Timing for Kokanee Success

[@PhattyBarnett]

Excellent info as usual Tyler. Thank you so much. I love to involve people new to fishing for Kokanee in my boat and your KZbin channel nearly always comes up. So glad I have a great resource to share to get them started in this incredible activity. 💪🏻

[@StevenG1955]

You are the number #1 channel I go to for fishing for Kokanee. You are well educated and willing to share. Thank you!

[@Ianbond21]

I just came to the KZbin to watch some of your older videos and found this new one. Thanks for the great content!

[@gregtruesdell7345]

As always Tyler you are a wealth of information thank you

[@aleksanderbokov3574]

Thanks! Awesome info as always

[@spiltmilt]

Thank you! 😊

[@Stittsy1963]

Thanks for the advice and help. Your videos are awesome!

[@spiltmilt]

Happy to help!

[@fishseawa]

I’ve found the same thing with a full moon. Glad to know it’s not just my poor fishing! Thx

[@user-ft6qj3qb7k]

Tyler where did you hide the Super Thanks button?

[@spiltmilt]

Should be to the right of the thumbs up/thumbs down button. If it isn't try clicking the little 3 dots and it will show up on the dropdown.

[@scottrouwhorst881]

Nice

[@brandonjelinek8963]

Great video. I need to plan a trip soon. I’m thinking Rosevelt. Somewhere I can really test out the salty motor mount in cold weather. I better start looking at lunar cycles.

[@Carlb328]

The full moon affects bass fishing too, at least it did in Texas. I haven't fished bass enough here to see if it affects as well.

[@Girthology]

Great info as always. Even though you offered the depth charts for free I picked up a couple stickers to help support solid info like this. Next time hats come in stock ill grab one too. Hey, do you know of an easier way of spooling/dialing in line counters? Checked them before respooling and they were high and after respooling they count low. Is there any quick way of getting them on the money? Thanks

[@spiltmilt]

I've had to add and take away line from reels to get them accurate but that is mostly with my big salmon reels. My Kokanee reels spooled with 10 lb line are generally pretty good esp the Daiwa Lexas and the Abu Garcia DLC reels.

[@saltywalrusfishingcompany]

Thanks Tyler! Definitely one of your best videos. I do have several? And comments... First off thermocline is great, fish compressed in a small area makes it easier but I have many days where surface is best mid summer afternoon when surface temp is 70° plus. Why are these fish so far out of temp? The Idaho comment strikes home for me! Lucky peak is a mess with wakeboats during summer but I always manage to pull a limit on a Sunday launching after work in the chaos, often times in amongst the big noisy boats. Any thoughts on that?

[@spiltmilt]

Kokanee will certainly stray into near lethal water temps to forage simply because they have no choice. I experience this on a few lakes. However, this fish tend not to fight that well because of the stress. Sometimes wakeboats and surface traffic can push Kokanee to one side of the lake. I've had this experience on occasion. Other times they can suppress the bite.

[@saltywalrusfishingcompany]

@@spiltmilt that all makes complete sense, guess I'm just lucky enough to find the stupid fish lol. BTW I modified your recipe for Kokanee burgers per a co-workers request... We came up with buffalo ranch Kokanee burgers!

[@redderdog14]

Great stuff as usual! Question though - how much time on either end of the full moon do you plan your trips around? I assume that kokanee are fairly active at night when the moon is near full.

[@spiltmilt]

I will pay close attention to moon rise and moon set at those times. A full or near full moon that rises at 4 AM is way less impactful than one that rises at 11 PM.

[@jktacklellc]

How would you determine if a reservoir is going to develop a good thermocline or not? I assume it would be based on seasonal dam activities for the specific reservoir, maybe?

[@spiltmilt]

In general with dam controlled reservoirs thermocline formation will be disrupted by both spring draw down, snow melt, and fill. Some never form strong thermoclines because water passes thru too quickly. You are correct that it varies quite a bit depending on reservoir and the management goals of that reservoir (flood control, pass thru, hydroelectric etc…). It can even vary by year.

