Gorge 5-8

[Propnut69]

D-weed and I hit the water on Tues. We put in at anvil draw,and went straight across the lake to the east side . He started with a dbl glow orange RMT squid and a RMT tussami dodger . I started with a RMT dbl glow pink squid,with a fusion dodger. Both rigs were tipped with natural colored gulp maggots We were fishing by 7/am and if we wanted just a limit of fish. We would of been done by 7:30. The fishing was fast and furious right out of the box.



We ended the day with six nice keepers and 30+ fish caught and released. Most of the kokes were cookie cutters full of fight,but all about the same size around 2lbs. . As far north we got was up to middle marsh. There was fish just about every place that we fished. Our best colors were pinks,purples and oranges. Depths were from 7ft to 40 ft. Water temps was about 50degs when we started,and 55 when we quit. Speed was 1.4-1.8 depending on where we were . These fish will be a blast to catch later in the season ,after they have put on some weight.

[SuperD]

Well that report just made my next month and a half feel like an eternity! great day on the water Tim.

[SmokeOnTheWater]

Nice report Tim - It must be nice to be only a half hour away from your FAVORITE FISHIN HOLE!

PS - I still have your money but I'll get it to you - have faith in me. Please send me your address again.

[gonefishing]

Thanks Prop. Awesome report and I am getting excited about my June trip to the Gorge this year.

[Bduck]

One more month, it has been an eternity up to this point SuperD. After the eternity what's next? Does time drag here now? I'm hoping Lucerne is on schedule now or we all are going to be looking for a more primitive site.

[halojm]

Tim
Colby and I had one of those days Friday. fished middle Marsh area . started around 8 and had 52 in the net by 1130. unbelievable, fished were coming from 20 to 40 feet with 35 and 40 the best. anything pink or orange was the ticket. all cooky cutters between 2 and 2.5 but they thought they were bigger. Never had so many doubles triples and even 3 quads in a morning.

[Bduck]

Nice going Rob. You & Colby need to share some of those hookups with us that will be there in June.

[halojm]

anytime Roger. We decided to homestead for the summer and set the5th wheel up in the KOA for the season. drop by and see us when you come up and I'll let you know where and what to you don't spend a lot of time searching. See you then.

[Bduck]

anytime Roger. We decided to homestead for the summer and set the5th wheel up in the KOA for the season. drop by and see us when you come up and I'll let you know where and what to you don't spend a lot of time searching. See you then.

Send me a pm with your koa site number and I'll be sure to stop by for a little chit-chat and a cold one.

[punbush]

i was inder the impression that kokanee dont survive well after caught,it is disturbing to go catch a bunch that might not survive

[Propnut69]

i was inder the impression that kokanee dont survive well after caught,it is disturbing to go catch a bunch that might not survive

Before we go any farther,I would like to know a few things.

1 Are you a fish biologist,and have you ever seen any studies that have been done by the Wyoming G&F or the Utah DNR on the mortality of released kokanee?

2. What experience level do you have at catching and releasing kokanee? Do you have any practical experience at releasing kokes or are you just listening to what someone told you? There is a right way and a wrong way to release these fish.The wrong way has a very high mortality rate,while the right way will greatly reduces the chance that a released fish will die. I will agree that seeing a trail of dead floating fish, is disturbing.

I'm assuming that your response to this thread,was about the two reports,that both myself(the OP) and halojm posted. Well believe me I know both halojm and his son. both of them as well as me and D-weed have nothing but respect for these fish. We do everything that we can,to insure that a released fish lives to fight another day. So please don't assume that just because we post up about the fish we caught,does mean that we leave a trail of dead fish.
.
Since this is your first post on a kokanee forum,and you come in here swinging a mighty big bat.about a very controversial topic.Makes me want to think you might be internet troll. Hope I'm wrong but that is my first impression. i look forward to seeing those studies.

[punbush]

i am not a biologist but i have fished my whole life and kokanee alot and feel that kokes are sensitive to catch and release more than any fish in fresh water.i would like to see the fish and game make you keep all kokes hooked.Thats my opinion and i doubt you will change it.Try to keep one alive in the livewell,The reason i got on this forum is to voice my point of view on this subject,i think it is poor sportsmanship to catch 30 kokes in aday i bet at least 4 or five you release die to me thats not right.

1 Are you a fish biologist,and have you ever seen any studies that have been done by the Wyoming G&F or the Utah DNR on the mortality of released kokanee?

