2013-2016 Idaho Kokanee Fishing Reports Quick Links

**sawtooth** · 01-02-2014, 10:05 PM

May your reports of Anderson Ranch in 2014 be filled with great times and great fish.

**sawtooth** · 01-02-2014, 10:07 PM

Good Luck on your Fishing trips this year at Dworshak Reservior.

**autorick** · 01-02-2014, 11:33 PM

Heading there in April.

**amxerhull** · 01-06-2014, 08:25 PM

I'll see your April and raise you a March.

**kenbarb** · 02-08-2014, 01:28 PM

amxerhull I can hardly wait, March sounds good to me too, it will sure be interesting to see how the fishing will be this year, have heard from a couple of people that think they will be smaller, my guess is about the same as last year. Do you usually start fishing near the dam, Canyon Creek, Elk Creek, or the Freeman Creek area? It will sure be nice to get out there again.

**autorick** · 02-08-2014, 10:07 PM

I will be doing an exploratory trip in march in preparation for our April trip. I am looking forward to it.

**kenbarb** · 02-09-2014, 05:55 PM

autorick, sounds like a great plan, we will try to do the same. Have several new things to try, will be nice to get back on the water at Dworshak, we have been steelheading in Hell's Canyon where we live, but for some reason am pretty excited about the Kokanee fishing. We were using ultra light spinning gear the last couple of trips to Dworshak last year, will probably try it again in March, it's sure a lot of fun to catch them without all the pop gear attached.

**amxerhull** · 02-10-2014, 10:08 AM

Our annual March trip is a "cabin fever" outing. We usually get more snow in our ears than fish in the box but we have fun. We usually fish from the dam to Canyon Creek.

**autorick** · 02-10-2014, 01:32 PM

Kenbarb, i agree with the pop gear, to much weight and hassle for me. I am looking forward to the trip although many in my group may not be able to make it. Do you know of a good place to camp around the dam area? I am thinking right at Bruce's Eddy launch in a tent.

**kenbarb** · 02-11-2014, 10:48 PM

autorick, amxerhull, Sounds like we all have the "Kokanee Bug", with this warm weather, it even gets worse. At this point in time, I do not know of any camping spots that are open for camping, but I will find out what will be open and get back to you, too bad they don't open that huge parking area at Merrys Bay for camping.

**kenbarb** · 02-15-2014, 01:29 AM

Hi autorick, I talked to the Dworshak State Park Ranger today about the available camping, the only camping allowed at this time would be at the Freeman Creek Campground, or the boat in campsites located around the lake, since the lake level will be quite low when you come in March, the Freeman Creek Campground would be the best bet. The freeman Creek Campground is really nice, you would like it. The best news is that the Kokanee are on the bite, and are about the same size as last year, looks like it's going to be a great season. See you on the lake, Ken

**downriggeral** · 02-11-2014, 09:06 PM

Hi Kenbarb - You were testing Chamberlain releases last year and did some modification related to mono line as I recall. Can you fill me in on what you found? I love the releases on braided but found the mono (17#) I used salmon fishing had some issues when "wound up" to put on the release.
Thanks - Alan

**kenbarb** · 02-11-2014, 10:34 PM

Alan, I have not used mono with the Chamberlain release, but the braid has worked without any problems. I use 30# for Salmon, and 10# for Kokanee. They really worked great with the Kokanee, releasing with every fish, what a difference not having to jerk the line out of the clip, same goes for the Salmon. With mono you should only need to twist the loop 4 or 5 times before attaching it to the clip, with the braid I twist it 8 times, try more, or less twists, if you still have a problem, email Chamberlain and he will work it out for you, he is a fisherman, and a nice guy. I replaced the wire on my Scotties with 150# Spectra and like it a lot, no more line hum, less blow back on the ball, no kinking, and no electrical charge going into the water. Ken

**downriggeral** · 02-12-2014, 03:17 AM

Hi again Ken - I have been using the Chamberlain releases since last fall and I really like them. I fish trout at Roosevelt in the winter on my kokanee lite weight Lamaglass downrigger rod with 10# Power Pro. Nice clean release; no yanking on my tender rod. I also got a 3# 1oz 19" kokanee the last trip a couple of weeks ago. It hit an F13 Rapala at 2.6 mph of all things!

