My first trip to Stevens this year to target Kokanee. Usually I wait until the water warms up just a bit more, but I had a terrible Kokanee itch that needed scratching. I intended to be there before sun up so my lines would be in the water right at dawn. Well...... I was a little tardy this morning and wasn't on the water with lines in until 8am.

Pretty quickly I got 2 on and landed both. Promising start. Then it died for me for about 2 hours, getting 1 more during that time. I ran into fellow NWFR member Isaiah from Reli Lures. He had started earlier than I did, and found a hot bite right at sun up. Just after 10 am I got right back into fish. Getting a double on twice, landing 3 of the 4. The first double I tried hoisting the 2nd fish in, and it popped off. 2nd double I used the net on the 2nd too :)

Cold morning, temps were just below freezing, and water temp was about 45. Typical spring day, some sun, followed by some wind, then overcast, then more sun. Water temp crept just above 46 when I finished.

In all, I had 12 fish on, landing 10, 1 being a Cutthroat that I didn't notice until I took a picture of my fish thinking I had landed 10 Kokanee. Sneaky cutt! Also had a couple of takedowns that didn't stick. I used Elgin Fishing God's Tooth Spoons in 50/50 brass/nickle and 50/50 blue/nickle, rigged for Kokanee by Reli-Lures. I also used a Reli Lures Diamond Flash Spinner. Both lines had a Dick Nite Clown Dodger with 16 inches of leader to the lure. Pautzke Pink Fire Corn soaked over night in Super Dipping Sauce Kokanee/Sockeye blend. Before the line went in the water, lure and all dipped in the sauce.

First fish came at 7 feet, 2nd fish at 50. The majority of my fish came either at 30 feet or 40 feet. I did get bit as deep as 65 feet when I was chasing meter marks. Fish seemed a little smaller than last year, but then again I am usually not Kokanee fishing yet.

Video shows all but 1 of the fish I landed, plus the 2 doubles I had on. The 1 fish I didn;t get on film I was talking to my wife on the phone, had to set the phone down to reel in the fish :)

---