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Rock Lake Report
Whitman County, WA

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12/03/2011
Trolling
Rainbow Trout
Orange
All Day
12/03/2011
4
1322

Hit Rock today with WA laker ericksg, and another friend. We launched around 9am and motored to the north end as it appeared most of the boats out today were in the lower 3rd of the lake. Started off with us and another boat of fishermen jumping a nice muley buck at the edge of the lake as we started our troll. We used the usual orange apex, purple apex, pink apex, green fly, etc..... all caught fish, with the orange apex taking the most. Our depth was in the 10 to 15 ft. range, achieved with lead core (2-3 colors), down rigger or keel weights. The most productive speed was 1.25 to 1.75 mph, water temp 43-44 at surface. All total a 35 to 40 fish day for hook ups, kept 14 and released another dozen or so. Average size kept is 15 to 17 inches, no big ones today.

I don't have a pic (just 2 witnesses) so you'll just have to believe me, but yes we hooked into a kokanee. A nice 16 to 18 incher, male hooked nose darkie. I got him right up to about 8 ft from the boat and we all three exclaimed "hey... that's a kokanee!" and then it jumped and tail danced one last time and threw the hook. Probably would have landed it had we got the net instead of standing there dumbfounded. We caught this one over 280 ft of water near a krill cloud that we also hooked 2 trout in. They made it in the boat and had throats full of the little green buggers. So somehow Kokes have gotten in the lake. How many is the question. I fish Rock quite a bit and this is the first time hooking into one there. The debate may roll on, but for 3 more fishermen... it's settled.

Tight lines to all.

Tomorrow the smoker will light up again...


Comments

hewesfisher
12/4/2011 8:23:00 AM
Nice mess of fish there and sounds like you had a nice day on the water. Your kokanee report is the second this weekend, and the first one posted by toomuchbooze included a picture. Thanks for your report.
FullofCarp
12/4/2011 9:08:00 AM
What color did you catch the Kokanee on? I will be fishing it this week and will primarally try for koks. where did you catch it. I let mine go and your decription of the fish is just like the one i landed. Assuming its not the same fish, if they were caught close to each other on the lake it could be a great place to start. ........... Any Browns?
crustyliner
12/4/2011 10:17:00 AM
Toomuchbooze,
I hooked the Koke on a pink apex about a half mile down from the north end of the lake straight out from the big point on the east side of the lake. We were trolling about 1.75 at the time and the apex was tipped with corn. I fish with WA Lakes ericksg quite a bit and he was the first to mention catching a koke at Rock about four years ago. At first I wasn't convinced, (thought he was crazy, after all he does go fishing with me) but figured it was possible. I saw your report from earlier in the week and it was a topic of conversation yesterday while fishing. We were not targeting them and just happened to get the luck of the bite. Wish I could have got a pic. I target them at Roosevelt, but never thought there would be a big enough population to target them at rock, since everyone says they aren't there.
Only 2 browns, 14 inchers.
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Available Guide

Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service

Phone: (509) 687-0709