Wickiup

[Kokaneegal]

Can someone tell me what exact date does Wickiup open. Also can you make reservations at Gull point then. I was thinking that it might be first come first serve in April.

 

[hersheyk1]

Wickiup reservations can't be made I think 7 or months before your date you want to camp, I tried the other day and could only reserve couple days because it was more than ?? months before I wanted to go.

 

[Lip Ripper]

Wickiup reservations can't be made I think 7 or months before your date you want to camp, I tried the other day and could only reserve couple days because it was more than ?? months before I wanted to go.

This is what I found.
Walk in April 26- 2013 to May 23- 2013
Peak May 24- 2013 to Sept 16- 2013
Walk in Sept 17- 2013 to Oct 8- 2013

STANDARD NONELECTRIC
Thu Nov 29 2012 - Sat May 25 2013
Reservations must be made 4 day(s) ahead of arrival and can be made up to 6 month(s) in advance.

THIS IS AT GULL POINT

 

[Kokaneegal]

Thanks hersheyk1 and Lip Ripper. Anyone know opening date for fishing?

 

[Lip Ripper]

Thanks hersheyk1 and Lip Ripper. Anyone know opening date for fishing?

I cant find any regulations for 2013 but my guess would be April 27. It is usually the last week end in April.

 

[mrmike]

Wickiup been my opener lake for a lot of years. You can make reservation at the lake but there is no power hook ups on the sites. As you driving to the lake you will parells a river that the Deschutes arm it goes by TWIN Lake resort they have full hook up. for R.V. I always stay at there site and motor out to the lake (10 mile Hour speed limit) its about 2 miles or so to the lake You only have like 5 month to the opener. Hope this helps I do have phone number if you want. There R.V. site is directly on the river you moore your boat on the river bank and walk up to you site.

 

[hersheyk1]

Kokegal we were there last year when we had the whole side of gull point to our selves I think my buddy said he talked to you sorry I missed you look forward to seeing and meeting you someday, I think we will try wickiup this next year a little earlier thinking early may see what happens take care hope to see you sometime. good luck when you go. Hersh.

 

[Kokaneegal]

Yes, Hersh we were there same time as you last year and I did talk to your buddy. We stayed over on the other side. As I recall fishing was lousy then. I think you are right that going earlier might be better. We were thinking the same thing. Maybe see you there this year.

 

[mrmike]

Kokanee Gal spent the opener at Wickiup and did extremely well. fish were extremely large with also was a big problem also. remember its a shallow lake and warms up fast/weather changes effect it that borameter fluctuation can drive you crazy. Got the color combination down what they wanted. There might be a problem this year as these fish were so big could be at the top of there cycle I didn't see many small fish. This has happen before were I will switch over and go over to O'dell I will know after the opener, also I went to double snubbers after that the fish stay on like I was using crazy Glue, they were just ripping off they fought so hard. But it a tricky lake to fish last year the number weren't there like I'm use to.Thats why I feel its at the top of its cycle.

 

[Lip Ripper]

MRMIKE Yes the fish this year were huge. But the one thing that impressed me was in July I caught several 16" fish that are going to be next years fish. I talked to several other fisher men that said the same. I don't use snubbers but a real loose drag. I lost three big ones in a row as soon as they would hit the hook. I found out that the release was set to loose. After I tightened the release so they would set the hook good then it would pull out I never lost any more fish. It has taken me several trips to Wickiup before I learned how to fish it. With out my GPS FF I would be lost, the GPS is a must to find the channels. But here is what I found out the fish are not always in the channels but on the edge of the channels. Also in 30' of water with the DR at 20' my set back was 75'. Also at this depth use a very light dodger or you will get hung up. The other thing I did not mark any fish at 30' but was catching them with the set back at 75'. I do believe the boat was scaring them.

 

[rainORsnow1]

I got a score to settle with this lake. I can't wait for the opened! I'm gonna hit it real hard for 4 solid days. I walked away looking real silly last year. Crosses my mind all the time. I'm coming for u wickiup! Ha!fencing

 

[mrmike]

Actually the best days I had up there was on the opener. I was running back 90 ft or so on top and when I got hooked up I didn't realise at first I just thought the fish were coming off the hooks but once I found out they were just ripping I went to snubbers one pole I use is a 7 weight fly rod converded over/ its a noodle rod. Being so far back and the fish real large. It took a little time before I figured it out. It worked for me. I had stop using snubbers for quite a long time, didn't need them on the smaller Koks.Lip Ripper 16 inch are pretty big Kokanee I don't agree they will be for next years fish. I guess we will just have go up there and do are thing I sure hope I'm wrong on there life cycle. I've been fishing Wickiup for a lot a lot of years I've seen the the lake turn before.

