Nantahala from 7/31- 8/06

[Dr. Oc]

Fished every AM and one PM this past week. Fishing very slow compared to last yr. Managed to catch enough to feed us for most of our dinners. Caught a few rainbows as well, one was 18". Son also caught a monster 12" 1.1 lb. bluegill as well as his 1st smallmouth. Biggest Koke was a 19 3/4 inch brute that weighed 3.1 lbs. Tried every combo of dodgers,spoons, spinners, corn I could think of in just about every color and speeds from 1.4 to 2.0 mph. Fished 5 to 7 lines staggered every 5-10 ft. from 35-70 ft. Marked very few fish overall and rarely caught a "marked" fish. Most were "blind" strikes. Really enjoyed meeting and talking to rgarbar. Just missed meeting trollmonkey. Until next yr. best of luck to all

 

[trollmonkey]

Doc sorry I missed you, as usual I was running about 30 min late.Things really got tough lately ,after our trip in June I thought it was on.Same thing happened two years ago I had a good trip in May, an awesome trip in June and two skunks later in the summer.Yesterday we fished 2 hours before our first strike,which ended up with a lost 15" rainbow when the hooks snagged on the net .As that happened the 80' rod popped and what I think was a big koke came off when the spinner leader parted. We ended up with a couple of two lb rainbows and three 9" kokes .Thank goodness for the bows. If rgarbar finds the big kokes we may try one more trip in August. Hope you had a great vacation. TM101chromefish101101chromefish101 By the way NICE KOKE!

 

[Dr. Oc]

Trollmonkey, while rgarbar and me were talking in the parking lot a guy comes up and joins in after putting his ski boat in. We were talking about salmon and he asked us if we had heard of a 5 pounder weighed in at the Lakes End Marina a few weeks before. I was packed up and on the way home and didn't get a chance to go by the marina. Have you heard of this catch? Neither rgarbar or I had. BTW, how deep were your fish on Sat.? I caught most of the kokes in the 60-65 ft. range and the trout at 45-50

 

[trollmonkey]

Doc ,Haven't heard of any submitted to the state since Ashley caught her fish and I've been talking to the biologists who would have certified it.I know a couple years back Lakes End didn't have a certified scale. I think a 5 pounder is possible and the way the kokes looked in June this could have been the year. Sat our trout were 45-60 the three 9" kokes 65-80. Last year in mid Aug. Alex and me had a great trip,don't know where they went this summer. I feel like kicking myself for not going a couple more times in June.I hope rgarbar starts picking up some kokes,then I might try one more shot at them. Doc did you get any good kokes besides the one in your pic? Take care TM101chromefish101

 

[Dr. Oc]

We caught a few others between 14-17 inches and 2 rainbows of 13 and 18 inches. Much different than last yr when we averaged 4-5 kokes/day, all over 13 inches and biggest just shy of 3 lbs. Haven't seen any of those small ones but glad to know they are there. I assume they are last yrs. spawn. Do you know of the "Rainbow Springs Club" ? From what I've learned the Kokes spawn in their EXTREMELY PRIVATE section of the upper Nantahala....people have been ticketed for trespassing for simply observing the fish so I've read, but can't say that I'd blame them. I saw some pictures somewhere of their fish. By the time the fish get to them they are red and green with very prominent hooking of their jaws. Not the beautiful silver specimens found in the lake. Anyway, I would love to talk to a member to see what kind of spawning run they've seen in the last few years. If their numbers have been down it might explain the low numbers in the lake this yr. I fished all over the lake and never found a good school. Last yr. I found 3 with very cooperative fish. One last thing, Do you find the Solunar tables to be of any predictive value on Kokes? Might have just been a bad week to pursue them.

 

[trollmonkey]

Doc, I would love to just walk the banks up the river when the spawners were there.Before its all over I'd also love to catch a red one.I think they look awesome before they start to deteriorate.We caught two near Rocky Branch last Sept.that were starting to turn and their scales were starting to absorb. As far as the tables I don't follow them,but have noticed some hot bites corresponded with good periods on the table when I have looked back.We generally prefer to go when rain is forecast ,sometimes the fishing is great ,plus rain cuts down on skiers and boat riders. Pretty much go when we can and try not to go on a full moon unless its cloudy101chromefish101 TM.

