State of the Kokanee at Nantahala Lake
To date I have only heard of 3 Kokanee being caught at Nantahala during the 2017 season(none larger than 14"). Most of the fishermen/fisher women who targeted the Kokanee, including myself are targeting other species and/or have moved on to fish other lakes. I have heard of a number of larger trout being taking at the lake possibly a result of the blueback herring added to their diet.
Trout fishing at Calderwood reservoir has been hot for me especially in the vicinity of Calderwood dam trolling spoons and spinners 5' to 15' down.
Getting back to the Kokanee, the state and local concerned fisher persons are going to try to monitor the upcoming spawning run up the Nantahala River late September through October. That should give us an idea of about how many kokes are left in the lake. Perhaps the tenacious Kokanee will rebound in future years. The Kokanee and blueback might be able to coexist but the size of to kokes will probably be much smaller than the large ones that have been harvested to last 10 years. Less people targeting them might also help them rebound. It will also be interesting to see what the state will do for the Kokanee and Nantahala Lake in the future. With all the bluebacks present is a trophy trout lake in the future? Next spring I plan to target the kokes in hope of a rebound but the rebound if any might take several years.
I would appreciate any information regarding the fate of the kokanee or Nantahala Lake.
Headed to Nanty next Wed ( if all goes well)
Hey Ron ,are you back at the lake? I'm heading out Wednsday with Greg ( TrollingNC). Hope to find a koke or twelve and a few big trout. Have you been fishing any or have you heard any reports? Amanda told me she didn't need any more fishheads ,so both our wives will be happy.thumbsup
Headed to Nanty next Wed ( if all goes well)
Well got to the lake,fished all day. No Kokanee ,just got one 9" rainbow, We saw a few schools of herring but it really doesn"t seem like there are that many in the lake. We marked very little of anything. I'm wondering if something beyond the herring is affecting all the fish in the lake?
Play Taps for the Kokanee?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
trollmonkey
Well got to the lake,fished all day. No Kokanee ,just got one 9" rainbow, We saw a few schools of herring but it really doesn"t seem like there are that many in the lake. We marked very little of anything. I'm wondering if someyhing beyond the herring is affecting all the fish in the lake?
Mark
Sorry to hear your report. Since the headwaters of the Nantahala river remain pristine, I am assuming the problem is not there. The recent droughts and forest fires in the area may have played a role the last couple of years. Over fishing is also a possibility. I still feel the plankton eating bluebacks are the main culprit as adult bluebacks also feed on eggs and smaller fish as well.
Since blueback herring eat fish eggs and fry as well as the food that gamefish fry eat, they are direct predators and competitors with them. Because of this, they have caused problems with largemouth bass populations in certain lakes, among them Lakes Burton and Nottely in Georgia, and with the walleye population in Lake Hiwassee in North Carolina. State fisheries agencies work to limit their spread in freshwater lakes. It is illegal to use them as live bait in lakes where they don't already exist, and it is always illegal to stock them.
Are striped bass in Nantahala's future?