OKANAGAN lake open to Kokanee Fishing

[Petty4life]

posting this for PLATYPUS....



--After many years of being closed to kokanee fishing (at one time world record kokanee lake) Okanagan is now open as of April 1st with a 5 fish limit.
--This is bitter/sweet as numbers of shore spawn kokanee have increased to a point where fishing will be allowed. The creek spawn kokanee have stabalized but are not increasing. It is the creek spawn kokanee that product the larger fish we were so used to catching in the mid 1980's.
--The British Columbia Government has so far refused to allow hatchery supplementation of creeks that are no where near capacity.
--Expect to catch mostly under 12" but there have been fish caught 5-7 pound during the closure when people were targeting trout as it was not legal to fish for kokanee in the lake.
--I am certain there will be larger fish caught. The past two summers they had limited openings late season that were not popular and not well advertized thus very little fishing pressure.
--We need your help... get up here and fish...let the Government of BC know the value of a healthy kokanee fishery.

[jekern1015]

Do you know if they have fishing boats for rent at one of the marinas. I will be up there in a couple of weeks. Are the fish in Stump lake or Kawkawa lake bigger and and more abundant.

[platypus]

kakawa is likely the only lake with boat rentals... I haven't been there myself but as near the coast.. should start producing. Locals are fishing it now.

-Okanagan has been closed to fishing kokanee for many years however the number of creek spawining (larger fish) is much less than it was before closure.. the increase has been in the numbers of shore spawn smaller kokanee.
-this does not mean there will not be bigger fish caught but will take a bit of this season to find them again.
-early May can be very stromy on Okanagan so larger boat reccomended especially if you only have a few days and want to get on the water for sure.
-may be worth looking into a guide for Okanagan if conditions are bad you might have to put up with a few 10 lb plus rainbows.. we only catch them in order to help preserve the kokanee.