[@jktacklellc]

Thank you! I’ll be sure to check up on dam activity regularly then. Another good checklist item. 😊

[@DarenHarmon]

Just more evidence that the early bird gets the worm! Always felt like we would only get bites the first hour after getting a rental boat. That’s about when everyone else got out on the lake with personal boats. There’s no way that they don’t hear/sense the surge of motors trolling and vibrating the waters at 8am!

[@dognzo893]

I like the thumbnail… looks like some fat healthy Gorge Kokes 😎😎

[@spiltmilt]

Except they were not caught in the Gorge 🤔

[@dognzo893]

Oh yeah I forgot you went to fontenelle that trip 😁

[@TGLRD]

You mentioned they’re not hungry if they’ve been feeding all night, but why is that a factor when the lures we’re using aren’t their food source. Don’t they bite lures just because we’re annoying them?

[@spiltmilt]

I don't buy that. Try catching Kokanee without bait and with bait. They want to feed.

[@verdeanpetersen8350]

Last year the kokanees catching on Fontenelle was way down. Do you have the same info. Was planing a trip the year but not sure now.

[@spiltmilt]

I haven't heard anything. That's what everyone at the ramp said last year and we went out and killed it when most people were getting blanked. In short I don't listen to what others say I judge by my own success.

[@sensaidirte6794]

I’m 2 hours from Fontenelle in Wyoming I know you like this reservoir and that Kokanee stay shallow because of the cold water. What do you recommend?

[@spiltmilt]

Yeah they do stay shallow there and spread out which is why people struggle. Two things you have to watch for on that lake and that is to fish just after the inflows begin to drop and focus on points and coves where large back eddies form and trap plankton

[@Vityasviri]

Does the full moon concept apply to trout as well?

[@spiltmilt]

Trout are less dependent on plankton for their diet and IME I don't struggle with trout fishing post full moon (aside from Browns which love to feed at night).

[@pancakeface5717]

I really appreciate your videos and have learned a great deal from you. Not a kayak angler (runabout) but your level of detail and scientific/technical knowledge really contribute to my interest, as well as my awareness when out in nature. Thank you. I have a question relating to this particular video regarding resource(s) for local kokanee fisheries/techniques and visitor resources. I'm retired now and plan to fish further from home. Your "Kokanee Across America" series was wonderful (and wet my appetite to wander). I have the excellent book Kokanee...A Complete Fishing Guide by Dave Biser, but it could use an update and more detailed information, particularly regarding specific locations, e.g. Lake Fontenelle in Wyoming. So, at last to my question: Are there sources of information you find particularly useful when planning a trip to a new kokanee lake? Do you have any recommendations for literature/maps/printed or web info? Thanks again. Rick Murie, Vancouver, WA

[@spiltmilt]

I mostly rely on bathymetric data and Facebook group reports (although not always available). You can find free maps online here: fishing-app.gpsnauticalcharts.com/i-boating-fishing-web-app/fishing-marine-charts-navigation.html?title=Washington+Fishing+Maps+boating+app#7.86/46.986/-120.002

[@pancakeface5717]

@@spiltmiltThanks!!

[@clarkfelt4098]

Would you consider fishing for Kokanee after a full moon in the afternoon on no-wake lakes? Meaning the recreation pressure is low?

[@clarkfelt4098]

Do you also think jigging for Kokanee on full moon mornings could be decent fishing, marking schools and getting them worked up?

[@spiltmilt]

Afternoon bites post full moon can be great! Sometimes jigging can work but sometimes they are just off the bite

[@edwin6709]

Do you have experience with Lake Stevens?

[@spiltmilt]

Some not a lot

[@edwin6709]

@@spiltmilt thanks for the reply, it’s the closest Kokanee lake for me and I’ve only caught one so far lol hoping to head over to your side of town and fish with you during the sockeye season!

[@UpNorthOutWest]

early in the season most people are fishing too deep on lake stevens, ive made that mistake. theyre going to be in the first 10ft

[@edwin6709]

@@UpNorthOutWest thanks I’ll give that a try

[@samsmith7150]

1st?