merwin

[MackPrince]

Sooo Matt what colors & bait were you using to get em going??

Kokonuts

For me it was a silver matrix dodger and a 'er uh-- unique spinner. I'll have to make some more.


Talked with two other guys who limited in the same time with a combo that I didn't even get a nibble on. They were using Vance's dodgers on the riggers and longlines with lake trolls. Between the two of us we looked like a nascar race working the same school.

 

[Kokecatcher]

Merwin 6/6

I got an early start this morning. There was a lite rain but no wind when I left the dock at 0525. I got my line in the water at 0545 and in the next half hour I caught two, lost one and had a hit that did not hook. The bite went off for me for the next two hours. All I caught was a squaw fish. About 0815 I started to get hits again and during the next hour and a half I caught three, lost one and another hit that did not hook. Today all my hits were at 25 ft. down, 50 ft. back. I caught everything on modified red wedding rings behind UV sling blades. The wedding ring with the gold plated blade worked best today. Last Friday the wedding rings did not work. I caught my fish on a firetiger spinner that I make behind a Luhr Jensen 00 half and half dodger. Today I could not get a hit on that setup. There were not a lot of boats out this morning. When I left Speelyai the lot was about half full. I plan to go back next Tuesday. Maybe I will see you!

 

[Kokecatcher]

Merwin 6/12

I got another early start today. There was debris all over the lake. Merwin was at near full pool and everything along the banks was in the lake. There were a lot of really big pieces. You had to be careful. There was a light but steady rain most of the early morning. I went to where I found fish last week. They were still there at 25 ft. I caught four in the first hour and ten minutes and had two violient hits that took the bait but did not hook. It took me another fifty minutes to get #5. This was the nicest limit that I have caught this year. The fish ranged from 13 1/2 to 14 3/4 inches. The ruler in the picture is 15 inches. As a bonus, I did not get any squaw fish. I continue to use wedding rings behind UV sling blades. Today I used white glow and red wedding rings with gold plated blades. When I returned to the dock I met Bonkinkokes. He also had a nice limit. We were standing on the south dock talking about his engine problem when he spotted two tiger muskies in about two feet of water right in the launch. These are the first that I have seen up close.

 

[Kokecatcher]

Merwin 6/15

There was a very good early morning bite today. I got to the "sweet spot' at 0540 and by 0710 I had my five and a hit that did not hook. One fish was 12 3/4 and the others ranged from 13 3/4 to 14 1/4 inches. The ruler in the picture is 15 inches. No squaw fish or trout today. I got three hits on a white glow wedding ring at 31 ft. and three hits on a red wedding ring at 25 ft. Both had gold plated blades and were fished behing UV sling blades. Last Tuesday the lake was covered with debris. Today there was almost none. It was such a nice day that I spent about an hour on the lake cleaning fish, the boat, tying lures, setting up my poles for the next trip and drinking some hot coffee. When I got back to the dock around 0810 there were only fourteen trailers in the lot. I think that fewer people are fishing this year. I spent some time talking to the host. With any luck we may get the stripes in the lot painted. Wishing you tight lines!

 

[southside]

Fished Merwin on Monday the 25th. It was a wierd day of weather. Started at the crack of 10am with calm wind and nice water. Trolled a UV slingblade and a pink micro hoochie at 25ft. and hooked up a trout that shook off at the boat. Next fish came on the other rod with a ford fender and a mini spinglo at 30ft. Nice 12"koke. Then the weather started to change every 30 minutes or so. Nasty wind and rain then calm and sunshine then more wind, then more wind.

Managed 4 fish with the 12"er the biggest. Got into the squawfish big time. Very frustrating to think you have finally hooked the limit fish and pull one of those things up.

Nice way to spend my birthday.

Peace, Tom

 

[KnotWorkin]

Fished July the 4th. We were the second boat to the cresap launch at 5:45. Maiden voyage for new (1984) 19ft gregor aluminum boat. While it was a beautiful day, we could not figure out what the kokes were hitting. Fished in the usual hot spots, and anywhere from 25 to 75 ft on DR. (combination on line about 100ft) if 25 down, then 75 back etc. Used UV sling blades in multiple colors and wedding rings, hoochies and everything else I could find. Shoepeg corn in 4 different flavors. Only caught two trout! Any help would be most welcome. Left the lake around noon to go barbeque something other than fish! This was the first day that we've been shut out catching kokes.

 

[plugs]

You weren't the only one. I was was about the 12 boat off the launch at
Speliay and I had about the same day. Every combination ya can think of and only caught a couple. It was slow.