2. What experience level do you have at catching and releasing kokanee? Do you have any practical experience at releasing kokes or are you just listening to what someone told you? There is a right way and a wrong way to release these fish.The wrong way has a very high mortality rate,while the right way will greatly reduces the chance that a released fish will die. I will agree that seeing a trail of dead floating fish, is disturbing.

I'm assuming that your response to this thread,was about the two reports,that both myself(the OP) and halojm posted. Well believe me I know both halojm and his son. both of them as well as me and D-weed have nothing but respect for these fish. We do everything that we can,to insure that a released fish lives to fight another day. So please don't assume that just because we post up about the fish we caught,does mean that we leave a trail of dead fish.
.
Since this is your first post on a kokanee forum,and you come in here swinging a mighty big bat.about a very controversial topic.Makes me want to think you might be internet troll. Hope I'm wrong but that is my first impression. i look forward to seeing those studies.[/QUOTE]

[SuperD]

I am close friends with a fish biologist and I believe a lot of what punbush says to be true. I think there are things that can be done to help the mortality rate of released fish. Kokes should never be touched nor put in a net if possible if you plan on releasing them. Just because fish swim away from the boat doesn't mean they live to see tomorrow. Losing slime and cardiac arrest can both kill the fish after we, the fisherman have seen them swim away. Which of course is good for our conscience. I, personally, don't have an issue with catch and release as long as it is legal and practiced at the highest level of safety for the fish. But even then, some will die.

[jacksonlaker]

Also all fish that die don't float, some sink, so we really don't know. I think this a topic we should be disscussing. I hope Ryno will chime in, he is a fisheries biologist ! Anyway, great reports, I cant wait to get down there .

[halojm]

okay enough is enough. When the bite gets the way it was last week, everyone on my boat switch tactics. First every line we have in the boat has single #4 barbless hooks. everything is released at the side of the boat and if a fish is bleeding at all, it goes in the cooler. By fishing the single hook which is attached to a ball bearing swivel, 99 of the time it is a very clean lip hook and no damage is done. I'm not saying everything makes it, but when releaed they swim as hard as they can to the bottom and we never have floaters. We are also very aware of the depth they are caught at. Anything coming for 40 feet or more will have a harder time recovering from fight than say something from 20 feet. On that day all fish were well above 40. Some wer even on the surface. There is nobody out there more conscience than I about the survival of the Kokanee at the gorge. Anyone wants to discuss, come see me or give me a call. I'm pretty easy to find.

[D-Weed]

punbush, A little more info for you and super-d, Any of the fish that Propnut and myself caught, we did not touch, they did not go in the net, and the ones that we were not able to get the hook out within 20-30 seconds went in the cooler. We kept the fish in the water the whole time and as far as floaters, THERE WASNT ANY,we fished the same area the whole day, I'm pretty sure we would have noticed if there was any.

[binthere50]

Bottom line....increase the limit to 6 or 8 fish per day, 2 limits in possession.
That would save more kokes than anything else......I live in Calif and I love to fish the Gorge, but really, drive 16 hrs one way, spend $2000.00 or more on a 8 day trip and be able to have only 3 fish in possession?......and with all the catch and release that goes on ( yes, I'm guilty of it too) many fish die especially later in July/Aug.....Might as well just let fishermen keep more fish and stop fishing when you get a limit....happier fishermen, less dead and wasted kokes and the final numbers would probably be better than the way it is now......just my 2 cents.

[punbush]

yes a higher limit of some type would be awesome, no catch and release and a higher limit perfect.

[SuperD]

I sensed a little defensiveness so I want to make clear I wasn't insinuating anyone was doing anything less than best practices. I was just offering my opinion for others that will be experiencing the same off the hook bite at the Gorge this summer. 30 more days for me!!!!

[KokeKillerKen]

I agree and disagree with the higher limit on the kokes.
Agree - The greed in me gets me everytime! Who couldn't resist a limit of six nice fat kokes?
Disagree - On the other hand if this were the current management then the resources would most likely dwindle. On the sensible side, I would be more in agreeance with this if I seen or heard of more people fighting the invasive predator. I know everytime I have gone to the Gorge lately, I have dedicated some time to fish for the burbs.
So as it is, I would say keep it management the same so that we can still enjoy an awesome blue ribbon fishery for at least the next decade.

