Cross-country move!

[jumarqui]

Hey Kokanee fishermen. Justin here. I'll be moving from Pennsylvania to Spokane, Wa this summer and literally just saw the work Kokanee for the first time about 10 minutes ago. I can't wait to get there and start fishing for them. I fish the great lakes (Indiana, Illinois and NY) tribs for Chinook and Steelhead so I have some general salmon fishing knowledge, but I completely lack any knowledge of the Wash fishing scene. So a few questions:

1. What's available near Spokane? Is Roosevelt the closest?
2. Are the fish accessible from the shore or in the tribs?
3. Preferred lures/flies, if people are willing to share?


FYI, I don't have a boat at this time, so shore and wading options are appreciated. I use both fly and spinning gear, so any suggestions either way are helpful.

Thanks in advance for any advice people are willign to share.

JM

[268bull]

JM, Welcome to the northwest. I live in the Willamette valley in Oregon. Moved from Penna. myself. Didn't plan on staying, and now, 33 yrs. later, I'm still here. Beautiful country up in Spokane! Can't help you with fishing info, never had the opportunity to fish up there. Welcome to the site. Somebody here will direct you to best fishing in your area. Bull

[skookum9]

Jumarqui, I live in Oregon but I have fished around the Spokane area, at least north of it anyway. There is plenty of great fishing up there to be had and I'm sure that there are probably many places that you could find to fish without a boat. Unfortunately, I am a boat person and know only of the places I like to fish from my boat so don't really have any advice for you about bank fishing places. I mostly flyfish and don't like the risk to my backcast from bank fishing.

What I also cannot tell you is anyplace I have ever heard of that was good or even decent fishing for kokanee without the use of a boat. At least a float tube or a canoe or something to get you out over deeper waters. Kokanee primarily are a deeper water fish and not something that is readily accessible from the shore. I do know of one lake here in Oregon where you can fish kokanee from the shore but only during the right time of the year.

Based on the people I know who live up there, the people are very friendly and would be more than happy to help you. I would just ask some of the locals around the smaller towns up there about bank fishing opportunities and see what they have to say. Good luck to you and best of wishes.

[smokin' Kokes]

jm,
glad you came to Wa. you've got lots of great fishing within 1 days drive of Spokane. Lake Roosevelt can't be beat for kokanee, walleye and trout. call 258-7297 Tim Peone the Spokane Tribal Hatchery manager. he's running a fantastic hatchery program for kokanee and trout and loves to talk about area fishing and what's hot.
he is also involved in the program at Rufus Woods, same fish.
http://www.spokanetribe.com/page.php?code=dnr_hatchery

cliff