Odell 5-15/16

[eric71m]

All in all it was a great weekend. got there too late on 5-14 to fish the evening, sat around and enjoyed the campfire... hit the lake saturday morning at 5:30 motored up the lake and were fishing, casting to the jumpers... My human fish finder wife, said go over there there jumping every where...by 8:00 we had 20 in the boat, chased these jumper and those jumpers and scratched out another 9 by 10:30... in for lunch and a nap... Moknots calls at 1:30 and says the bite is on agian... so out we go... this time anchored up off shelter cove, up from mokonts... school after school swam under the boat... the biggest schools i have ever seen ... thunder storms and lighting roll in about 4:30, 33 in the afternoon... 62 for the day for 3 peps... best I have done in a single day, ever... definatly bigger than last year.

Sunday... definatly slower than Saturday... we managed to grab 19 by 9:00 when we had to get off the water to pack to get back home...

Looks like it could be a very productive year this year...

[Mark McWillis]

Great report! What size were they?

[eric71m]

Great report! What size were they?

Average Odell size- 12"-13" but much fater this year...

[SilverBullets]

Sounded like you and Mike really got into em! Did you notice any kind of size difference between the kokes you casted to and the ones you targeted down deep? I've seen a definite size difference between suspended fish and one's right off the bottom up at Paulina.

[eric71m]

Sounded like you and Mike really got into em! Did you notice any kind of size difference between the kokes you casted to and the ones you targeted down deep? I've seen a definite size difference between suspended fish and one's right off the bottom up at Paulina.

I did not target any of the ones on the bottom... I did notice a difference of with some of them whether you used a 1/4oz and stayed on top, vs 1/2oz and sank a bit deeper... the 1/2oz seemed to produce a lil bit bigger, some casts, the jig was hit within the first couple of seconds... man what a rush...

Got my reservation at Trapper Creek for Memorial day weekend space #4. come by and say hi, and exchange lies... LOL

[skookum9]

Eric, if I am lucky enough I might just be able to stop by and say hi. It sort of depends on what my work and my chores will allow.

I too was up there this last weekend in an older boston whaler, you may well have seen me and my father running around chasing the jumpers. I was amazed at how many more boats I saw there this year than in previous years and also at how many of them are now casting jigs to the surface fish.

From what I saw there were three different general sizes of fish. There were the typical pan-sized 11" fish, the larger than usual for Odell 12"-13" fish, and then the little 8"-9" fish that needed another year before they were worthy of the cornmeal dance. I don't know how many of the little guys I threw back but quite a few. I found no difference in the size between surface fish or the deeper ones, or in the use of a 1/4oz or the 1/2oz jigs, what I did find is that some schools tended to have larger and some tended to have smaller, but with a lot of overlapping between the two. Most of the time it seemed like if I was going to catch a larger one it would be the first one that I got out of a pod of jumpers.

Saturday evening was just incredible, every cast was a fish. Of course, all of Saturday was pretty much go time for the koke's. Unfortunately, we had overslept in the truck and didn't hit the water until 6am and missed the majority of the morning jumpers. Sunday was a slower day but it was still not too bad. My dad had some trouble feeling any bites on Sunday but he still managed a few. I felt really bad for the guys who were fishing their hearts out and still weren't having any luck and I shared as much info as I could with any who would ask. I love catching these little bundles of energy and I also enjoy seeing others having success. I don't claim to be any great koke fisherman but if anyone ever see's me out there hitting fish and you are not, don't hesitate to ask any questions you want. I think we ended our two day outing with 90 some fish that we kept. We ate fish until our bellies felt like they were going to burst and we still have enough left to last us a couple more days, maybe a week.

Between the awesome weather and the very cooperative koke's, I don't see how Memorial weekend can possibly compare, but I am hoping that I can make it anyway.

[eric71m]

Look forward to meeting you skookum9 and talking filleting...

Tight lines!!!

[dob60]

What kind of jigs were you using? Colors?? Technique??
I am new to fishing Kokes and am going to try Odell soon...

Thanks dob60

[wood4heat]

I too was up there this last weekend in an older boston whaler, you may well have seen me and my father running around chasing the jumpers.

Growing up I had friends with a cabin up at Odell. They had a Boston Whaler as well, what a great boat.

