My Personal Best Kokanee

[rgarbar]

Mark

I have been fishing the lake without a depth/fishfinder. No fun at all. I caught that one at 35' off Little Choga island. The only hit I got all day. I have been fishing no deeper than 45' as I did not want to run my cannonballs up those numerous underwater ridges. Some of the other regulars on the thread might have a better idea as to the current depth the bulk of the fish are. My repaired Humminbird fishfinder was due to arrive today but all the delivery firms seem to be hestitant to deliver to my backwater place. Let me when you are coming back to the lake. I have some koke heads if you are still collecting. I am going to try a trip to Calderwood. Can you tell me about where that underwater tressle/ tunnel is so I don't have the same problem you had. Thanks

Ron

 

[Old School]

Wow. U guys are catching some quality fish. The male looks like a highly pregnant female.

 

[1bigfish]

Calderwood

Ron,

I caught one schoolie a few weeks back when I saw you. That was the only fish that day for me. I fished five days, a few hours each day. Caught 1-2 fish per day so I never got skunked.

I went to Calderwood last Monday. The water was flowing faster than I had ever seen it. The lake was down about 3'. The water was so cold at the boat ramp that it hurt. It was more of a trip to show my wife the lake and the waterfalls but there was not enough water in the coves to get to the falls.
The fish I have caught trolling at Calderwood have all been in less than 65' mostly in 20'-35' on dipsys. The train tunnel is on the north shore, on your right from the ramp, pretty far down the lake. The current was so strong it was flowing out of the tunnel. Tried to make a few cast but my dog went for a swim. It can be ice and he will swim. I think he is looking for his brain. We have caught browns, rainbows and brooks but no lakers yet. Did very good casting small jigs in the coves on 4# test. Caught a nice rainbow there on a dodger and a hoochie. Most of the fish we have caught there were on Sutton spoons and Rapalas. The shoreline is full of submerged trees and rock outcrops. Work hard to not hang up. Everything is hard up there, no mud bottom. Give me a sport report.

 

[rgarbar]

Fred

Thank you for your informative reply. Sounds like Calderwood is a difficult lake to fish with cold moving water and a lot of hidden surprises like running up a pair of cannonballs on an under water tressle. It is also a tough tow for me as all I have up here is my Subaru Forester. Have you ever fished Cheoah?

 

[trollmonkey]

calderwood

Ron,ibigfish is on the money about Calderwood.When they are generating the water rips through,it generally makes the trout bite better. We have gotten some nice fish above the bridge when the waters running(Alex caught a 20.5" brown two years ago),but it is pretty hairy,you need someone driving and someone watching the rods.Strange no matter where you are the current tries to push you toward the bridge pilings,Always pray the motor doesn't die. When we were there in May, Calderwood was down 5'-6' one ramp was unusable.The trolling was slow ,but we did well working the shoreline with the electric tossing spinners and spoons. Usually trolling is good on small spoons,wedding ring spinner with dodgers,and cowbells and half a crawler. (PM Me your adress and I'll send you a cowbell I make.) Pretty much any of your koke gear will work as well. Sadly starting in 2011 NC only stocks rainbow in lakes no more brooks or browns,so if you get one it will probably be a nice one, there are lots of small wild browns.(Alex got a 8"yellow perch ,first one we've seen there) The lake is very shallow near the ramp mostly less than 10'-20',so we flatline mostly.One more interesting thing there is the trash lines the current pushes down the lake.Leaves, sticks,debris and bugs accumulate in the lines .Trout cruise in and out of these feeding,you get lots of debris on your lines ,but its almost always a good spot to try. Good luck if you give it a shot! 101chromefish101101chromefish101 Mark

 

[1bigfish]

We caught a nice brown right in front of the ramp trolling a big triple hook deep diving plug when the water is running. It lays the grass down so the trout have to sit on top. Found that out in Arkansas. Mark is right about the scum line. A local boy told me his brother caught a 10# brown on a big worm. There are lots of worms available around the lake. We saw lots of fish under the scum line on the finder but we were on the troll for monsters. Later that day the trout were on the surface on the entire lake eating blue drakes. We finally pulled into a cove and caught a brooks and rainbows on jigs. The brook trout are beautiful 10 inchers. I was hoping they were small lakers but there tails are different.