 

[Kokecatcher]

Merwin 7/6/12

I fished Merwin this morning. This was my first trip since June 27. I got my line in the water at 0535 and had my five at 0730 along with a squaw fish and a couple of hits that did not hook. I got into a school of nice sized fish. My fish ranged from 13 3/4 to 14 3/4. I had an equal number of hits at 50 and 55 feet on the downrigger. The red wedding rings behind UV sling blades continue to work for me. The surface water temp. was 64-65. I cleaned the first two to get them on ice and caught the othe three over a 30 minute period. When I left Speelyai there were about twenty trailers in the lot. The Host told me that they plan to resurface the lot and maybe expand it. There was a survey crew working on the hill side. Let's hope that they do not start construction until after Labor Day.

 

[plugs]

Pfffft no wounder I had a slow dat Tues. I wasn't half deep enough. Make note "need electronics bad" lolol

 

[t50]

I was also out on 7/6 but didn't find the fish as well as Kokecatcher. We got a little bit of a late start and weren't on the water until about 0700. We managed five nice kokes and one trout. The Kokes came out of 35 to 40 ft. A rookie fisherman (22 years old) caught his first fish. Now he's excited to go try for one of the big ones in the Columbia. I guess you could say he's hooked.

 

[Kokecatcher]

Merwin 7/10 and 7/13

I made two trips to Merwin this week. On Tuesday I caught three in six hours. It was very windy. There were white caps on the lake most of the morning. I finally just went down lake turned the motor off and let the wind push me. I was still going 1.7 mph. I usually troll 1.0-1.2 mph. I marked fish here and there but there just was not a good bite for me. I talked to eight other fisherman at the dock and they had three between them. Today was a little better. I got my five in just over three hours. I marked a lot of fish but there was not a good bite. I caught two at 50 ft. and three at 55 ft. The squaw fish were also active. I got four of those. A couple of seagulls followed me all morning long. They ate well today! There were very few boats out this morning. When I left Speelyai there were only about a dozen trailers in the lot. A couple of water vermin arrived as I was leaving.

 

[Kokecatcher]

Merwin 7/17/12

There was a good early morning bite at Merwin today. I caught two at 40 ft. on a red wedding ring with a #2 hammered nickle spinner behind a UV sling blade and three at 50 ft. on a white glow wedding ring with a #2 hammered gold plated spinner also behind a UV sling blade. The fish were nice and fat and ranged from 13 1/2 to 14 1/4. There were not very many boats on the lake today. When I got back to Speelyai around 0830 there were only ten trailers including mine in the lot. I think that fewer people are fishing this year than in past years.

 

[chief]

Got out this morning with Yimmee and my two girls caught some nice fat kok's. Green or pink with a little scent was the ticket took what seemed for ever to get them with two short pateince girls.anywhere from 24-52" on dr's.

 

[Koke Hunter]

I got out on Friday and saturday. Friday I started late at noon and caught small Kokes and a lot of squaw fish. On Saturday I was out at 6am and the bite was non-existent until 8am! I could have slept in.. Anyhow, the bite came on and my sister and I both cought our limits by noon. Since I don't have downriggers I am not limiting out often so this was a good day. Biggest fish was 14-1/4"

 

[Mudinchev]

Took Kokonuts out with me yesterday, Perfect day to be on the water, cloudy but warm and little to no wind!

Oh and the fish were biting! Started at 6am had 5 in the boat by 7am then we had to hunt for them, we lost a bunch of nice ones along the way but it took till about 12pm to land the last fish. Another month and we could be seeing the possibility of 16" fish??!! thumbsup

 

[Rikker99]

that is a nice pile of fish - don't know if I want my favorite girl to be that fat in the middle but it sure looks good on my fish

 

[Thor's Fishing Adventures]

Merwin Video

Buddy of mine took some video while out on Merwin last Friday.

http://youtu.be/kb8bHXAU6Vg

 

[Thor's Fishing Adventures]

My cooworker and I took our daughters up on the 19th. Had a blast! Brought my daughter's BFF and she was able to catch her first Kokanee as well. Nothing better than hearing a 6 year old asking my daughter "Do you think he'll let me come again. I want to come again!" Makes my heart melt. Here's some video from our day on the lake. Turn up the volume and enjoy!

http://youtu.be/96prrBYoPxw

 

[Kokecatcher]

Merwin 7/27/12

There was a very good bite early this morning. I got my line in the water at 0558 and had my five at 0626. All fish were between 14 and 15 inches and nice and fat. What surprised me was that I caught them all at 30 feet on the downrigger. For the past couple of weeks I had been catching fish at 45-55 feet. I continue to use modified wedding rings behind a UV sling blade. This combination has worked well for me all season. Bonkinkokes and his son-in-law were out this morning and also caught nice limits. There were few boats out this morning. When I returned to Speelyai there were only ten trailers in the lot. I do not like this new format of the Kookanee Forum. I am trying to attach a photo but do not know if I did it right.

 

[BonkinKokes]

I can see the pic. Yes it was quite the bite.