[skookum9]

I'm not sure what Eric71m was using but I was using Gibbs minnows. Mostly I was using a 1/2 oz orange with silver tape on the sides but this was only because it was working so well that I never bothered to change it. I had my backup rod rigged with pink and white and I also did try the 1/4 oz jigs but with the wind up at times and the fish sometimes wanting it just a little deeper I found the 1/2 oz to be the easiest. Typically, I find that if the fish are not biting the 1/2 oz as often as I think they should, moving down to the 1/4's will pick them up again. This move is often a difficult one because the fish will knock the heck out of the little jigs but it can be almost impossible to set the hook into them at times. I believe this is mostly because the smaller the jig, the longer it takes to pull the slack out of your line, and even the slightest breeze can put quite a bow in your airborne line.

As far as technique goes, there isn't much to it. I cast out to a fish that I see jump and then I let the jig sink a little and then begin a jig retrieve, tug at the rod about 10 or 12 inches and reel in the slack while allowing the jig to continue to sink between each of the rod twitches. If you're not getting strikes but others are, you are probably not letting the jig set still long enough, or else you are getting strikes but you aren't feeling them. If your jig comes in with the hook fouled on the line, you just had a hit. Sometimes these fish will hit hard fishing like this but usually it's a light, almost undetectable, strike. Often times I just lift the rod tip at just the right moment and the fish will be on the hook.

The three best pieces of advice I can think of to offer for fishing like this is..... Take your time, don't hurry your retrieve..... Pay close attention to your rod, look for a slight wiggle at the tip and always be feeling for even the slightest bump, even harder to detect when the fish that picks up the jig starts swimming toward you and all you have is slack..... And I think most important is to remain confident in what you are doing, just know for sure that you are about to get a bite. Believe it or not, that last one makes a huge difference in the success of fishing, especially with this technique. If you aren't sure if what you are doing is going to get you a hit then you are reducing your likeliness of picking up a fish.

If I happen to be out there when you make it to Odell, do not hesitate to ask for help if you are having trouble getting into them. I love fishing for these little guys and I really enjoy seeing others getting to have the same fun I am having. If you are out there when I am not, ask for advice from the fishermen that you see who are somewhat successful. Most of the better fishermen out there will feel the same way I do about sharing information. You may well come across a few who are too stingy to share but don't lose heart, just keep on asking others. If someone tells you to tip your hooks, I will tell you that it is not necessary. Tipping my hooks has made little impact in my catch rate, and the only impact that it has had at all has always been negative. I tried it for a long time just so I could give it a "fair shake" but I found it wasted a lot of my time baiting up instead of fishing. Feel free to tip if you'd like to but fishing the surface fish like this it is not necessary. And by surface fish I mean any fish that are anywhere from the very surface to anything less than 50 or 60 feet.

It's late and I'm tired and if I didn't write this out very clearly then I appologize. If you need more info just ask. You can send me a PM if you'd like with any questions that you still have.

[eric71m]

I was using Gibbs Minnows, a color that is very hard to find and when I do I buy them all.. LOL I can't even find the color on their website... its a hot pink.
I too found a weigt difference. especially on saturday vs. sunday... I almost always fish with a 1/2oz, but the wife likes the lighter 1/4oz, Saturday she had the hottest rod. Sunday, she couldnt catch a fish, and I caught all that was caught, and it was always deeper than saturday.

[dob60]

To both of you that sent me info on Odell,
thanks for the info. Where do you buy your Gibbs Minnow's? Any other jigs you might reccomend?
Do either of you troll at Odell?
I do appriciate the info- this is my first year trying for Koke's, and I've only fished Green Peter so far...But I'm going to try Odell as soon as the weather moderates
Good Fishing!!

dob60

[skookum9]

Gibbs Minnows can be found at many retail sources, more stores seem to carry them than they used to. Fisherman's, Wholesale sports and BiMart all carry them and I'd bet that Dick's does too. I know I've seen them at other stores but I cannot remember specifically which ones. Good luck finding anything in pink though. The pink and white with the flash on the sides is usually the first to sell out. This started out as my favorite but now I'm not as fussy and usually the fish aren't either. I do like the effectiveness of contrasting colors and therefore I do recommend the pink and white combo's but in any of their configurations. I also like the orange with the flash tape, but I will warn you that this tape will wear off after several fish have attempted to destroy it.

I have used Buzz Bombs, Nordics, Zingers, Pline's, crippled herring, rattletraps, some customs jigs sold there in Oakridge, and I don't know how many other various jigs and lures, all with varying success. What I found was it was best to stop messing around with all of the possibilities that might, and usually did, work and get back to fishing. Any jig will work but not all of them will work equally well. I don't care much for the jigs that slide on your line because they are harder to keep straight in the tackle box and because they are harder on your line and can cause line failure, especially when casting. But with that said, the Buzz Bombs and Zingers perform well in the catching catagory. I think Nordics have a great shape but the Gibbs seem to work better, I think because of their smaller size and weight.

