 19 inches. They all fought like run away freight trains. You are certainly lucky to have a fishery like that in your back yard. I'll try to send a few pics so you can see what a fun time I had. Hope to get back over there next winter. Tight lines. Denny

Hope these came thru.

 

[downriggeral]

Glad you got up for some of those wonderful kokes Denny. We are so privileged to have fish like that in Roosevelt and yes they do pull like freight trains...running away down hill that is! Who knows I may sneak off and chase some springers with you in your country.

Tight lines - Alan

 

[Dr. Matt]

Downriggeral and "get the net" I live in Bend, OR and fish Wickiup religiously once the season opens (not until the 22nd of April). I've been looking to find another location to catch good sized kokes and expand my fishing season. Roosevelt has come ti mind and has appeal to me for a number of reasons. I have friends/family in WA who could easily meet me there to fish, the lake is open year around and the size of the kokes are worth the trip. So here's the million dollar question. If I were to make the drive up where would you recommend that I launch from (Spring Canyon?) and where on the lake would you suggest I start looking for kokanee? It's a huge lake and I could imagine that one could spends days looking for kokanee and not find anything.

 

[downriggeral]

Dr Matt I have a good friend who guides for kokes on Roosevelt. It may be the best way to get a "handle" on the lake in one easy lesson. You can PM me for his info if you are interested. Otherwise check out the posts for Roosevelt on northwestfishingreports.com
Hope that helps - Alan