 

[SeaDog]

8/12/11 West Hill

Hi!

Well after 2 weeks of no fishing finally got out last night, from 8 PM to Midnight.
Even with a full moon, did well.
2 Kokes, each 15".
1 small 2 year old.
All Kokes still bright silver!
Also 2 Rainbows, 16 inches each.
All fish fat and healthy!

Had the Kokes for supper this evening.
Delicious !

SeaDog

 

[rgarbar]

There is a public forest route(FR 437) which runs adjacent to the upper Nantahala right through Rainbow Springs Sport Club. It runs from the water guage almost to US 64. I do some mountain biking here . Although the narrow strip of land between the forest route and the river belongs to the club, there are a number of locations were you can get a good view of the river. As a former stream and river trout fisherman, my mouth just water's at the sight. I have been there a number of times and have never seen another human. Many people bash this club but IMHO there would be no Kokanee or rainbow trout in Nantahala lake without the club's protection of this pristine area. They would have been netting, speared and poached to extinction. I plan on heading up there to do some biking hoping to catch a glimps of the kokanee spawning run.

 

[1bigfish]

Go Dr. Oc. I think I saw you on the lake. I past the dam twice last week while in the area. I hope to fish the end of this month.

Since it looks like pretty much all of us are here at once. I have some thoughts to share. I have been finding out as much that I can about the Kokanee. One item of interest is how state run fisheries in the west catch a few spawners for eggs and sperm then spawn out the eggs to re-stoke the supply. I heard, but am not positive, that the State of North Carolina gillneted 2 or 3,000 spawners before they made it to the river. If the state does not use the fish to spawn out and re-stoke the lake then they should not havest the fish. There is no need for that many fish for research. If I have it right, the state has no intentions of stocking any additional Kokanee Salmon in Nantahala Lake. With all of the salmon fishing pressure the lake current received, I doubt all of us combined do not harvest 500 fish total. Rgabar is right, Rainbow Spring has been the stewards of the salmon. I just got back from Alaska. There is an electronic salmon counter on the Kenai River at the mouth to the ocean. We can offer the state salmon information without hitting the stock. What year was that? This years missing mid size school? Think about it and maybe we can do something.

 

[trollmonkey]

Hey 1bigfish,The state only caught 31 total kokes at five of their eight net sites last fall.The district biologist is looking to get age and growth rate data for kokes in Nantahala and trout from any lakes in WNC. It is great that the NCWRC is starting to look into reservoir management,I'm hoping this will protect the kokes and develop some better reservoir trout fishing.Unless something changes there will definitely not be any koke stocking,its a shame they should do great in Wolf and Bear lakes,maybe even Fontana.The kokanee in Nantahala were stocked for five or six years beginning in 1959.Sampling done in the mid sixties concluded the stocking were not successful and no reproduction was noted.Thank goodness the kokes managed to hold on and find a protected spawning area and are going strong 50 years later. If I hear anything back from the state on the heads I'll post it.101chromefish101

 

[1bigfish]

Thanks for seting me straight. I guest it was BS from some of the local boys at the ramp. I would like to see the limit reduced 3 per person. I think you are the only one that has caught more than three in one day. OH, That guy from Maryland "Potomacduck" caught 6 back in June but he had a buddy. Back to three. I have a rig for releasing. A large needle, tied to fishing line with a bead about six inches tied in place. Run the needle through the lower jaw of the fish then put the needle in the downrigger clip. Lower the fish back to the proper depth then pull the needle from the clip releasing the fish.
Scared to go fast and scared to go slow but I know being pulled up fifty feet then being forced to swim through 76 degree water most be like a hot blanket on a race horse.

 

[trollmonkey]

1bf,I wouldn't mind the limit to be lowered to at least 5 ,there sure are more folks fishing for them.Your release set up sounds interesting. Have you had good results with it?Do you live in WNC? If you haven't tried them give Bear and Wolf a shot for rainbows . TM

 

[1bigfish]

Five sounds like a good number. Our of nine trips, I caught fourteen fish with only one day catching three fish. I doubt I will ever get to five.

My release works well getting the fish deep quick. It also runs water over their gills. It has to be better than swimming through the warm surface water with an expanded bladder. If I am going to release a fish I try not to take them our of the water or touch them. I keep them in the net, pull the hooks and stick the needle through the lower lip.