Kokane fishing

[GeryG]

I'm new to this kokane fishing, got most my info by reading different sites.
My question is this time of year, does it matter what time of the day you fish for them? I was going to Lake Stevens in the next 2 warm day in a row if thats possible.
I know as it warms up there more active in the morning. But per posts people are catching them after lunch. Which is ideal for me sense I dont like waking up in the early morning if I dont have to, plus its colder. Thought I would give the trout some time to get bigger and target the kokane & bass. I'm normally a trout guy but I need some kind of a fight from the fish. I catch and release so its all about the fight with me.

[G-Man]

Usually you can pick up kokanee most any time of the day. What normally happens is that the kokanee work their way down the water column as the sun moves higher up in the sky. You just need to move your gear accordingly and figure out what sets them off. A fish finder and the ability to read it properly helps a great deal. If you don't have a fish finder, your best bet is to use multiple rods (bring a friend or get the 2 rod endorsement) and set them at various depths. Once you get bit, put all the rods at that depth. You will probably have to lower your depth as the day goes on, especially once the pleasure boaters make their way onto the lake. Make sure you tip your lures with some type of bait. Some folks swear by shoepeg corn, others use maggots and I know even worms will get the job done. Just be sure to have something on there as it makes a huge difference. Also, kokanee tend to travel in schools so if you find one, you've most likely found a bunch. If you haven't already been to the Pro-Troll kokanee site I suggest you take a look, it has great info for folks who are just getting into chasing these fish, here is the link: Pro-Troll How to Catch Kokanee

[Stacie Kelsey]

I can tell you how it goes in our kokanee waters based on my surveys. Early morning and evenings seem to be the best times. In our area, they are still fishing very high for them.

[returnofthefish]

I read last night on a different fishing forum that someone was using peanut butter and hotdogs on thier gear and catching kokanee on Lake Stevens. Remember, using hot dogs counts as using bait.

[G-Man]

Now the real inside scoop would be what kind of hotdogs they were using. Kosher all beef? Beef/Pork blend? Aidell's chicken and apple?

['OL GREY DOG]

i find the early morning slow for Koks....and it'll pick up right around 10:00 but that bite might die off fast....the early afternoon seems the sunlight changes angles and penetrates different or something...anyways that seems to be when i get the hottest Kok action....and i dont use UV stuff at that time of day....i like a small 1/2 'n 1/2 nickel/brass dodger....i drag a few diff things behind it...some times they want a real short leader...sometimes they like the bait/lure/ect wayyy behind it...bug larva ..lil gulp bits...power eggs(cut/pinch a tiny piece out of these and thread it on the hook... that end 1st so its off to the side of the shank a little bit..for a lil action/turbulence)with choice of scent....tiny Dick Nites in silver or 1/2 'n 12 drag'd behind the above will work when nothing else will sometimes...treats at the end can change everyday and more than once in a day...ie scent/color/type....speed trolling is the same way....lolol get the pic yet ???...theyre weird lil fish...they arnt meat eaters is probably why theyre screw'd up in the head...lolol.....my secret treat/bait which i'll never divulge to ANYONE EVER is....i go out to the worm bed/box pinch the "tail" end off of big crawlers toss the rest bk...i take these(when they quit flop'n around)and butterfly ?? 'em and wash 'em out good and let 'em air dry a bit... then with SHARP xacto and tiny SHARP scissors cut them into "tails"...sorta folded 'n threaded on a tiny red worm holder hook leave'n the thin end of the "tail" dangle'n a inch maybe...i've used ..dry cure..diff brines...and soaked/marinated 'em in oils/scents and dyed em diff colors..become'n my fav for Koks...again no 1 scent or color works everyday...diff combos.. diff depths.. diff speeds...'n some days i'll fish for 'em all day 'n catch none...somedays i'll catch 'em all day long troll'n popgear for trout...they arnt "supposed" to like trout gear <SHRUGS>..so if you start targeting/obcessing about 'em like i did 3-4 years ago you might become "weird"/"crazy" like me...dang lil weirdo's sure taste good...even when the trout start get'n soft...my 35 cents worth...GL out there...DOG

[returnofthefish]

They were thinking the peanut butter and hot dogs leave a trail of oily scent which somehow attracts the kokanee. I stick with Green Giant white shoe peg corn instead.

[Matt]

Kokanee go on the bite much like salmon. They will bite very actively for a while, then the might completely shut down for up to several hours before picking up on the bite again. Just after first light is usually the best time to fish for them. On Stevens they usually bite well until about 9am then shut off until about noon or so, from my experience.

[GeryG]

Thanks for the info, should of went to Lake Stevens today instead of Lake Ki, 8-10" trout. I fed them good, they kept steeling my bait. Where do you get magots in the Snohomish area, Im in Everett, never purchased them before.

['OL GREY DOG]

in the refer where they sell worms....unless you raise your own

[Matt]

Only certain stores will have them readily in stock. Usually they are found in the same bait fridge as nightcrawlers, they come in a little clear plastic container with a pop top (the kind you put condiments in at a restaurant for togo orders).

Raising them yourself is not a bad idea either.

[yooper_fisher]

Thanks for the topic Gery, and thanks for the replies everyone else. I, too, have decided that I want to try for some kok's as this is a new species for me and they look delicious.

[GeryG]

Thanks again for the info, I got out there today and put 3 kokane in the boat, and had many bites. Most of the action came on corn. I didnt try the magots that long, to tell if they would work well. I brought a person who never fished for kokane, and he was trying stuff you wouldnt think would work. He didnt land any but had bites, so I tried the bait he was using, and it caught my biggest one. I caught all on the top to 8ft. Took me awhile to find the fish but they made there self known by jumping like crazy. Learned alot, now I want to figure out how to catch them without a dodger, I hate the drag.