2021 Lucky Peak Reservoir Kokanee Report

**Spit the Hook** · 05-23-2021, 04:25 PM

Don't think that was a Coho. Records don't indicate that Coho are stocked in LP, only Kokes and Chinook. Thanks for the report.

**Tazman** · 05-28-2021, 08:58 PM

A friend and I fished LP yesterday, arriving at 7:30 done at 1:00. SLOW. The lake is almost full and all the docks are floating. We were there 3 weeks ago and the lake was a lot lower with no docks floating. We launched at the Springs and were the second boat on the water. Had a fish snap our long line at 8:00 despite new 10lb line. We hooked a couple small rainbows but really struggled to get fish on despite working through lures and dodger colors. Talking with others, they had similar results. I think the filling lake and almost full moon were our nemesis. We had lunch at the Spring Shores Cafe and they did a great job with the burgers. Friendly staff for sure. Overall it was a beautiful day, the hills had greened up from the recent rains, and the temp hit 81 by noon.

We wanted to get out before the Memorial Day crowd came and recked havoc on our peace and quiet. Enjoy the weekend.

**gillnetter** · 05-29-2021, 11:16 PM

Fished from 0630-1130 and caught 4 rainbows, that we tossed back, and 4 Kokanee. Missed a few strikes and saw a school that filled the fish finder when we had all three rods light up.

**Oldfishnfart** · 05-30-2021, 08:10 AM

Nice to see good fish this year. THANKS

**Tazman** · 05-30-2021, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by gillnetter

Fished from 0630-1130 and caught 4 rainbows, that we tossed back, and 4 Kokanee. Missed a few strikes and saw a school that filled the fish finder when we had all three rods light up.

Can you share details that led to your success? Debt, color, speed, scent, type of lure …. We tried everything and couldn’t figure out a pattern. Thanks in advance.

**fish4kok** · 05-30-2021, 07:23 PM

We fish from 7:30 AM 'til 12:15PM. Boated 6 Kok from 15" ~ 16". Few trout from 12" -15". Long line 1.1/2oz sinker, Fordfender half & half + Kokabow Eagle spinner + white corn. DR depth is vary from 9' ~ 30' Silver Dodger + Kokabow squid spiner. + white corn. Color light orang or pink squid are worked for us. Scent was Anise, Herring...Fish was slow after 11:00AM.

**Tazman** · 05-30-2021, 07:48 PM

Thanks for the tips. We are going to go out Wednesday of Thursday and give it another go.

I am still new in the pursuit of Kokanee and learn something every time out.

**John1369** · 05-31-2021, 06:08 PM

40 years ago I noticed something while ice fishing at Turners ramp. There were lots of people ice fishing. What I saw was that the people catching fish in a counter clockwise rotation, I would watch and every 45 minutes our poles would get bites. SO I've wondered if it makes a difference in the direction I'm trolling? Clockwise or counter clockwise. I don't know how far the fish cruised up the reservoir before circling back. Or was it different schools 45 minutes apart. Just things in my mind that makes me go .. Hummm and scratch my head. Ow I got a sliver....
Tight lines
John.

**Armondo** · 06-01-2021, 04:05 PM

I have noticed sometimes I will catch them going with the wind and get nothing against the wind or vice versa. I think that might be that I tend to zig zag more into the wind. Now you have me thinking about the clockwise vs. counter clockwise thing. I will have to try it next time if I am not getting bites.

**conservationist** · 06-01-2021, 06:52 PM

Fished 8 to Noon. Had lots of fish on (6) but only managed to get one 15" fish in the boat. Slow between bites. Down riggers at 20+ feet. Started shallow in the morning but no takers. Thinking all the boat traffic over the holiday might of pushed them deeper. Pink was a good color.

**gillnetter** · 06-05-2021, 06:28 PM

Fished from 0630-1200. Hammered a nice 18" Kokanee first thing in the morning about half way from the spring shores and the rock wall flatlining about 90' out. Filtered water for a few hours while we tried every color dodger and hoochie and depth. Marked numerous fish across from spring shores at 50'. Day total was one 18" koke, one rainbow we tossed back, one 8" koke we lost at the boat, and one 10" koke that came to life and split his jaw to get off the stringer. I'd guesstimate eight boats fishing in the area and didn't notice much action from them either.

**Tazman** · 06-05-2021, 06:55 PM

We fished Thursday. Launched at 6:00- fished till 11:00. Score: one squaw fish that was the best fight of the day and three embarrassingly small Kokes. No wind. Hot. Slow. Tried everything and every color. Two scents. At 11:30 we couldn’t even mark fish. They just disappeared. There were 13 boats launched at Curlew and the boat dock is now out of the water. Water temp was 64-66.

Anyone think it will improve as summer approaches?

**formulaben** · 06-07-2021, 06:21 PM

Originally Posted by Tazman

There were 13 boats launched at Curlew and the boat dock is now out of the water.

Were you at Lucky Peak or Anderson Ranch?

**Tazman** · 06-07-2021, 08:52 PM

ANDERSON Ranch

**MMDON** · 06-09-2021, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Tazman

We fished Thursday. Launched at 6:00- fished till 11:00. Score: one squaw fish that was the best fight of the day and three embarrassingly small Kokes. No wind. Hot. Slow. Tried everything and every color. Two scents. At 11:30 we couldn’t even mark fish. They just disappeared. There were 13 boats launched at Curlew and the boat dock is now out of the water. Water temp was 64-66.

