2013-2016 Idaho Kokanee Fishing Reports Quick Links

[MackayGuy]

Has anyone used any of the products from FWG (http://www.fishwithgary.com/) and if so what has your success rate been?.

0.0% success with Gary's stuff. It looks great, but I've never had as much as a hit on it. He's got a great sales pitch. I am told that I just don't know how to fish with his gear. I do just fine without it.....and save myself some money.

[SuperD]

0.0% success with Gary's stuff. It looks great, but I've never had as much as a hit on it. He's got a great sales pitch. I am told that I just don't know how to fish with his gear. I do just fine without it.....and save myself some money.

I hope guys don't get offended when some of us can't catch fish on their tackle. I've never had luck with a few popular tackle vendors stuff. It just goes to show that their is a style to each of our own methods.

[campdog]

I believe that first and second ended up at 30.0 and 29.7 oz. I was a little short with 28.5 oz.
There was only 45 adults entered. I hope they do a better job promoting next year, there were a few that had no idea that there was a tournament going on. There was quit a few that signed up as they passed the weigh station to put there boat in.

[MackayGuy]

Yeah....they do need to promote it a little more. I didn't plan to fish it, but I took my wife and our neighbor out the day before. The neighbor had been hinting to kokanee fish, so we took her out on friday. She picked it up pretty quick and boated a 18+" football (which I believe as beginners luck....but it was a really nice fish. I get credit for setting her up). Probably the biggest koke I've seen come out of LP. And that started the discussion about entering the tournament on Saturday.....so the three of us did. I know some of the guys on the Fire Dept. so felt it was a good cause.....and it was a beautiful day. Didn't catch anything that we thought would win, so we didn't weigh anything when we came in. We did catch a couple of nice limit and supported a good cause.

[MaGoo]

Someone had said that thousand were going to fish in the derby. They were wondering where they could launch that many boats. I felt that with thousand boats I need not take mine. I could just walk from boat to boat. I am one that does not like crowds so I did not even think about fishing Saturday. In fact it has been twenty years that I have fished LP on the week ends. They need to advertise a great deal more. With 45 people registered I would say it was not very profitable. I am sure they need the money, but a lot more than what they got.

[SuperD]

What were the prizes?

[SuperD]

.... I had a limit in 2 hours but kept fishing and culling to try and get some bigger fish.

Can you guys help either me or JTM out? Is this even legal where you guys fish?

[MackayGuy]

Can you guys help either me or JTM out? Is this even legal where you guys fish?

I couldn't find anything specific in the regs regarding culling, but I interpret the following as being able to hold fish and release them and I assume you can replace the released fish to meet the limit in your possession?

Holding Live Fish: No permit is required to keep game fish alive that have legally been reduced to possession, in a live well, net or on a stringer while at the body of water from which they were taken. All fish must be killed or released prior to leaving the water body. However, anadromous salmon and steelhead must either be killed or released after landing.

[SuperD]

Thanks MackayGuy. I find that amazing.

[kokanee kombine]

we were at dent dads weekend and caught 53,fish were down at 50 feet.going back before the 4th since wallowa is crap.fished wallowa yesterday only caught 1 koke,skinny,7 inches.5 rainbows all released,any recent reports would be great,last time we fished elk creek,thanks

[kenbarb]

Barb (my wife) and I got away last Wed. with the motorhome and boat in tow, headed for Dworshak State Park & Freeman Creek Campground, from our home in Hell's Canyon it's a two hour trip, and a very scenic drive using the Kendric route. After launching the boat and getting things situated at the camping spot we went out Bass fishing for a while, the fishing was really good, catching fish along the shoreline in the bays.

Thursday we fished for Kokanee late in the afternoon, using two downriggers and one long line, hits seemed to be a little better on the long line. We did not get into any big schools, and quit fishing after catching ten. We were using ultra lite spinning rods with the downriggers, flashers attached to the ball, and the terminal lure 30" above the flashers, with a setback about 2' behind the flashers. The long line had a string of flashers, 3oz. banana weight, we used a 60' setback.

Friday was the day we had chosen to fish hard for Kokanee, was on the water at 7:00am, had the lines in at 7:30. Started at the Indian Creek area, and was into fish right away, the long line is the best producer , it is much quicker to pull a fish in, re-bait and get the line back in the water compared to the downriggers, so we decide to quit using the downriggers, and put out 3 long lines. The bite then really turned on, and it was a Kokanee frenzy, there was very little time between fish, several times getting triples, and a lot of doubles. We pulled the lines in and motored to the Canyon Creek Campground for lunch break, then it was back after Kokanee, we kind of lost the exact count on the fish, and decided to quit fishing at 3:00pm, we knew we were near our 50 fish limit. We pulled into a secluded cove and set up a production line for fish cleaning, turned out we had 49 Kokanee.

The weather was some overcast for short periods, a little breeze now and then, water temp. 64F to 68F, ambient air temp. around 80F. We used dyed scented corn, the best color was red & pink, with red being the best.

When we got back to the Park the weekend people were really coming in, with most of the camping spots filled, we are both retired and usually only go camping Mon. thru Thur., so it seemed pretty crowded, but was still really nice, and a lot of fun watching the little kids play, brings back a lot of memories. Stayed overnite, then drove home Sat. morning.

We have reservations for #14 campsite at the park for this Wed. & Thur. , so if any of you are in the area, stop by for a cup of coffee.

Ken & Barb

[JTM]

Can you guys help either me or JTM out? Is this even legal where you guys fish?

