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Headed out 8 am from Coulee Dam, we finally have our launch back with the water levels rising, yay! Windy with whitecaps upon launching, but it died down in a couple hours. Caught a 19" keeper Rainbow just a few minutes out on the water. Trolled up the rock banks towards Spring Canyon, caught a few Net Penners. Found some Kokanee and made a few passes over them, got one in the boat it was a 1 1/2 lb. Trolled back over the same spot several times with no luck, headed for Spring Canyon and beyond. Navigated the drift minefield North, stopped to jig for some Walleye, no luck there. On to the favorite Kokanee hole, I like to call the " Merry Go Round" as that seems to be where everyone piles up, you get in line and follow each other round and round. We have picked up several Kokanee out the hole over the last couple of months, but they are few and far between this year. I am local and average getting out several times a week. The Rainbows are hitting pretty good, we've caught some really nice 17" up to 20".
We made several passes through the " Merry Go Round" only 2 other boats here today so it was nice being able to wander around without navigating other boats and lines.
Hooked up a nice Kokanee and landed her. Caught several more Net Penners and one nice Native Rainbow, which we released. Stopped and jigged for Walleye again on the way home, no luck. We are new to the Walleye thing and so far only caught two, will keep trying.
For those of you from out of the area, the water is filled with debris, wood, logs etc. it's tricky out here. The Kokanee are not biting much, I've talked to the fish counters and other fishermen and women, the reports are not good. The guides seem to do ok, but even those are reporting some difficulty, so if you are coming for Kokanee just know it's rough even if you find them, they are really finicky this year. We trolled side planers into really shallow water up until the last week, now going a little deeper with the down riggers. The Kokanee are all over the map, from 10' to 100'. They are not really hitting on all the usual things and it seems like you get one then nothing and what you caught one on doesn't get another bite. Baffling...
The photo posted is one of the really good days we had, but they are few and far between.
Good luck out there

Billm

6/10/2017 7:01:54 PM

Thank you for the report. I was up there a couple months ago, got a few kokanee, but it was rough. I am hoping to make it back soon.

catchme

6/10/2017 10:09:41 PM

Well like I said there's a lot of debris in the water right now and it's not expected to get better til mid summer, possibly after the 4th of July but who knows. The water has cleared up since you were here and of course the water temp is up, boat ramps are now accessible which is giving people more choices for launching. So some good news on that front. Hope that helps with your trip planning. Oh if you catch a fish with a beautiful red and gold ArcticFox dry fly let me know, I lost a big one and my new fly with him...

Billm

6/11/2017 10:04:56 AM

When I was there in late March, the water was very muddy , so I am glad to hear it has cleared up a bit. Now for the debris. I like the lake and the fishery, but living 5 hours away makes it tough to travel to just check out the conditions. So reports like yours are very helpful. I too lost a very nice fish, not the lure luckily, by the CWU buoy near the dam. I'll keep a lookout for your fly. :-) Did you launch at the ramp next to the dam? I have never laughed from that ramp. Thanks again for your report.

catchme

6/11/2017 10:28:31 AM

Yes, we only live about 5 minutes away from the launch by the Dam, I can see the dam from my backyard. Mostly the locals use it and a few from out of the area that know about it. It can get jammed up later in the summer, but right now it's only us crazy fishing nuts... Since March we have been going all the way to Spring Canyon ( LOL ) a whole 15 minutes away. :-)
I will keep posting now that I've signed up here. I've been reading the postings and they have helped me, so maybe I can help other's that are trying to decide if it's worth the trip from out of the area. I'm very luck to be so close and get out there so often. I know I would hate to haul several hours only to find conditions unfavorable!

V86eal

6/11/2017 6:27:31 AM

Thank you for the report , that is what's happened to me since the first of the year -one or two fish and then nothing more

catchme

6/11/2017 8:44:28 AM

Your welcome, I have been reading the forum for several months, I am new to Kokanee fishing and have been trying to learn everything I can about catching them. The postings here have helped me with the up to date information. So I thought since I get out so often maybe I could help other's with posting what I am seeing and experiencing. Dad, ( my boyfriends dad ) needed a fishing buddy and since I retired last year he and I now go hit the water looking for the Kokanee, we have put in a lot of hours out there. I don't know what's going on this year as many of the people we've talked to at the launch and out on the water say they are not getting the silver's. We even had a guide pull up to us one day just after he saw us pull one in, they weren't catching any. Good Luck to you

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