I do not troll at Odell ever, but then again, I only fish it in the early season and once summer sets in a little I go for the brook trout with a flyrod. When I first began fishing Odell, almost everybody trolled for the koke's, except for the few who were vertical jigging for the deeper fish. My buddies and I accidentally stumbled upon the casting method of jigging and have never looked back. I see more and more boats on this lake using the cast and jig technique and this year was no exception. I was amazed at how many boats were doing it.

I recommend looking for boats that are experiencing some success and try immitating them, at least until you learn the basics of what you are doing. If you see a boat that is motoring up to a school of jumping fish, it's okay to cast in that same general area but try not to crowd them if they were there first. Most of us don't mind sharing a pod of jumpers as long as you respect personal space. Try and watch for where the fishermen are casting and don't run over that water with your boat. And as best as you can, try not to cross your cast with others, this can get a reaction of a few ruffled feathers. Beware of the trollers who seem to not mind running their downriggers right through an area where you are casting, there's always a handful of people out there who don't seem to understand curtousy.

It is my understanding that the water temps dropped at Odell from all this nasty weather we've been having. I'm thinking this year the surface jigging will be hot a lot later than normal years. Things should still be pretty hot at least for the next week or two. Good luck to you and I hope to see you out on the water. I'm usually fishing this lake out of an older Boston Whaler but I may try taking my little pontoon boat out there for Memorial weekend. If you see me out there, feel free to stop by and say hello, and you can ask all the questions you want.

[dob60]

Scookum9

Thanks again for the info. I found some Gibbs Minnows in Pink/White and Pink/White/Reflector tape today at BiMart, all in 1/2oz...they did not have 1/4oz
I hope to try Odell Monday or towards Memorial day weekend. Where on the lake are you finding fish- I understand the north shore around and west of Princess Cove is good??
Where are you launching? Shelter Cove?
Thanks again...
dob60

[skookum9]

I typically launch at Princess Creek. This is much cheaper than Shelter Cove and is usually open much earlier than Trapper Creek. I typically fish mostly up in or near Shelter Cove, mostly because it is better protected from the wind than the rest of the lake. There are plenty of fish most anywhere in that lake but there are also quite often large schools of koke's up in the cove. The rock slide near the cove is never a bad place to start. When I fished just out from Princess Creek this year I noticed a lot of the fish were on the small side. Not all of them but a larger percentage than other places that I fished.

You'll do fine out there, just remember to fish with confidence. There may be some "stingy" fishermen out there but most of us are more than happy to share whatever info we can to help others have a great time. So don't be afraid to ask if you see someone doing well and you are not. And don't forget that if you're not hitting fish that you've cast over, that you may need to slow down a little and just feel the jig as it drops. Good luck! I hope to see you out there if I get lucky enough to go.

[eric71m]

I recommend looking for boats that are experiencing some success and try immitating them, at least until you learn the basics of what you are doing. If you see a boat that is motoring up to a school of jumping fish, it's okay to cast in that same general area but try not to crowd them if they were there first. Most of us don't mind sharing a pod of jumpers as long as you respect personal space. Try and watch for where the fishermen are casting and don't run over that water with your boat. And as best as you can, try not to cross your cast with others, this can get a reaction of a few ruffled feathers. Beware of the trollers who seem to not mind running their downriggers right through an area where you are casting, there's always a handful of people out there who don't seem to understand curtousy.



Oh skookum9, I could not have said it better myself... far too many times I have been crowded off my own school of fish... oh that burns me... when someone moves in on you because your catching and thier not... Watched it happen to MOKNOTS... oh bad juju... LOL I know the schools move around and what not... but if someone is there first, wait your turn, the undoubtly the school will move and you will get yours... theres plenty of fish folks... for all...

[skookum9]

Eric71m, the sad part is that this lake is quite large and the koke's are everywhere. I try to be understanding about others making mistakes though because when the fishing gets exciting, especially if it's hot for others but you find yourself frustrated, it can be easy to forget yourself and not pay close enough attention to what you are doing. I have on occassion gotten myself too close to others, usually because of the wind blowing me toward them if they're anchored up or because my boat drifted farther than I had expected when I shut the motor off. I know we all make mistakes sometimes and I try to be forgiving of others for those type of mistakes, but when someone is constantly parking their boat right on top of where you are fishing, it gets a little frustrating. And the really frustrating one is when they do it on purpose. I don't blame people for getting excited and wanting to get in on the action because this type of fishing is a lot of fun. It's just curtousy to remember that one need not make a nuisance of one's self. With that said, I do hope that if you see me out there someday, you'll swing on over to where I am for a few casts and say hello.

