Improving Loss Ratio

[SilverBullets]

Thought we could all learn a few things if we listed what works for each of us to increase our hook to land ratio. I've read over the years of up to a 50% loss rate, but have never experienced more than 25% myself. Usually it's more like 15-20%. Some of the things I have learned are:
use a long handled net
keep fish under surface
use a limber rod, light drag
double hook set-ups
mono line, not braided
tight setting on release clip
give no slack

[TopFuelKokanee]

Good topic. I think alot of fish are lost near the boat. Bringing the fish in too quickly is a real problem. When that happens the fish still has alot of energy and can really go nuts when it sees the boat. Having a long handle on the net as mentioned is a good solution. And speaking of nets (probably preaching to the choir here) how you handle the net is really key also. I'm surprised how many times I've seen people "lay" the net over the top of the fish like you're trying to catch a butterfly which I think is a good way to lose the fish. It seems to me that it works better to "shoot" the net just under the fish and rapidly retrieve it with a slight upwards motion trapping the fish in the net but not picking the fish up out of the water until it is alongside the boat. What style of net is used will have some bearing on how that would work. Other thoughts?

[TopFuelKokanee]

Another thing is re-tying leaders. How many times do you get a hot lure and keep throwing it out there over and over until you lose a fish, the lure, or both? I, for one, am trying to be more disciplined and proactive in this area.
My dad's tackle business, GoodDayFishing, will be introducing some things that should help reduce the loss ratio also. He has primarily been into the salmon scene here in the Northwest, but will be branching out into the kokanee and trout markets. I'll post a link when the new stuff is on his web site.

[Kokaholic]

Another thing that we do when we are fighting a large Koke is to stop and go. We will kick the motor in and out of forward and nuteral. 5 secounds each until we land the fish. This also will allow you to keep your other lines in the water and keep them from falling and getting either tangled or snaged up. As also changed things up with the action on the tackle to entice some strikes.

All of the above listed ideas are all great ideas and if your not doing them, you need to start. They will for sure improve your catch and net rate.

Great topic guys. Lets see what else others have to offer

[SilverBullets]

I use a rubber net with a 8' handle, and have the best luck laying the front lip of the net just under water, so at the last minute the fish can be pulled into the net while lifting it up. The koks where I fish are small, so this method works well for their size. I have read some take the motor out of gear, but I have got doubles numerous times by trolling while a fish is reeled in. In my experience, I have a better landing ratio with a short set back. Numerous times fishing farther back I have lost fish, maybe due to the line stretch and not getting a good hook set. Has anyone seen their catch rate increase by not putting corn on the trailing hook, so it can do it's job better as a stinger hook?

[Kokonuts]

Great Ideas..In my limited exp. I find getting the net into the water below the fish when you bring him up helps a lot. Also I have a long handle Black net.

The hardest part is when you are fishing by your self which I do a lot of at Lake Merwin!

[TopFuelKokanee]

Yah, those one man deals can turn into a real cluster. I was at Detroit Lake this summer and hooked a koke at 100 ft. down (manual down rigger). Must have had my release too tight because I could not pop the line off. I kicked the troll motor out of gear and alternated between cranking the downrigger up and bringing in line on the reel. Managed to land the fish. Goes to show that sometimes you can do everything wrong and get the fish...or you can do everything right and still lose the fish.

[Propnut69]

A very good topic. Every koke fisherman I know has lost fish at one time or another.

Some of the things I have learned are:
use a long handled net. :Its taken me a few years,but i finally learned that a long handled net can make a different between a missed fish and a fish in the boat.
keep fish under surface: This isn't always a easy thing to do. With the way that the kokes jump ,and do their dance it's hard to keep them under the surface.
use a limber rod, light drag: I totally agree with this.That why i use 7ft ulta lite poles.it makes fighting the fish that more fun.Plus you can still turn a fish when you have too. One of the biggest mistakes I have seen people make when fighting a fish,is that they always want to pump the rod to work the fish.I have seen more fish lost this way then i can count.
double hook set-ups: I have to say yes and no for me. Alot of it depends on what time of year it is.In the spring and summer ,I will use double hook set-ups,and they work well. Then about august i will switch to a single hook attached to a small ball bearing swivel. I think that this helps not to lose as many fish,because they are not able to break off the leader on the hook as easy as before.
mono line, not braided: I have never fished with braid for kokes,so I cant compare.
tight setting on release clip: I like to use small adjustable releases,I can set the line way back in the pads ,and still get a good release when a fish hits.
give no slack: slack is not our friend when fighting a fish.