Anyone think it will improve as summer approaches?

Not likely. It would seem the fish have suffered from a bacterial die off. It appears to be prevalent in Kokes due to their schooling and shoaling nature. It makes diseases, viruses and bacteria easy to spread.

**MMDON** · 06-09-2021, 10:52 PM

Originally Posted by John1369

40 years ago I noticed something while ice fishing at Turners ramp. There were lots of people ice fishing. What I saw was that the people catching fish in a counter clockwise rotation, I would watch and every 45 minutes our poles would get bites. SO I've wondered if it makes a difference in the direction I'm trolling? Clockwise or counter clockwise. I don't know how far the fish cruised up the reservoir before circling back. Or was it different schools 45 minutes apart. Just things in my mind that makes me go .. Hummm and scratch my head. Ow I got a sliver....
Tight lines
John.

Good eye. You can see the kokes in a virtual sense as you watch the bite of a school move around the lake. If the fish tend to move counter clockwise you would want to troll clockwise. An explanation for that is most kokes like to head into the current so they can filter feed on plankton. A bet might be that the current is going the opposite way you see the bite heading.

**Tazman** · 06-15-2021, 10:05 PM

Launched before the sun came up. No action till 10:30 then sporadic action. Ran two stacked downriggers and most hit the upper line 15-20’. All colors seemed to work. Used scent and hot corn. LOST TWO BIG FISH. I think they we Chinook feeding on the Kokes. We could see them on the Garmin and they were down to 100’ below where we located Kokes. Last fish caught when getting ready to quit about 1:30. 3 15” footballs, a small one, and a 13” rainbow. We were fishing for some company that wanted fresh fish for dinner. Success. I really wish we had landed the two nice lost fish. Who doesn’t.

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**DannyMoon** · 06-17-2021, 01:45 AM

Originally Posted by Tazman

Launched before the sun came up. No action till 10:30 then sporadic action. Ran two stacked downriggers and most hit the upper line 15-20’. All colors seemed to work. Used scent and hot corn. LOST TWO BIG FISH. I think they we Chinook feeding on the Kokes. We could see them on the Garmin and they were down to 100’ below where we located Kokes. Last fish caught when getting ready to quit about 1:30. 3 15” footballs, a small one, and a 13” rainbow. We were fishing for some company that wanted fresh fish for dinner. Success. I really wish we had landed the two nice lost fish. Who doesn’t.

Thanks for the post. I'm going to give it a shot. But the thing is, my boat doesn't have long range, no downrigger and no fish finder. Just an electric trolling motor. I'll try different depths a little off shore and see if I can get lucky. Would you say Turner or Spring Shores area is better for kokes? Or does it not matter?

**crappieslayer** · 06-17-2021, 01:11 PM

Originally Posted by MMDON

Good eye. You can see the kokes in a virtual sense as you watch the bite of a school move around the lake. If the fish tend to move counter clockwise you would want to troll clockwise. An explanation for that is most kokes like to head into the current so they can filter feed on plankton. A bet might be that the current is going the opposite way you see the bite heading.

When I was trolling last week, every pass didn't matter whether I was going west or east (with current or against), I caught fish. Almost exactly same amount each way...

**Tazman** · 06-17-2021, 01:41 PM

Most were concentrated north of North Shores it seamed. Just off the point on the East side.

That is what we observed anyway.

**callelk** · 06-19-2021, 10:20 AM

Yesterday was my 5th trip of the year and only the 2nd time I landed fish. Thursday, I landed two 13-14” and was discouraged when a fish hawk dove, thrashed around for some time and eventually flew off with a 19+” Koke that was such a football the bird could hardly fly. Yesterday I got my revenge, released one about 10” and kept a 16” and 19 1/2” fish. Gooseneck had at least a dozen boats, but I only seen two fish landed.

I have not fished LP for 3 years because of the reportedly poor fishing conditions. The large fish yesterday was taken at 25’ with a double dodger setup and I have thrown everything at them this year and nothing is consistent.

Really discouraging…………..

**formulaben** · 06-23-2021, 05:44 PM

Originally Posted by Tazman

Most were concentrated north of North Shores it seamed. Just off the point on the East side.

That is what we observed anyway.

Spring Shores?

**Tazman** · 06-23-2021, 06:14 PM

Correct. Spring Shores. Me bad.

**DannyMoon** · 06-23-2021, 06:27 PM

Originally Posted by Tazman

Correct. Spring Shores. Me bad.

I took your advice with me, but it seemed all the boats and people I talked to go south. Running on battery, I don't have huge range so I had to pick a direction. I followed everyone else, had one koke on (lost it) using a 3 oz weight, probably 25 ft down or so, on green dodger and squid. I'll try the north side next time because quite frankly, there were a few too many boats on the south side's hot spot, even on Tuesday at sunrise.

**Tazman** · 06-23-2021, 06:36 PM

I agree. Most of the time we work the south side however the last time out, the fish had moved north. Probably had to do with their food supply. When boats catch fish, the others seem to herd up. The last time, all the fish we caught were on the north end of the shore. Fish move, probably due to the location of their food. Another note: the Chinook were really feeding on the Kokes. We saw many big fish down 80-100’. Hooked two big ones that threw the hook at the boat.