Fishing Ririe in the am!

[MMDON]

Boats loaded and the gear is packed. See you on Ririe in the am! If you see my Blue TJet say hello!

Don/MM

[MMDON]

Water Temp was 37 degrees and the Kokes were shoaled in huge schools on the bottom. They never moved and we pitched to the striped kitty for 5 hours. I think I'll wait for the water to warm up a few degrees.

[gonefishing]

Nice to know there were huge schools in the water. I am thinking 3-4 weeks for the water too warm in that canyon. It would have been great just to be in the water though. Thanks for the information.

Good Rire fishing coming soon.

[MMDON]

A buddy of mine launched at the other end at Black Tail yesterday. Ice is about 1/2 mile from the ramp and the dock isn't in yet. The bottom end had very clean water as it's 30' down from full pool this year and isn't washing the high bank. Still some snow in the canyon and we saw 4 deer today.

[PapaD]

Thanks for the great report. I was getting the boat ready to go up on Sun. when I discovered a small gas leak so I took it over to the boat hospital. They said I might have it back by Wed. Maybe the water will warm up by then. Here is a question that just shows how new I am to kokanee fishing. If guy are catching fish all winter long ice fishing how is it that when the ice go off the fishing is not any good. There is so much to learn about kokanee

[MMDON]

In the winter time there is very little current and even though it is iced over, plankton will form under the ice in the top layer of water. During the spring, surface plankton is blown to the bank and the water is clouded with other debris from run off. The Kokes tend to hold in the depths for the first 30 days until the water temp rises towards the high 40's or low 50's where the plankton again blooms faster than the current and wind can move it. Also, the plankton in mass begins to "stack" up in certain locations and the fish begin to school in these areas. Even though we are seeing shoals or schools of fish right now, all but the 1 year old fish will leave these schools to go forage. As the stacking of plankton comes together the fish will rejoin schools in these areas.

This is the best explanation I can give you as to what happens in our area.

[PapaD]

Holy Smokes THANKS for the info, that was a way cool lesson in Kokanee fishing. Again thanks. So will it be that way when the ice go off of Palisades?

[MMDON]

You never know. Let's say 4 out of 5 years the water has to warm for the Kokes to move and then there is the unusual year when they are all over the surface from the start. Unlike trout that become hyperactive at ice out it would seem Kokes hate change. Change in the barometer, change in the moon phase . . . any kind of change can send them to the bottom to sulk. With a good fish finder you can see them. Pull out your ice rod or jigging set up and it's pretty easy pickings.

[gonefishing]

I was at Blacktail yesterday. Very nice day. Water is a little milky, and low. I hope there is more snow up there to melt off. MMM You're right on on the pressure changes from weather and Kokanee. I drove to Wallowa lake last week and got caught in one of the weather changes. The fishing went from slow to real slow. Nice size fish, but oh so few. Come on Ririe.

[MMDON]

I'll wait until the weekend after next and see what the fish are doing. When it comes on it's golden!