[eric71m]

I agree with you sookum9, I have patience for those whoops folks, its those jerks that come running over, big wake and all and crowd right on in...I too have happend to be one of those whoops peps, and even gotten cursed at, I tried to be applogetic and curtious as i got out of there by being quiet, trying not to spook the fish off. there always seems to be one bad apple...

Tight lines to you this weekend, were taking off tomorrow afternoon and gona hit it hard.

[skookum9]

I wish you all the best of luck this weekend, Eric71m. I hope you really hook into them. I had grand hopes of getting to head up there myself this weekend and was really excited because I was going to get to take my granddaughter too. Unfortunately, the weather doesn't seem like it's going to be too friendly so I probably won't make it since my granddaughter is only two. I love how excited she gets when she goes fishing. I've ruined her for life because she's had more fishing than any two year old should have. By the time she was 14 months she had caught her first 26" rainbow, with a little help, and she is hooked like nobody I've ever seen. If the weather would just clear up a bit and let the sun do its job and warm things up I might just make it yet. I've heard that the water temps dropped again to below desirable levels so I hope they will be good for this weekend. I'd love to get a chance to say hi up there and maybe swap some fish stories.

I don't know if you've ever noticed or not but sometimes when a boat come roaring through right beside me, it really helps to get the jumpers going. Back when I first started fishing this way I used to dread seeing someone motoring fast right through my fishing but then I started to notice that it actually helped me catch more fish so I quit complaining.

Kokanee are a curious critter, they almost never react the way that common sense or experience tells us that they should. To me, people can motor through or right up to them, they can shout out loud at the top of their lungs, or they can even throw the anchor over with a loud kersplash, as long as they don't cut me off from making my cast I'm still going to catch my fish.

I think one of the hardest things for newbies to learn is just how far a jig can be thrown and to keep enough distance to not cut a fellow fisherman off from being able to cast as far as he can, since this is often where the kokanee will jump. I'm still amazed at how far a jig can fly and have to recaliberate my eye guage every year.

About the only one's that bother me anymore are the one's that motor right over where you are fishing and stop right on top of where you are fishing. Not near where you are fishing but literally right on top of where you are casting your jig. But even this I've learned to tolerate as long as I can get away from them and not have them follow me around and keep doing the same thing again and again. Also, I think that as more and more fishermen learn to fish like this, the better they will understand how to fish without being a nuisance to others.

Now go catch some koke's and don't stop until you absolutely have to. Maybe the weather will get better and I'll be able to join you out there in your kokanee quest. If not, have fun anyway. And be sure and post how the fishing was while you were there.

[eric71m]

sookem9 sorry to hear that you may not make it... the weathre reports I am looking at are looking up... low 60s during the day, so, I have my fingers crossed...

the buss leaves Portland at 2 today... tight lines to all of you out there!
I'll be at Trapper Creek space #4, come by and exchange lies... LOL
Best of luck all.

[kokaguy1]

I'm going to Odell over the 4th of July holiday, never been there before, can anyone tell me what kind of Kokanee fishing I should expect during that time of year? My guess is they will be a bit deeper that time of year???Also I hear it can get pretty windy at times, is July typically a windy time of year at Odell? Would love to get into a Mack.....anyone use jigs for those? If so care to share your info, colors/weight etc? Your info is appreciated

[eric71m]

July, your more than likely going to troll any where from 30-50 ft is my guess, all depends on weather, water temps and how you hold your mouth. LOL...
MAC's sorry not my forte, maybe someone else can chime in on that for ya.

[skookum9]

Early July on Odell you can expect the koke's should be deep. I would guess around 50 to 70 ft and maybe more, but this is only a guess since I am already well into my trout lakes by then. You may find some surface activity still going on in the very early mornings and very late evenings, but I would not expect it to continue throughout the day like it does early in the season.

Based upon what I've seen at Odell, anytime is likely to be windy. It is a good sized body of water and that almost always leads to a lot of potential wind.

There is some jigging for mack's on Odell, although I suspect most of it is more accidental than intentional. Sometimes, when jigging for koke's, you can get hit by a mack cruising through feeding on koke's. It doesn't happen often but it can and does happen. If I wanted to jig for mack's, I would find out where the best concentration of mack's are in the lake and target that area by anchoring up and using a heavy jig, at least 3/4 oz or more, and fish according to my sonar for the depth. While jigs are very effective if you can locate the target fish, mack's included, trolling would likely be a better way to find them.

