New Hopeful Signing On

[fishenheim]

Hello all.

My family and I just invested in a new Thunderjet Luxor earlier this year and I've unsuccessfully fished from it a handful of times this season. It's been nearly 17 years since I touched fishing gear. To say I'm rusty would be an understatement indeed.

I've read a few books on lake trolling, bought a couple of Scotty electric downriggers, and I have a tackle box full of 'trolling' gear. What I'm coming to find is trolling is as much its own trade as is throwing flies. To think I could simply lash down a downrigger, troll a dodger and a wedding ring and come up a champion was an underestimation of the highest order. But like most neophytes, I fell into the glimmering dream pool before I even understood what I was attempting to do.

My biggest hope for joining this forum is to figure out some decent spots to practice. I live around Bellevue and understand that Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish are low on the quality ranks for lake trout and kokanee fisheries, which is primarily what I'd like to target. I've read Lake Stevens and American, which are nearer to me, are potentially decent spots to start learning. However, beyond those, the only others I've heard about were quite a haul: Merwin, Alder, and Riffe. Would any of you have recommendations for places I might try in the immediate area (immediate being ~50 miles)? I suppose I'd be willing to travel further after I've somewhat grounded myself on the basics of methods, tackle, etc.

I'd imagine a good move would be to join a club in the local area and invite people to join me, but the only thing I seem to come up with are Fly Fishing clubs. Although I love throwing flies, I'm terribly anxious to take some kokanee and lake trout on this new boat, largely for my own personal enjoyment, but more so because I fear my wife will quarter me if I don't prove my genetic compatibility with this sport!

 

[Bduck]

101welcomw aboard fishenheim 101welcomw There is a lot of good info here. It sounds as though you are on the right track with your equipment. Some of us are also on the tight edge with our significant other with what we buy to make fishing into catching. I can't hide the large purchases 101smily101 but the little things is what they don't know about don't hurt. whistlersmother

 

[agitator]

101welcomw Be careful for what you wish for . My wife started reading all these tips on here . Now she spends her lunch hour at the local tackle shops .fencing

 

[SuperD]

There is usually a fair amount of traffic here from guys/gals in your geographic area. After a little board time getting to know each other, I'll bet you can meet some folks at the lake.

 

[mrmike]

welcome aboard you can and well find the answer to your questions just ask. Your off to the correct start numerous lake to chase kokanee around. I like what you said about reading some literature on kokanee fishing there is one book I highly recommend The Master Angler by Mr. Phil Rabideau Why color matters, he is and older gentleman that used to work and design for Mepps Spinner company lives in Vancouver Washington its like around $15.00 paper back. It will definitely get you on the correct line for you to target fish of all species it explains the reason you catch fish and the reasons you don't hope this helps. read it memories it.

 

[dragonfly]

welcome and nice boat choice thumbsup, as for as lakes, American has nice fish but lake Stephens isn't bad ether for the area and would be great for practice. like fly fishing once you have the technique down then it's just matching the right color combo but the only way to do it is boat time here are a couple of web articles that will help, but nothing is gospel. take what you will and use it for your situation. http://www.kokaneepower.org/articles/3.pdf and http://www.fishwithgary.com/kokaneeuniversity.html and if you can, the sportsman shows are a great place to talk to people that live and breath kokanee and talk to the dealers. dfly

 

[rebelsportsman]

you will like kokanee fishing. it doesn't take very long to figure out how to get them. if nothing else hang around the boat ramp and talk to people. a lot of them will give you some really good tips that work on that lake.

 

[downriggeral]

101welcomw You will find the members here very gracious and helpful with lots of great info on catching kokes and bowes. We are spoiled in Eastern Washington with many great places to fish. The overwhelming majority of fish I catch are on leaded line typically trolled at three colors with 60' 8# fluoro leader. We use downriggers when they are deeper.

I personally like catching more than fishing but the experiment (get the two pole endorsement) must continue and this group has experimented a bunch!

Tight lines - Alan

 

[Petty4life]

welcome aboard fishenheim

 

[DLM]

Welcome Aboard! I can't add anything but echo the prior posts, especially the particular book recommendations and I also urge you to spend time (and hopefully not too much $$) at the sportsman's shows. It has probably been said, but don't be shy about asking questions, we are here to help. One thing I may caution you on is when buying tackle and equipment, $$$$ don't always mean better results. For example, there are a lot of very good, very expensive rods out there, and then there are low dollar rods that seem to work just as well. On my boat you will see a $150 rod on one side and a $20 yellow rod on the other, both catching fish. The key is to do your research on just about everything you buy.

 

[downriggeral]

I love the Sportsman's show in Portland or Puyallup. I figured out how to not overspend, put a $100 cash (or whatever) in the wallet and when it's gone it's gone. Makes one picky about what they buy. And one day at the show won't do it if you attend seminars too. Tight lines - Alan

 

[Mudinchev]

Welcome aboard! Sounds like you are traveling down a similar road that we did 3 years ago.......3 years ago I bought a boat spent the first year frustrated trying to figure things out and like some one above said hanging around the boat ramps is where I happen to meet one of our best fishing buddies. He told me about this web site, took us out and showed us the ropes and it was ALL DOWN HILL FROM THERE! We don't make it up your way very often but if find your self down south Lake Merwin and Yale are our home lakes, and would be happy to share what we know. This site is kind of slow in the winter months but come spring things will pick up, there is another site, Ifish.net there that is a little more active all year, but be warned it doesn't have the same friendly atmosphere that KFF does. There is a lot of good info there but like I said you have to read between the lines some times. Always happy to help......
Scott

 

[chukardave1]

Take a peak over the pass (Snoqualmie) in the spring. Think there are at least three reservoirs on the east side of the pass that have kokes in them. Don't get much pressure either from what I hear. I wish I had been into kokanee fishing when I lived up that way years ago. And Welcome