**kenbarb** · 02-12-2014, 04:10 PM

Alan, Have read your reports on Roosevelt, and enjoy them a lot. We fished Roosevelt quite a bit, usually at Spring Canyon, it was always very good fishing for a Variety of fish. Then 12 years ago we retired and moved to Hell's Canyon, the fishing is so good here we have not made the long trip to Roosevelt, looks like the Trout are much larger than they were when we fished there, would love to go back again, maybe even catch a large Kokanee like yours.

**downriggeral** · 02-13-2014, 12:10 AM

Glad you enjoy the reports Ken. The trout are really nice this year with most running around two pounds and up. I also enjoy reading your posts. I look forward to seeing how the kokanee are going at Dworshak this year.

Tight lines - Alan

**jumperzee** · 02-15-2014, 12:18 PM

Plan on getting out in March here too....getting the itch. Buddy got a new boat late last fall that we're dying to try out.

How are you early season folks getting fish around the dam? Kinda got things figured out later in the season last year up around Indian, Canyon and Dicks Creek areas...never did figure out the dam area.

**kenbarb** · 02-15-2014, 02:36 PM

jumperzee, The Park Ranger told me they were catching Kokanee from Canyon Creek to the dam, I have never fished near the dam, but would guess that the concentration of boats would tell you where the fish are schooled, maybe someone that has fished the Merrys Bay area will make a post.

**autorick** · 02-15-2014, 10:39 PM

Kenbarb, thank you for the information. My original plans were to camp at Freeman, looks like a great place on google earth, but we decided it was too far to boat to the dam everyday for fishing, assuming the fish are at the dam. My boat is thirsty so I try not to make many long trips in it. That is how I came up with Bruce's Eddy launch site for our campsite. I will probably be down there first of April checking it all out, then April 24th the whole group of us will be down for our four day trip. hopefully the weather is good and the fishing is great.

**fishslayer13** · 02-16-2014, 09:29 AM

Autorick,
I dont fish the dam part of the lake much But that said, I dont fish Dworshak early very often. I start to get the tingle about the last week in May. I kinda have gotten stuck in a rut with Dworshak being a fill the canner type lake. I get some eats and than start fishing other lakes for bigger fish. The times I have fished that way I fished the east side of the lake. When you launch at bruces eddie, go east about 600 or 700 yards from the launch and there will be 2 ridges that come down. They are very sharp pointed. You can see them on google earth. Use your fish finder to locate the school or do S curves about 50 yards off shore and work your way out deeper from there. Stay lined up with these 2 ridges. Sometimes they hang out by the log raft just dink around there and something will happen. That raft also holds some good trout if you put a worm harness close to or under it. Other than that troll up the lake on the east side , no telling were they are in there shallow or deep but work it out. When I get about even with Big eddy I turn and head back down to the dam. Sometime the kokes, early in Dworshak will get scary close to the bank.
People pick up some nice bass early from the bank at Bruces.

**kenbarb** · 02-16-2014, 04:41 PM

The park Ranger said fish were being caught from Canyon Creek to the dam, so I think it would probably be good fishing at Freeman Creek, and in front of the park. We fished that area in July last year, and it was great, most of the time we had the area all to our self, there were a lot of people launching, and heading toward Canyon Creek, and Elk Creek. The only time we used the big motor was to launch the boat, we would then start fishing a short distance from the launch. As soon as we get a good weather forecast for four or five days we will give it a go, and camp at Freeman which is a beautiful campground, may end up fishing closer to the dam, but that's fishing, no matter what it's going to be a lot of fun.

**tirby** · 02-20-2014, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by kenbarb

The park Ranger said fish were being caught from Canyon Creek to the dam, so I think it would probably be good fishing at Freeman Creek, and in front of the park. We fished that area in July last year, and it was great, most of the time we had the area all to our self, there were a lot of people launching, and heading toward Canyon Creek, and Elk Creek. The only time we used the big motor was to launch the boat, we would then start fishing a short distance from the launch. As soon as we get a good weather forecast for four or five days we will give it a go, and camp at Freeman which is a beautiful campground, may end up fishing closer to the dam, but that's fishing, no matter what it's going to be a lot of fun.

Are they catching them now? BURRR. My husband want to get out and get started but I thought it was to early... So did you get any info on if they were hit and miss or if they were catching a lot consistantly? Wonder if they are small again this year?

**kenbarb** · 02-20-2014, 04:52 PM

Hey tirby, According to what the Park Ranger said they are catching them now, he said people were not getting limits, but the catching is pretty consistent. We have never fished for them this early either, but like everyone else can hardly wait to get started, may do a one day trip next week, looks like the weather might be pretty good, but will still need a heater to make it comfortable.