 

[Lip Ripper]

I was going by their eggs in the middle of July some 16" fish had very large skeins of eggs getting ready to spawn. Several of the other 16" fish the skeins were about a inch and a half long and real tiny. They were definitely not going to spawn this year. Well we will just haft to go catch a few and see what we get. One other thing as the fish get closer to the spawn there mouth get a lot tougher. Maybe that is why I didn't loose any after setting the release tighter.

 

[Fallriverguy]

My impression is that there will be a mix of sizes next spring. I caught some in late August that were large and showed no signs of matureing. Oddly, in September it was hard to catch them and many more fish in the 12 inch range were caught. Still, with the high water, the warm fall temps and a sampling of large fish that seemed to be next years fish Wickiup will most definately be my lake of choice for the opener.

 

[chukardave1]

Like FRG said I think we will see a mixed bag for next year. I was out a couple times in Oct. which was a first for me chasing kokes there. Caught quite a few of the smaller fish 12" and a few larger fish 16" fish that were definitely next years spawners. I also had a first for Wickiup. I marked huge schools of fish in a couple different locations. I did not get bit while trolling through these schools, but the fish were packed so dense that I could see the down rigger line and fishing line bumping the fish as I trolled through them. The birds were also pretty thick. I am really hoping that they were small kokes all schooled up. Cant think of any other fish in that lake that would school up in masses as big as what I was marking. Reminded me of Paulina or Odell. [don't want to say it out loud but I hope it was not catfish ] We will see you out there in April. Water level should be great again next year, if the weather continues like it has been this fall through the winter. Res stayed pretty high through the end of the irrigation season this year. I really feel that is the key to big fish we have been seeing the last few years. It also is the reason the fishing and fish have stayed great all summer long.

 

[mrmike]

chukardave1 I hope they were next years fish. I've felt for awhile the kokanee count has been really small/down at the lake that why the bigger fish/I can remember fisherman jigging everywhere in front of gull point boat ramp and doing well ALOT of fisherman. I haven't found fish schooled in my travels at the lake they were just scattered about. 2013 will be and interesting year for Wickiup. I really don't know if ODFW stocks the lake with kokanee or they just naturally breed. I remember numerous trips in the past with a lot of limits of 12/13 and 14 inch inch fish jigging. I've think the reason for the bigger fish because less fish in the lake no competition among themselfs a good example fished green Peter was nothing to harvest are limits small fish and lots of them/Wickiup the exact opposite. But I always get in trouble when I start thinking.

 

[DLM]

And then there is Suttle Lakebandmyhead sorry I even brought that up101facepalm101, back to the Wickiup topic....

 

[Lip Ripper]

chukardave1 I hope they were next years fish. I've felt for awhile the kokanee count has been really small/down at the lake that why the bigger fish/I can remember fisherman jigging everywhere in front of gull point boat ramp and doing well ALOT of fisherman. I haven't found fish schooled in my travels at the lake they were just scattered about. 2013 will be and interesting year for Wickiup. I really don't know if ODFW stocks the lake with kokanee or they just naturally breed. I remember numerous trips in the past with a lot of limits of 12/13 and 14 inch inch fish jigging. I've think the reason for the bigger fish because less fish in the lake no competition among themselfs a good example fished green Peter was nothing to harvest are limits small fish and lots of them/Wickiup the exact opposite. But I always get in trouble when I start thinking.

Mike here is a link to check out the planting schedule, I do not see any planting for Wickiup Kokanee. http://www.dfw.state.or.us/fish/HOP/Wizard Falls HOP.pdf

 

[mrmike]

Lip Ripper thanks for the info was interesting reading I saw no mention of any stocking program for Wickiup I was surprised to see they are planting Detroit Res with 100,000 fsh 100 ct per lb That I didn't known which could start a great thing for another fishery. Paulina 10.000 /East lake 20.000 Hay Stack Res 41.500 Grn Peter 50.000/Lake of the Woods 25.000 these are all 100 fsh to the pound only Cresent got larger fish 85 fsh to the Pound.

 

[chukardave1]

Mike

Wickiup is all natural production. I too believe that fewer fish in there has led to larger sizes overall. I also think the high water years we have seen the last two years is really helpful. Where we may differ is that I would rather catch an average of 10-12 larger fish from 16-20" per outing than limit out on 12" fish. There are plenty of lakes to get the smaller kokanee around here, I LOVE those bigger fish that Wickiup produces