Late August Kokanee?

[SeaDog]

Hi!

Well I have a problem!
Last few days here in Connecticut (night fishing at anchor at West Hill Pond)the Kokanee's are heavily schooled up and cruising between 30-35 ft.
Just starting to show some changes.
Trouble is they have stopped biting. (Like someone thru a light switch to OFF!)
The west coast rig I've been using (small jig with 3" dropper baited with maggots and shoepeg corn), since May, has worked SUPER!!!
Have tried different colored jigs and still getting some action but not like earlier.
Now I've read that the Kokes will either be aggresive or shut off in late Aug., and that you need to tease them into striking.
My question is -> Has anyone tried using a "Northland Buckshot jig or similar jig? with or without a dropper? -> The Buckshot (Ice fishing size) has a rattle in it and I wanted to hear from you guys if the rattle helps to attract and annoys the Kokes into striking.
Oh! Trying also different scents -> Can't tell if they work or not.
Any info you can provide would be much appreciated.

Best regards,
SeaDog

 

[monkey12]

Sea Dog,
Don't know how much help I can give you but I too fish at night and find that the fishing is not as good as it was earlier in the year. I have never used jigs that rattle.
I generally use glow hooks with corn or maggots and keep the glow charged up all the time. If you are over a known school of kokes then we just wait them out. One time it took till 2:30 AM before they started to bite. We greeted the sunrise that morning. The bite usually doesn't last very long. It is like you say, someone turns a switch on and they suddenly start to bite and then suddenly the stop and they are through.
Have you used any of the Glow Hooks manufactured by Mack's Lures out of Wenatchee, WA? That is what we generally use. It is not a jig but simply a hook with a fat flourescent body (pink, white, green). We bait the hook with maggots or shoepeg corn and we work the hook slowly up and down and to the side. We give it a jiggle once in while. Many times the bites are as the hook is dropping. All this is most likely not new to you, however, as you probably do the same.
If you want me to send you a few of the Glow Hooks, let me know

 

[SeaDog]

Hi M12!

Thanks for the offer, but I have some glow hooks already.
I really prefer the Gamakatsu red #8 - #10 - and #12 Octopus Hooks.
Very Very Sharp!!!!
I also use super glow 4mm beads (made by Northland) above the hook.
They hold a charge for a very long time.

SeaDog

 

[kokonee animal]

works well

101goodpost101worthy12Try Pink Hooks & Pink Beads For Sockeye Koks And Shoenpeg White Corn / Jolly Green Giant! 0000 FLASHER OR 000 SIZES, HOOKS& BEAD SETUP 10" BELOW. AND A WINGED SPINNER IN FRONT OF SET-UP.

 

[ZONKER]

Fall of the year

Here is a question for you. In south east Idaho (Island Park, Henry's Lake, Ashton Reservoir, Palisades, etc.) The deeper it goes into the fall the better the fishing. So the Kokanee are getting ready to take care of business. How about the two and three year old salmon? Are we able to keeep on catching them? Is there a healthy enough Trout population to continue fishing until it is to cold for a trip on the water or things get iced out? If there are opportunities to continue into the late fall, What are we fishing for? Where are we fishing and are we using the same methods as earlier in the year for Kokanee and the odd trout? It is always better eating when you are fishing in the coldest water. I have tied up some streamers so maybe I will troll with them and see what happens.101chromefish101101chromefish101

 

[MMDON]

Zonker, Soon we will have hundreds of people out ice fishing for next years Kokes. The three year olds are about done in eastern Idaho.

Don

 

[Kokanee Killer]

im tellin ya DOG I HAVE BEEN FISHING THESE FISH ALL MY LIFE ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, THEY ARE GOING THROUGH A MAJOR CHANGE NOW.............they have one thing on there mind REPRODUCTION.... JUST THINK IF YOU HAD A CHANCE AT THE ULTIMATE ENCOUNTER DO YA THINK A CHEESE BURGER AND BEER IS GONNA CHANGE YOUR MIND NOTTTTTTT!!!!!!!!!!!! AGRESSION STRIKES THEY WANNA TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS IF YA KNOW WHAT I MEAN hope this helps lol lol lol lol;laugh hyst

 

[Fishfinger]

I caught 5 or 6 while trolling in late sept-oct. of last year. they were hitting frozen alewifes behind dodgers while targeting browns.