If you troll with downriggers you have to stay glued to the fishfinder. The problem is you see a school of fish then you snagon what they are holding on. There should be shad in the lake. If so, the bigfish may be in the middle of the lake but I have not found them. Quite honestly I do not see how the fish in Calderwood make it. Last year we fished Nantahala on September 6 & 7then drove to Calderwood. The surface temp at Nantahala was 76. The next morning at Calderwood, The temp was 48. Mid day near the dam the temp was up to 52. This is below the trouts comfort zone.The bass have fur coats.

Take the trip. The lake is beautiful, just a big river between cliffs. It is pretty small.

I have not been to Cheoah but have heard tales of all the lake and dams of the Little Tennessee including trout and walleye spawning migrations.

 

[rgarbar]

Fred

Thanks for the additional info on Calderwood. Both you and TM have convinced me to give it a shot. Will probably try early August. We have company up at the house and I have not had the time to install fishfinder/transducer. They are leaving tomorrow.tooexcited Hope to be fishing Nantahala on Monday.

Ron

 

[rgarbar]

My Personal Smallest Kokanee

The pestulent inlaws finally left and I got to do a little fishing today. Like last week things were pretty slow but I did manage a few strikes and caught the smallest koke of my kokanee fishing career. Talked with Doc O who was also up for the week to do some koke fishing. Things were slow for him as well. 5 minutes after we parted I hooked the 18" rainbow.

 

[rgarbar]

Seems like this years kokanee season came in like a lion and went out like a lamb. Trolled various parts of the lake and have only come up with some nice trout. The kokanee should be getting ready to spawn in the next 4 to 6 weeks. Hoping to see a few in their red spawning colors. I will not fish for them just observe as I go up the Nanty in my skinny water water boat. Nantahala lake is a pleasure to fish these days as the kids are back in school and most of the recreational boaters are gone for the season. Saw just one kayak this morning's fishing trip. The lake is down about 15' and the surface temperature is dropping as well. Lot of fish marked in the upper water column. The dam area on the forest service side is still the most productive for me. Will soon monitor the old river channel at the upper Nantahala river inlet for massing kokanee.

 

[earchcobber]

nice fish,thanks for the report.

 

[rgarbar]

Fyi

Hi Gang!

Just picked this up on my blog in another Forum!

Here is something from the NC wildlife about fishing the Nantahala and Rainbow Springs Club.
Mr. Rogers, Rainbow Springs does own an upper section on Nantahala River above the lake. They own both sides of the river and the bottom and their land is posted against trespass. They don’t own the water or the fish. If the water can be floated without touching their property, it would be legal to float and fish it. Our representative with the Attorney General’s Office is currently looking into situations similar to this.
In reference to the Salmon, most are caught in the lake before they run up the river. When they run up the river to spawn, very few are caught. In most years when they run up the river, most of the Salmon stay below the Rainbow Springs property. When the lake is high, you can travel a long distance up the river from the lake (especially in a smaller boat).

If you have further questions, you can call me at (828) 557-0717.
Sgt. Wade Burge
NC Wildlife Resources Commission

 

[1bigfish]

Good morning Ron,

I just got back from the lake. 1 Koke in four days but also got some rainbows and walleye. Had to split yesterday during the storm. Man did that lake needed it. I know Duke power dropped the water early this year but still, the area was very dry. The river was very low. Ask the NC Game & Fish if they could persuade Duke Power to keep the lake full during the salmon spawning run.

Fred

 

[rgarbar]

Fred

How big was the koke? Was it turning red? Still looking for that missing generation. The 12" to 16" class. Still feeling the effects of Lee. The lake has come up a few feet. We have no power except my standby generator. Hope to get out later in the week weather permiting. I am going to work the area from Little Choga island to the Nantahala river inlet. Maybe some kokes are massing getting ready to spawn.

Ron

 

[1bigfish]

Ron,

The koke was a schoolie. We accually did not officially catch on it rod and reel. We were on the troll and thought we had a hit but not sure. After a while my buddy saw a fish paddling on the surface. It was our first and only salmon. With the rainbow and walleye in the box we had a triple header but more important dinner.

You know when you are approaching the river, there is a long point with a long submerged ridge from the north shore pointing south. Last September we saw some local boys trolling the long shoreline on the south shore opposite the point. Good luck.

Fred