I only keep 5 in my livewell at one time until I decide I have the 6 I want to keep. Not an outlaw I checked with F&G.

[TJL]

Hi new to the forum. Just thought i would let you know i went up sunday and fished. brought 30 home all in the 11-13". in the morning we fished 20-30' up by the curlew and moved to fall creek early afternoon where we couldn't get touched below 20'. We caught them on an orange and a purple hoochie.

[JTM]

I couldn't find anything specific in the regs regarding culling, but I interpret the following as being able to hold fish and release them and I assume you can replace the released fish to meet the limit in your possession?

Holding Live Fish: No permit is required to keep game fish alive that have legally been reduced to possession, in a live well, net or on a stringer while at the body of water from which they were taken. All fish must be killed or released prior to leaving the water body. However, anadromous salmon and steelhead must either be killed or released after landing.

Thanks M.G.

[Lunddude]

Hi new to the forum. Just thought i would let you know i went up sunday and fished. brought 30 home all in the 11-13". in the morning we fished 20-30' up by the curlew and moved to fall creek early afternoon where we couldn't get touched below 20'. We caught them on an orange and a purple hoochie.

Welcome to the forum and thanks for the report. Looks like the kokanee at Anderson are running a little bigger then last year, which is a pleasant surprise. I think I'll head back to Anderson this weekend and put a few more kokanee in the freezer.

[Lunddude]

Thanks for the reply. I believe I'll be staying at lime creek on my trip. I've heard that's a good place to start and then go towards the dam.

No need to go any further south from Lime Creek then a mile. My best fishing came just north and south of the mouth of Lime Creek on the main channel. Good Luck if you go!

[JTM]

0.0% success with Gary's stuff. It looks great, but I've never had as much as a hit on it. He's got a great sales pitch. I am told that I just don't know how to fish with his gear. I do just fine without it.....and save myself some money.

I find this very amusing, I make my own lures and kill them on my creations, However everyone I give them to can't catch a cold on them.

It is all about the style and speed you fish, I have mine and it so does not work for others, Yet they can pound the fish!!!!

LOVE KOKE FISHING!!!!!!!!!

[Lunddude]

Must be great living the dream. I'm jealous, my wife says I can never retire :)

[ricks]

Must be great living the dream. I'm jealous, my wife says I can never retire :)

Afraid I am on the same planet. Wonder where Ken found Barb?


R

[fishingmom]

really nice report ken & barb,,,last minute decided to head up yesterday morning and took my niece, started below indian canyon zig zagged our way past floating dock, 3 lines varied depth bait and lure,,,nothing picked up ran to elk river and more of the same, we saw 3 caught the entire time,,,,we ran back into indian canyon and bass fished the rest of the day! (it was a very small stick that got plugged in impellar last time out, nothing hurt, had riverview go thru everything, couple adjustments and ran great, so much leaves sticks pine needles around and especially at big eddy ramp/dock already pulled a wad out of the grate)

[kenbarb]

Thanks fishingmom, Sorry to hear you didn't connect on the Kokanee, sounds like you were near the same area at Indian that we were fishing. Our boat has a 212 Hamilton Single Stage Pump, it has sucked in a stick a few times, but is pretty good about spitting them out. On another boat we had a 3 stage pump that ate sticks like a grinder, never getting plugged, but the harmonic noise it made was loud and very irritating. We will be going back in the morning for a couple of days, hope to find them again, will submit a report when we return.

Lundude & ricks, It is a dream come true. Barb has been my fishing partner for 57 years, and I give my blessing and thanks, she is a true jewel.

[hoolee99]

I had some guy I traded a sling blade for his homemade spinner lure that was mad with beads that said( bite me) I was sceptical however I have caught fish on it at lucky peak.

[bigtrout1000]

Great day fishing for Kokanee. We launched at Spring Shores around 7:00AM and there were a dozen or more boats already on the water. We fished above the launch first and landed 3 medium sized fish. We spend the rest of the morning down from the launch. Only a few lunkers over 18 inches but still came close to our limit. The weather was perfect and it looked like most boats were doing pretty good today. Nice to have a fishery so close to Boise. Fish in the morning and still had time to get some work in later in the afternoon.

I am new to this forum and would like to know where the big Kokanee are in Idaho? We are thinking about making a weekend trip to deadwood and would like to get some feedback on if it's worth the drive.

[conservationist]

bigtrout1000 .....I don't think you'll find the BIG Kokes at Deadwood, but there are tons of them. As to whether or not it's worth the drive ...depends on what you drive and pull in. I don't think I've ever gone up there without picking up parts of my boat trailer on the road.

[kok-head]

Great day fishing for Kokanee. We launched at Spring Shores around 7:00AM and there were a dozen or more boats already on the water. We fished above the launch first and landed 3 medium sized fish. We spend the rest of the morning down from the launch. Only a few lunkers over 18 inches but still came close to our limit. The weather was perfect and it looked like most boats were doing pretty good today. Nice to have a fishery so close to Boise. Fish in the morning and still had time to get some work in later in the afternoon.

I am new to this forum and would like to know where the big Kokanee are in Idaho? We are thinking about making a weekend trip to deadwood and would like to get some feedback on if it's worth the drive.

Welcome, lots of the smaller kokanee in deadwood, generally arrowrock produces lots of the 18-20" fish but they are tougher to find this yr

Deadwood does offer some great trout and chinook fishing, lots of 3-5lb fish, I haven't fished it before but lots of folks on this forum have, I'm sure they'd have some info to offer you

Good luck if you go to deadwood