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Thread: 2020 Dworshak Reservoir Kokanee Fishing Report

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Boise. Idaho
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    505

    Default 2020 Dworshak Reservoir Kokanee Fishing Report

    Hoping to make it to this great fishery some time this summer. Best of luck to all that make the trip.
    17 ft. red/white Crestliner
    90 hp and 8hp Hondas

  2. #2

    Default 2020 Dworshak

    Fished canyon creek and elk creek today got 25 but they were pretty small probably average 8 inches

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
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    Thanks for the report! Just moved up to north ID from south ID. Hoping to tackle some kokes this spring! I've never caught or fished for them. In research mode now....

  4. #4
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    Best of luck in your research and welcome to the forum Scooter429.
    17 ft. red/white Crestliner
    90 hp and 8hp Hondas

  5. #5

    Default Don’t overthink it!

    Quote Originally Posted by Scooter429 View Post
    Thanks for the report! Just moved up to north ID from south ID. Hoping to tackle some kokes this spring! I've never caught or fished for them. In research mode now....
    Fish shallow, for some reason dworshak fish are way shallower than almost places I’ve caught them. I’ll usually start with a downrigger at 10’ and one at 15’ or maybe 20’. I also fish two long lines with ford fender and 1/2 or 1 oz drop weights on sliders.

    Oder of importance on my boat is: depth, speed, color, bait.

    Last year pink was hands down better than any other color but orange and green had their moments. I generally use shrimp or krill flavored corn. Anywhere from .8 to 2 mph works for me but I usually stay in the 1-1.5 range.

  6. #6
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    Feb 2020
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    Just learning to fish for kokanee. Been to Dworshak twice in the last week and havent had much luck. Talked to a few people who said they were catching fish. Looking for any pointers we can get.

  7. #7
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    Mar 2010
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    Mackay, Id
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    Quote Originally Posted by Sands View Post
    Just learning to fish for kokanee. Been to Dworshak twice in the last week and havent had much luck. Talked to a few people who said they were catching fish. Looking for any pointers we can get.
    Tell us what gear you’re using and how you’re fishing your gear. We can probably help you adjust your technique to be successful.

  8. #8
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    Feb 2020
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    Quote Originally Posted by MackayGuy View Post
    Tell us what gear you’re using and how you’re fishing your gear. We can probably help you adjust your technique to be successful.
    We tried dodgers, ford fenders and other types of pop gear with wiggle hoochies, smile blades, wedding rings for terminal gear. Topped with corn and some bloody tuna scent. Trolled around 1.1-1.8 MPH tried different depths from 10-40'.

  9. #9
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    Aug 2010
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    Number 1# what's the water temp?
    Has a lot to do with it. The guys catching might be jigging if fish are schooled. With they usually are in first part of the year. If fish are scattered trolling will be easyier If waters to cold they may be off the bite. This is very early in the year. Water temp in the high 40 going to make it ruff.

  10. #10
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    Also are you on a kicker or trolling with your big motor or electric /Kokanee can be very boat shy should have your surface rods back at least 90 ft.some folks go back further. I start one rod at 90 sec at 110 ft. There not line shy. Go to bumabee tuna in oil / not water. Drain the oil into your shorpeg corn. Most Kokanee fisherman I've met are very helpful fisherman ask them, ask to see how there rigging. This should get you on your way.

  11. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Sands View Post
    We tried dodgers, ford fenders and other types of pop gear with wiggle hoochies, smile blades, wedding rings for terminal gear. Topped with corn and some bloody tuna scent. Trolled around 1.1-1.8 MPH tried different depths from 10-40'.
    Sounds like you have the basics. Depth is very important. We were on the lake last Thursday prepared to fish up high (left downriggers at home) and experiment with side planers to get our lures away from the boat. We hit a few fish but it was slow. We finally put on one ounce of lead and dropped back 75 feet on the long lines where the action picked up considerably. Wedding rings with corn and/or fake maggots caught the most. Six inch dodgers outfished pop gear by 3 to 1.

    Keep at it, you'll find them.

  12. #12
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    Utah
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    I can't speak to Ford fenders or Pop gear but with dodgers, leader length can also be super important. Unless I'm running an Apex or some other kind of diving lure, I NEVER run anything longer than a 12" leader and 9" is probably my most commonly used leader length. I also would not run the heavy pop gear type jewelry but if you were, I'd think that waiting until the fish were deep would be the best time to do so. It's also still very early in the season, the bite will pick up with time.
    2006 Dodge Ram 3500 Dually, 21' North River Seahawk

  13. #13
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    Feb 2020
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    Thanks for all the advice. We are still figuring out the boat and all the equipment, it is all new to us this year. We were trolling on a kicker and had our setbacks from the downriggers between 30 and 50'. Need to pick up a bunch more gear. Only have a small selection right now.

