Macs at the Gorge

[Downrigger]

I know this is a kokanee forum but I would like some input on Mac fishing. Another thread got me thinking about what to do when you have caught a few kokes.

Last year I noticed that the koke fishing was down, fish were bigger but there were fewer of them. I made a commitment to myself to do my part for the fishery and harvest some lake trout and get after some burbot.

Given that, what to you do to target macs specifically? Do you fish deeper, switch up lures, something else? Is they Wyoming side more productive?

I've caught macs here and there at the Gorge, nothing very big and never very consistent. That needs to change.

Can any of you help me catch a few more macs? If you are feeling particularly charitable, I'd take some help on how to catch a bigger one too.

 

[jacksonlaker]

I dont fish the Gorge too often for macs, but I do alot here in Jackson,WY. Lake trout love the bottom, so try to keep your lures right on the bottom. This takes a lot of up and down with the downrigger balls. Try trolling bigger lures, J-13 Rapalas, bigger spoons, flatfish, big bladed pop gear. Look for humps, drop-offs, channel edges. The fish in the summer are usualy found 45 to 90 feet deep. The Gorge is a big lake that takes many years to learn. Get a map and try to find the areas I was talking about. There are some really good mac fishermen on the lake, but secrets are hard to come by.!! Good Luck

 

[Ryno]

I know this is a kokanee forum but I would like some input on Mac fishing.

Can any of you help me catch a few more macs?

Like Jacksonlaker stated, macks can be pretty tough to target especially on a big body of water like the Gorge. I tend to fish open water down in the Canyon reach (UT) but hard water in the WY reach. There are lake trout all over the lake, but you do notice fish are bigger on average in the upper lake. For example, a limit of pups near Buckboard may average about 20-inches where in the Canyon they might only be 16-inches. Either way, I think techniques work with similar success across the length of the reservoir. Here's some info for catching pups, based on my experience.

I used to exclusively troll for pups using downriggers with spoons. Just like with anything else, put the lure at or above their nose, so watch your graph for the depths they're hanging at. I usually look for macks along main channel structure like points, humps, breaks, and even on deep flats. Most of the time you're looking for them at 60-100 ft, but early or late in the year when water is cooler, they can be shallow just like the kokes and rainbows. I usually run my downrigger lines 40-60 ft behind the ball and troll about 1.5-1.8 mph for macks. Some of my favorite spoons are the Northland Forage minnow in rainbow trout, Williams spoon in rainbow trout, #2 Needlefish in pearl/red, and Rocky Mountain Tackle Serpent in Carribean Sunset.

Vertical jigging can be a lot of fun if you find a cluster of pups too. I usually offer 4-inch Berkley Gulp minnows on a 3/8 oz jighead but many anglers prefer tube jigs (white or crayfish colors) tipped with a chunk of sucker or chub meat. My jigging stroke depends a lot on the fish's behavior. If their aggressive, it doesn't take much, just subtle movements or maybe even just the drop! Sometimes when they're finicky, they hit on the pull-up, so just watch the graph and let the fish dictate what you do. If they're really lethargic, I've also done well with jigging spoons like Northland Buckshots and Buzzbombs in rainbow, pink, and glow colors.

Like I said, there are a lot spots to hit around the lake. If you spend a little time doing recon with a graph, I'm sure you'll find some schools to entice. This time of year, the pup action is usually on the rise and can be really good into the fall. Of course a limit of pups provides a sizeable meal and they're actually really tasty fresh off the grill or even smoked.

Hope it helps and good luck out there! Ryno

 

[SmokeOnTheWater]

101goodpost101 RYNO

WELL STATED! thumbsup

One thing missing from these posts and that is they spawn Oct - Dec.
I don't think that makes them any easier to catch but they sure stack up nice in many areas of the lake. Pick up a map at the marina or maybe even Sportsman's Warehouse next trip out! It will provide greater insight than 200 posts on this forum.

 

[Downrigger]

Thanks to all of you, particularly Ryno for your great suggestions.

I'm heading up later this afternoon. Hopefully I'll have something to show on Monday!

 

[Downrigger]

Thanks again for all of your comments. I know that this guy is little at the Gorge but it is a personal best.

He taped out between 23 and 24" and was probably between 5 and 6 pounds.

Caught at 1.5-1.6mph north of pipeline at 38 feet in 188 feet of water on a double glow pink RMT hoochie and a 5.5" RMT Fusion dodger.