The hardest part is when you are fishing by your self which I do a lot: I also fish a lot by myself,and it can turn into a CF real easy. The old saying about a Chinese fire drill come to mind. When ya have a double and your all by yourself.

[Kokonuts]

I cant believe that you fish by your self with two poles...WOW You the Man!!

I have switched to braid because the Mono I was using kept twisting up, even with the better brands. What type of Mono are you using?

Kokonuts

[Full_Monte]

I cant believe that you fish by your self with two poles...WOW You the Man!!

I have switched to braid because the Mono I was using kept twisting up, even with the better brands. What type of Mono are you using?

Kokonuts

Are you using spinning reels? What about the type of swivel you use on your dodgers?

[SilverBullets]

I cant believe that you fish by your self with two poles...WOW You the Man!!

I have switched to braid because the Mono I was using kept twisting up, even with the better brands. What type of Mono are you using?

Kokonuts

In my experience the Maxima Ultragreen has never caused a problem. I tie up all my set-ups with it and use a barrel swivel on the ends of the leaders, except for the hoochies. All 4 of the levelwind reels on the boat are loaded with this same line, and have had no problems. I did try braid years ago when first targeting koks, but found I needed more stretch for their soft mouths, and I had trouble keeping it in the release clip.

[Ryno]

I cant believe that you fish by your self with two poles...WOW You the Man!!

I have switched to braid because the Mono I was using kept twisting up, even with the better brands. What type of Mono are you using?

Kokonuts

I run Stren 8lb High Impact on my trolling rigs. I tie up 24-36in Berkley 8lb Vanish flourocarbon leaders with Spro barrel swivels on each end. I don't have problems with break-offs, and this year my loss rates were minimal.

[Fallriverguy]

Here are some of things I do to improve my landing ratio. Much of it has already been mentioned above.

1)Double hook set-up on lures.
2)Use size 4 or size 2 hooks
3)Don’t run flashers inline unless that is the only way to get bites.
4)Ultralite slow action rods rated for 2-6 lb line.
5)Use mono not braided line.
6)Set the clip tension tight so a good hook set is produced. An average
sized Kokanee should not be able to release the line from the clip, IMHO.
7)Get the rod out of the holder, and line out of the clip, as soon as possible
after a bite so any slack can be removed putting you in control of the fight.
People new to downriggers and Kokanee loose fish by being too
slow to get the rod out of the holder and the line out of the clip.
8)Free spool reel using thumb for a drag when fish make runs.
9)When a fish is twisting or splashing near the surface, either free spool
line in a controlled way, or drop the rod tip in the water, or both.
10)Tire the fish away from the boat if possible.
11)Bring the fish in slowly, it is a finesse fight.
12)Use a long handled net.
13)Wait to net a fish until it is tired and swimming next to the boat.

[HiTechKoke]

Here are some of things I do to improve my landing ratio. Much of it has already been mentioned above.

1)Double hook set-up on lures.
2)Use size 4 or size 2 hooks
3)Don’t run flashers inline unless that is the only way to get bites.
4)Ultralite slow action rods rated for 2-6 lb line.
5)Use mono not braided line.
6)Set the clip tension tight so a good hook set is produced. An average
sized Kokanee should not be able to release the line from the clip, IMHO.
7)Get the rod out of the holder, and line out of the clip, as soon as possible
after a bite so any slack can be removed putting you in control of the fight.
People new to downriggers and Kokanee loose fish by being too
slow to get the rod out of the holder and the line out of the clip.
8)Free spool reel using thumb for a drag when fish make runs.
9)When a fish is twisting or splashing near the surface, either free spool
line in a controlled way, or drop the rod tip in the water, or both.
10)Tire the fish away from the boat if possible.
11)Bring the fish in slowly, it is a finesse fight.
12)Use a long handled net.
13)Wait to net a fish until it is tired and swimming next to the boat.