If I really wanted to know some good answers to my questions and no one here is able to help you, I would make a phone call to Shelter Cove Lodge on the west end of Odell. They have always been really good about helping people catch fish as best as they can. Don't be surprised if they are a bit optimistic and perhaps inclined to exaggerate the fishing just a bit since they make their money by encouraging people to come to the lake. All in all though, they are good people and try to provide the best information they can.

[spugak4]

My wife and I just moved to Bend from Juneau, AK last fall. I stumbled on this site mostly by accident and have been reading posts on it all winter and early spring, chafing for the day I could fulfill the requirement to buy a resident license and make my first ever attempt at kokanee fishing. In AK I had a 17' Bayrunner with canvas, downriggers, all the goodies I needed to boat lots of halibut, king and coho salmon within minutes of the launch ramp, but I sold that boat when we moved rather than pay to haul it on the ferry and then tow it from Prince Rupert (in hindsight, I wish I'd kept it!). So, right now all I have is my canoe.
But eric's description of the cast/jig method to jumpers at Odell sounded like something I could handle provided I had the right weather, and on 6/2 I got to the lake at 7am and looked for boats. They were on the opposite shore, about a 30 minute paddle away, so off I went.
Pulled up next to the first boat I got to and they said they were jigging on the bottom, that casting the jig wouldn't work and I shouldn't even try it. Skeptically, I took their advice and in 30 minutes picked up two fish, but jumpers were all around me and I decided that guys on this forum had to have accurate info, so I began casting. It took a few minutes, but soon I was getting hit or hooking up nearly every cast. Despite a few long distance releases and mishaps with my net at the canoe's gunwale, in 2 hours I had 20 kokes and the rain was picking up, so I called it a day.
I have no doubt a limit was doable if only I'd brought raingear and could've stayed out a little longer!
Sorry this has run on so long, but you can tell I'm excited. My wife and I enjoyed a great meal last night, and the remainder are brining for the smoker.
Thanks to eric and all the others who've shared valuable info on this fantastic forum. I owe my success on my first attempt at kokanee to all of you!

[eric71m]

My wife and I just moved to Bend from Juneau, AK last fall. I stumbled on this site mostly by accident and have been reading posts on it all winter and early spring, chafing for the day I could fulfill the requirement to buy a resident license and make my first ever attempt at kokanee fishing. In AK I had a 17' Bayrunner with canvas, downriggers, all the goodies I needed to boat lots of halibut, king and coho salmon within minutes of the launch ramp, but I sold that boat when we moved rather than pay to haul it on the ferry and then tow it from Prince Rupert (in hindsight, I wish I'd kept it!). So, right now all I have is my canoe.
But eric's description of the cast/jig method to jumpers at Odell sounded like something I could handle provided I had the right weather, and on 6/2 I got to the lake at 7am and looked for boats. They were on the opposite shore, about a 30 minute paddle away, so off I went.
Pulled up next to the first boat I got to and they said they were jigging on the bottom, that casting the jig wouldn't work and I shouldn't even try it. Skeptically, I took their advice and in 30 minutes picked up two fish, but jumpers were all around me and I decided that guys on this forum had to have accurate info, so I began casting. It took a few minutes, but soon I was getting hit or hooking up nearly every cast. Despite a few long distance releases and mishaps with my net at the canoe's gunwale, in 2 hours I had 20 kokes and the rain was picking up, so I called it a day.
I have no doubt a limit was doable if only I'd brought raingear and could've stayed out a little longer!
Sorry this has run on so long, but you can tell I'm excited. My wife and I enjoyed a great meal last night, and the remainder are brining for the smoker.
Thanks to eric and all the others who've shared valuable info on this fantastic forum. I owe my success on my first attempt at kokanee to all of you!

awesomereport

congrats, and welcome to the forum!!!

[skookum9]

Spugak4, that's an awesome report! Thanks for posting it! Welcome to Oregon. I am glad to hear you had a good time on the lake, and I'm very glad that you gave the jig casting a try. It's amazing how many things there are that "won't work" but still manage to catch a lot of fish. I am very glad to hear that the fish are still up on the surface, I know it's been a cold year but this is still getting pretty late in the season. Once you start to get used to fishing like this, you'll learn to do without the net, it only slows you down. Fishing like this for these smaller kokes means you can just hoist them over the side of the boat and drop them in the bucket. I wish you many happy fishing days out there but I do hope you will use great caution while fishing that lake from your canoe. I have fished it from a canoe myself and had great fun, but the weather there can get pretty nasty really fast and the winds can be quite dangerous. When I used to fish it from a canoe, I liked to stay pretty much up inside of the shelter cove area and never fished much past the rock slide.

Based upon your report, I guess I should have given it a try today since I had the day off, but I suppose that chores must come first. I look forward to seeing more posts from you.