  14. #14
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    Sounds like your on the right track,your asking question. You have to understand your opponent (Kokanee) they are plankton eaters. Plankton are Sun sensitive. The Kokanee feed on plankton at night the plankton rises to the surface. Long line in the morning on the surface that were the kok are feeding. DR set like about 5 ft /as sun get higher plankton drop lower into the water column. Hope this helps alittle

  15. #15
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    Aug 2010
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    Equipment I do use florocarbon leader 12# p line. 9/10 inch leader on wobblers. 30 inch leaders when using spinners, I've settle on Paulson Cascade wobblers called arrows fantastic wobbler. I probable have many,many wobblers. I've settle for arrows just food for thought. 12# leader stiffer more action to your hooks and bait.

  16. #16

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    Went out on friday, and caught 15 only fished a few hours. Didn't have a fish finder so it took me a little while to find the fish.

    Sling blades with wedding rings or hochies did best. Beer can did alright as well. First time using a sliding sinker system vs. a banana sinker and my landing ratio went up.

    Installed a basic fish finder on sunday so I'm looking forward to going back out.
    Last edited by eschmit04; 03-09-2020 at 10:23 AM.

  17. #17
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    Mar 2020
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    Went out Sunday. First time fishing for Kokanee. I fished from a kayak out of Freeman creek and caught 8 kokanee and 1 rainbow. I spent a lot of the day working out newbie kinks. I hope to do better next time. I fished the downrigger from 10 to 25 ft and did best at 15'. Longlined at 150' without weight and with 1oz at 100'. Did much better without weight. Pink hoochies. Weather is looking miserable this weekend, bummer.

  18. #18
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    Jul 2013
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    Grangeville, Idaho
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    On the kayak trolling, check out some of Spilt Milts videos on youtube. He has some great little tests on leader length and gearing up for kokes. Running weights versus downriggers.

    I haven't dewinterized the boat yet. Guess I better get my butt moving.

    See ya all on the water.

    Rick
    Gray/White Bluewater - Stop and say howdy!

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by ricks View Post
    On the kayak trolling, check out some of Spilt Milts videos on youtube. He has some great little tests on leader length and gearing up for kokes. Running weights versus downriggers.

    I haven't dewinterized the boat yet. Guess I better get my butt moving.

    See ya all on the water.

    Rick
    Split Milt's videos have been really useful for me. I still need to watch many of them though. The two most difficult things about the kayak are not being able to motor to someplace better, and sitting for hours on end.

    I went again yesterday and caught 8. A few out of Canyon Crk, and the rest right around Freeman Crk. There are a lot of them out there, so it must just be a little early or I'm still learning. I have only caught a few so far that are a decent size.

    Click image for larger version. 

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  20. #20

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    Now that's a cabin cruiser on a budget. Good for you!

    The one fish looks quite a bit bigger than the others.

  21. #21
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    Kokanee take some experience. Figuring out how deep your terminal gear is, how fast you should be going. They aren't like most other fisheries in that kokanee aren't feeding on what you are putting in front of them. You're trying to piss them off so they attack, totally different from presenting something tasty.

    Another big thing to get geared up for on your kayak is getting the fish immediately on ice when you take them off the line. Kokanee meat starts getting soft immediately. They taste much much better when kept in the 3o's.

    Rick
    Gray/White Bluewater - Stop and say howdy!

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by amxerhull View Post
    Now that's a cabin cruiser on a budget. Good for you!

    The one fish looks quite a bit bigger than the others.
    The big one is a trout.

    For the price I probably could have bought a decent aluminum boat. No room for one though.

  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by ricks View Post
    Kokanee take some experience. Figuring out how deep your terminal gear is, how fast you should be going. They aren't like most other fisheries in that kokanee aren't feeding on what you are putting in front of them. You're trying to piss them off so they attack, totally different from presenting something tasty.

    Another big thing to get geared up for on your kayak is getting the fish immediately on ice when you take them off the line. Kokanee meat starts getting soft immediately. They taste much much better when kept in the 3o's.

    Rick
    I was bummed I had to lay them back there like that. The cooler I had brought was just too big, and I had to leave it at the truck. It was cold enough that day that laying them under my jacket was probably sufficient though; I ate them and I didn't die. I've since bought a smaller soft cooler, and it works great.
    Last edited by Dorf; 03-14-2020 at 06:15 PM. Reason: typo

  24. #24

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    About 5 hours on the water today. 31 in the boat and one rainbow. Sling blades did best beer cans came in second. Small pop gear pulled 1 or 2. Great day! Called in sick for Tuesday! Lol let's see what sunshine does for the success rate...

  25. #25

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    Forgot to post fished Tuesday 66 in my boat with two bonus rainbows. Friend landed another 6, he got a late start.

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