Great consolidation of the main tips... I can't say enough about 10 and 11 and this is why kids will land more fish if you just tell them to keep reeling and never stop. As long as the drag is set right they won't lose nearly as many fish as adults who tend to muscle... cough... wife.... cough... Let that limber Kokanee rod do the work along with a well set drag and then it will just be a scoop job at the boat. The kids got a lot of practice scooping the fish this last year which was fun to watch. Take a kid fishing and you'll see better catch results!

[MTmountainman]

Does anyone use snubbers anymore?

[SuperD]

Does anyone use snubbers anymore?

Depends on where you are fishing and the size of the fish. The evolution of kokanee rods per item #4 above have all but eliminated the need for snubbers. The exception in my view is if you are fishing for very small kokes in the 10" or under class where their mouths will tear out so easily. Then I could see the use for a snubber.

[Kokanee-Toni]

Does anyone use snubbers anymore?

When I first started in 2010 targeting Kokanee I used snubbers because without them I would have lots of fish but couldn't get them in the boat. I was using my ultra light trout rods and the snubber helped. 2011 I got ultra light Kokanee rods and the snubber was unnecessary.

[Wally Dog]

Does anyone use snubbers anymore?

Yep, BUT mine are the multi colored large rubberbands that you can buy at an office supply store. ~ 6" unstretched. I double up and use 2 looped together. Almost infinite stretch.
Been doing this since the early 80's. Works.

[MTmountainman]

Thanks SuperD. I've sure been admiring your creations on the TackleCraft board. I am going to be making up a bunch of gear and was wondering if snubbers would be on the list. They might, because I do not have great koke rods yet.

[autorick]

I use treble hooks, barrel swivels at the dodgers, abu 5500 and 6600 reels on 8'6" salmon/steelhead rods with my downriggers. I keep even tension on the line when reeling in a fish, and never use a net. I am good at just pulling the koke out in one motion and into the boat. I loose maybe one in 25 this way.

[SilverBullets]

Since I got into koke fishing the snubbers have sat in the tackle box. The only time I might concider useing one is with in-line gang trolls... normally use ball trolls though.

[ImHooked]

I quit using rubber snubbers quite some time ago after purchasing two Kokanee poles made by Rogue Rods. I have been extremely happy with the performance of these poles.

[smokin' Kokes]

I still use snubbers but only in a special case koke fishery.
our late winter/early spring Feb>May cold water top troll.
use 15lb braid (4lb mono) size to get a good hook set with 100>200 ft of line out, no weight, small gang troll or F.W. Gary's special light sling blades with or only spinner blade/hoochie, double hook tie on snubber and 3ft of mono 6lb leader.
Level wind and long limber fiberglass rod.
fishing done in top 10' of water which warms first from sun.

these early fish are crazy jumpers, fast growing stage with tender soft jaw tissue.

[MisterCompletely]

I don't think anyone mentioned keeping the rod tip down close to the water, to discourage the koke from jumping. Of course they still will sometimes thrash on the surface or even jump, but keeping the rod tip down very low minimizes it.

[oldranger]

Fyi,

Just purchased 2 Tica Linecounter reels, one now mounted on medium action rod m for use flatlining with banana sinkers. The other on a noodle for use with down rigger. Been doing well this spring at Billy Chinook with banana sinkers while using the down rigger for Bull trout. i can land a fish rebait and be fishing much faster with the banana sinkers than using the DR for kokes. Also when using the DR for kokes I miss half the strikes when the clip doesn't release. So when I pull up after 15 minutes with no strikes I find I have a fish on the end of the line!

mike