Nantahala Koke Head Project

[trollmonkey]

Since you guys are catching "My Kokanee"101ok101,I wondered if y'all wanted to help on a project.Last year I started keeping kokanee and trout heads to give to the district biologist with the NC Wildlife Commission. He is trying to collect age/growth data on Nantahala's kokanee.Last fall he gill netted and caught 30 or so and I took him about that many.They read the growth rings on the otoliths(ear bones) ,and with length and weight,determine age and growth rates. We just need to record length and accurate weight of each fish and keep the heads for the biologists.Since kokes don't usually survive release, we all are tossing some valuable data(unless you guys eat fish heads). laugh hyst I figure if we collect the heads we can enjoy fighting and eating our catch and contributing to science. the fish that are gill netted are essentially wasted except for the otoliths. If you're interested we can figure logistics when summer kicks in. TM101chromefish101

 

[rgarbar]

Count me in. I will be up at the lake on or about the Memorial day weekend. Hoping to fish for kokanee at least 2 times per week through September unless gas prices continue to soar.

 

[SeaDog]

Hi!

Yeah! If the price of fuel goes sky high.....We all better consider going back to using sails and oars! (Not Kidding - Seriously!)

SeaDog

 

[trollmonkey]

Seadog,If I could survive a season trolling with oar power,I'd probably rip a fishes head off on the hookset.laugh hyst Thanks Rgarbar,let me know when you get to the lake.I'm planning three or four trips out this summer and also go to Andrews in June so maybe I can get your heads on one of those trips.thumbsup

 

[Harpoon]

Will do on the heads.H

 

[SeaDog]

Seadog,If I could survive a season trolling with oar power,I'd probably rip a fishes head off on the hookset.laugh hyst Thanks Rgarbar,let me know when you get to the lake.I'm planning three or four trips out this summer and also go to Andrews in June so maybe I can get your heads on one of those trips.thumbsup

Hi tm!

Trolling under oar power????
Too much work!

Luckly the 2 waters we have here in Ct. aren't too deep (48') so I can row or sail to my favorite spots, anchor fore and aft, and jig for the Kokes.

"Love My Little Silver Psycho Fish!!!!" ..... LOL

SeaDog

 

[trollmonkey]

But Seadog I would get arms like popeye! Although since I'm powered by burgers and barbeque my midsection would look more like Bluto. Besides Nantahala is mostly over 100' and trolling is what I know(at least it seems like I do some days).Do you mostly jig after dark? TM 101chromefish101101chromefish101

 

[SeaDog]

Hi tm!

Yes! Here in CT. the most popular way to fish for Kokes is at anchor at night with light over the side and jigging. We're allowed 8 fish per day.

I've been a mariner all my life so I already have the arms and legs. LOL

SeaDog

 

[rgarbar]

Seadog
I would love to try to jig for the kokes but I figure I would need at least a 200' anchor line. Don't know if there would be any room left for me! Another benefit to fishing at night would be the lack of power boaters, jet skiers, and geezer barges that infest Nantahala in the summer. What is the CT state kokanee record?

 

[SeaDog]

Seadog
I would love to try to jig for the kokes but I figure I would need at least a 200' anchor line. Don't know if there would be any room left for me! Another benefit to fishing at night would be the lack of power boaters, jet skiers, and geezer barges that infest Nantahala in the summer. What is the CT state kokanee record?

Hi rgarbar,

Well at West Hill the speed limit is 15mph day and at 6mph night.
After Memorial Day -> Max engine hp allowed is 8hp.

Ct. state Kokanee record is 1.8 lb @ 16"
Our fish are small but put up a great fight and tasty!

SeaDog

 

[rgarbar]

Thanks for the reply. The Nantahala kokes seem to run a tad larger. Last year I was catching them in the 14" to 16" range both males and females seemed to be putting on weight and all looked healthy. I stopped fishing for them the end of July. I did loose an 18"+ one at the net. Troll Monkey any idea of the size of the kokes caught in the gill nets? Welcome back Harpoon!

 

[trollmonkey]

Rgarbar the biggest one in the nets looked to be about 19"-20".Last year 14"-17" seemed to be what we got into. In 09 they weren't plentiful but ran 18"-19.5" capped off by Ashleys' 21.5" male that dwarfed the others .101chromefish101

 

[rgarbar]

TM
Thanks for reply. It seems like the Nantahala kokanee have a good growth rate compared to their northern cousins. I was wondering if all the development at the lake and in the upper Nantahala river watershed is making the lake more fertile. The lake goes from crystal clear in the cooler months to that pretty aqua color in the warmer months. Lots of plankton for the kokes to fatten up on? Got the all clear from the wife to store the kokanee heads in the freezer. Now all I have to do is start catching them.

 

[trollmonkey]

Good thing you asked.One time I had a container of crawlers in the vegetable crisper,until a blood curdling scream called me to the fridge. Evidently nightcrawlers yearn to be free ,my wife did not appreciate their ability to escape.Now I discretely put them in the mini-fridge in the fish room.nananana

 

[SeaDog]

Hi All!

Just read the post on higher gas prices, etc!

So glad my 14' wooden Guideboat weights only 83lbs. empty, a very stingy 3hp outboard, and only 8 minutes away from West Hill Pond (My Koke Pond) from my home here in Ct.

Kokanee Heaven for Me!

SeaDog

 

[trollmonkey]

Will do on the heads.H

How's it going Harpoon? Sorry I missed your post.Powell said he needed 100 or so heads to get a good data base. He already has 50 or 60 so we should be able to get him over a hundred pretty quick.101chromefish101101chromefish101

 

[Harpoon]

Wow?? a hundred heads. I think I ate about 10 at the most last year. Caught was a little different. I stopped fishin for them later on in the summer because they would not go down. Most of the ones I caught were released at the back of the boat without taking them out of the water .I wonder what the total count in the Lake would be? I hope the study goes well and can give us some info on the condition of the stock. Wish I could convince the powers that be to stock them in Jocassee. H

 

[trollmonkey]

Hey Harpoon,I've been trying to talk the guys at NCWRC to put kokes in Bear , Glenville,Fontana etc.But it ain't going to happen ,they are set against any other exotic species.So I'm hoping they are going to protect the kokes in Nanty.I even asked if they might consider lowering the limit to 5,but they said they didn't have enough information on the population.On the other hand the NCWRC is planing to stock rainbows in Cedar Cliff and Apalachia Lakes.101chromefish101101chromefish101

 

[SeaDog]

Hi,

Would be nice to have more then the 3 waters east of the Mississippi (2-Ct and 1-NC) with Kokes.

SeaDog

 

[Fishfinger]

I hope the quality of fish is better this year at West Hill (cant complain about the quantity) I have never caught so many 8-9 inchers like i did last year. Even just watching the spawn in Nov., you were hard pressed to see a red over 12 inches. East Twin however produced some quality kokanee last year, with most being 16-18". My best being a 19.5" @ 2lb 8oz. 4 oz. shy of our state record. There were rumors of a 21.5" koke from twin also last year.