Lucky Peak 8-20

[Larkinforce]

Hit Lucky Peak Friday morning. Picked up 7 koke and 1 rainbow by 11:00 am. They were hitting pink and the green spinners. We also had some good sucess on a new brand of dodger and pink hochie that we picked up a the Tackle Shop. They were sitting in 130-140 feet of water at 35' down in the early am then later in the morning the went to 170-180 feet of water and were sitting at 25'-40'. We lost twice as many as we caught half way up to the boat or right at the surface. The ones we caught were still nice and silver. Saw a bunch that were all the way turned jumping by the dock area.

Question at what point are they not good to eat anymore? This is my first year fishing them.

 

[kodiak1]

This will bring about a lot of debate, but personally I wouldn't eat them at this point. I talked to a Fish and Game warden last year up on Mores Creek, and I was complaining about some people I had just seen with a net, believe it or not, in a hole. He said he thought it was particularly crazy that people risk losing everything for "bad meat". When they arrive at the ramp, they are typically fully red. The flesh is starting to deteriorate, in my view. A lot of people say they can still be smoked, but if they aren't good fresh, how good are they smoked? Just because the smoke flavor masks inferior fish, does that matter?!! Just one opinion. So, Larkinforce, first, congrats on a good day fishing, and secondly, where did you find the fish? It is more fun catching them on a lightweight dodger, isn't it? Mike

 

[Larkinforce]

Over by the cliffs east of the burn right before the river heads North.

Yes it is alot of fun on the lite dodger.

 

[Riverrunner]

Did any of the kokes have any size to them?

 

[Lunddude]

This will bring about a lot of debate, but personally I wouldn't eat them at this point. I talked to a Fish and Game warden last year up on Mores Creek, and I was complaining about some people I had just seen with a net, believe it or not, in a hole. He said he thought it was particularly crazy that people risk losing everything for "bad meat". When they arrive at the ramp, they are typically fully red. The flesh is starting to deteriorate, in my view. A lot of people say they can still be smoked, but if they aren't good fresh, how good are they smoked? Just because the smoke flavor masks inferior fish, does that matter?!! Just one opinion. So, Larkinforce, first, congrats on a good day fishing, and secondly, where did you find the fish? It is more fun catching them on a lightweight dodger, isn't it? Mike

Last year fishing Anderson the 3rd week of August several of the fish I was catching had already turned, and by turned I mean bright orange. These were all nice chunky 15"+ fish. I hated just throwing them back so what I did was as soon as I got my line back down fishing, I would clean the fish I had just caught and ice them down on the boat. The meat stayed nice & firm and they smoked up just fine, nobody got sick or past away from eating them to my knowledge. I'm sure it's not ideal but if taken care of properly they are fine to smoke and consmue IMO

 

[Larkinforce]

They were 12"-14"