[D-Weed]

I dont personally feel raising the limit on the kokes is the answer. I believe years ago the limit on the kokanee was 6, in the gorge, it still is in fontenelle. I think the Game and Fish had a method to there madness by lowering the limit.

[Propnut69]

QUOTE=binthere50;38717]Bottom line....increase the limit to 6 or 8 fish per day, 2 limits in possession.
That would save more kokes than anything else......I live in Calif and I love to fish the Gorge, but really, drive 16 hrs one way, spend $2000.00 or more on a 8 day trip and be able to have only 3 fish in possession?.....Hummm, I read this as you wanting the Wyo G&F and the Utah DWR to change the regs,so it would benefit the out of state fisherman? I sure hope that never happens. If you don’t like the regulations on the gorge, then may I suggest you fish lakes that have regulations more to your liking. .and with all the catch and release that goes on ( yes, I'm guilty of it too) many fish die especially later in July/Aug.....Might as well just let fishermen keep more fish and stop fishing when you get a limit... What does this mean? Now that I have caught and keep a limit, I have to quit fishing and go home? Do I just switch tactics and now fish for different fish, and pray that I don’t catch another kokanee?.happier fishermen, Who’s happy?, maybe those of you, that spend 2000.00 and drive 32 hrs,just to keep three fish. But the locals like me that spend lots of money and time fishing the gorge sure won’t be. Less dead and wasted kokes and the final numbers would probably be better than the way it is now......just my 2 cents.[/QUOTE]

yes a higher limit of some type would be awesome, no catch and release and a higher limit perfect.

Why do you think this would be a good regulation? Did you even this give this any thought? Now you want to make it mandatory to keep all caught kokanee?. What happens after I have caught my limit? I asked the same question above. Do I go home, or keep fishing and hope I don’t catch another kokanee? Because now according to you, I have to release that fish, and it doesn’t matter what condition that fish is in. That fish now has to be turned back, and if he goes belly up and becomes a floater oh well!! not my problem right??? Hey I did it the legal way according to you. So changing the regulation now has helped to add to the mortality of released fish, instead of reducing it.

I think if all fisherman (locals and out of staters) changed the way they release kokanee,it would help to reduce morality. Too many times I have seen fish caught, then just (chucked) back into the water. That’s the wrong way to release a fish.
Punbush both you and binthere are looking at this from a out of state perspective, and I respect that. I’m just trying to give a local perspective about catch and releasing kokanee.

[SuperD]

I would hazard to guess that fish limits are a lot like the speed limits, whatever it is set at, folks will try to maximize or exceed it.

Whether being from out of State or local, I do think the extermely low daily limit combined with no reasonable "in possession" or bag limit is pretty extreme. It pretty much makes anyone that wants to stay at the lake more than one day want to cheat or release fish that otherwise shouldn't be released. If fishermen are eating fish every night or giving them away to others in camp so they can fish again the next day, it isn't changing the number of fish caught and kept than just allowing a 2 limit possession.

[Brown bear]

K, I have a question. We fish the derby; we were out there for all available hours, over 20. We fished for kokes the entire derby. We spoke to a lot of guys fishing. Every team I talked to had put up some huge numbers (Including ours). We did not see one floater either day. Question, do all dead kokes sink?
The reason I ask is, there were well over forty boats fishing just the Buckboard area. If every boat caught 100 fish (4000+ and I think this is light) last weekend, if just one percent were floaters there would have been over 400 fish floating. Keep in mind we did not see a single one floating and we all know the birds will show us where they are.
I do understand that not all dead fish float but some do. I am also guilty of doing the “circle of shame” to pick up a dead fish especially in the hotter months when fishing deep, but I have also caught a lot of kokes with disfigured mouths, hook marks and scars. Are we giving these fish enough credit or do we think they are wimps because when we catch them from 60’ expand their air bladder and let them go just to die.

[jacksonlaker]

This is great topic and I wish Ryno would chime in, but here's some things. You can look up catch and release survival rates about many species. Some do well, some do not. You are also assuming that when a Koke swims away, then it must be O.K. How do you know it wont die a day, week, or month later ?? Also how long do kokes last in your live well ?? An hour at the most, a lot of times 5 minutes. I have had lake trout in my live well for 6 hours and could have released them. I'm not knocking any one for catching a bunch of fish and releasing them. I'm just sayin' that everyone who catches and releases fish, some are going to die. I have said this many times, if you are that concerned about the well being of fish, then dont go fishing !!