Kokanee are still in Jordy

[obifishkenobi]

I've been reading the odd report or two on other sites that people are having a tough time finding the kokes this year, especially at Jordy. Challenge accepted....    Took my FIL and wife up on Saturday morning for a few hours and started off just getting trout after trout, before landing 4  kokes in a row, boom, boom, boom, boom... like a switch got flipped.  

They were about 20-25 feet down, and green was the ticket.  I had a Christensen Tackle tornado spinner that I threw on for the heck of it since I haven't used it since I bought it last year and the kokes loved it.  Also a green hoochie with a spinner blade caught the other and most of the trout.  We started out with pink lures on some of the rods and they got no love. The green stuff was getting the hits so I changed everything over to green and had the best success.

The biggest fish was a hair under 17" and the rest were about 14-16 inches.  It's easy to distinguish the trout from the kokes just from their initial bite because the kokes seek to destroy while the trout just hang on for the water skiing. We were on the water by 9:30 (later start than hoped) and the lake got really choppy from wakeboarders so we left at 1:30. Totaled about 15 fish on the day, only kept the kokes.  

Some salt, pepper, woodfired garlic seasoning and a side of potatoes made for a happy crew.  But yah.... they're still in there- go get 'um.  First pic below is the standard bow we were getting before the kokes got hungry.

When you say green are you talking about dark green or Chartreuse Florissant green. When I think of green it’s forest green but most lures are chartreuse.

[Mildog]

Paddler don’t get hung up on temps I had 2-3 years where I caught kokes at 15 feet or less all summer at Jordy and other lakes surface temps were near 70! Mornings and mid day! And temps didn’t get to Koke range until 45 to 50 feet but the fish were not there. The fish were shallow, trust your sonar! If you are not marking and you think they are there most likely they are shallow hard to mark shallow fish the cone is narrow and they spook from boat. One July day a few years back I got 16 kokes in just over an hour a buddy who wanted to catch kokes followed me with 1/2 sinker and dodger with mono he got his 4 plus as well. As we were leaving a guy pulled up next to me and asked why we were leaving he says you are netting fish constantly!!  I said we have 20 between us and I dont like to catch and release kokes. I asked him how he was doing. THEY HAD 0. I told him I was putting ball at 10 feet and stacking  at 5, I asked him were he was fishing he said 35-40, he thought I was lying. Buddy in boat told him that is what we are doing ! Before we put stuff away they had net out and hollered thank you! Not always but don’t rely on temps only! A lake I fish out of state I catch kokes in summer at 20 feet or less all the time, surface temps 65! And nit much colder 20 feet down .
With that said last year I got kokes at Jordy as deep as 50 feet. But that’s were live scope found them! Deeper than I have ever caught Kokes up there!?

[beerbatterbum]

More of a lime green. Not sure the fish care. Last year I really got into spinner blades on my hoochies. Another combo that slayed them last July for me was pinurple behind a big brass dodger. I think it’s a Mack’s and at least 6”. Really thumps hard. 

Problem with fishing shallow is the rainbows are a nuisance. I don’t even like to fish until the kokes are 30ft for that reason.

[beerbatterbum]

I didn't get started today until almost 10 and caught my 4th fish at 11:30. All but one on green, including the one that buried the rod tip in the water and peeled line for a couple secs before letting go.   All at 35ft.

[wiperhunter2]

I didn't get started today until almost 10 and caught my 4th fish at 11:30. All but one on green, including the one that buried the rod tip in the water and peeled line for a couple secs before letting go.   All at 35ft.

Glad to hear at least Jordanelle is producing, were any over 16"?

[beerbatterbum]

All 15-16”. Of course the one that got away was always a monster.

[stan55]

To make you feel better that big one was very likely a big rainbow or splake. They hang out at that depth and will just smash your lure. Big kokes usually come flying to the surface. Not unusual at Jordanelle to look behind the boat and see a koke flying around and then try to figure out which rod it's on. Another reason for short setbacks by the way. Easy to spot the right rod and fish have hard time surfacing. I prefer 20-to-25-foot setbacks on the down riggers for that very reason.

[Paddler]

To make you feel better that big one was very likely a big rainbow or splake. They hang out at that depth and will just smash your lure. Big kokes  usually come flying to the surface. Not unusual at Jordanelle to look behind the boat and see a koke flying around and then try to figure out which rod it's on. Another reason for short setbacks by the way. Easy to spot the right rod and fish have hard time surfacing. I prefer 20-to-25-foot setbacks on the down riggers for that very reason.

A buddy who fishes out of a kayak is using 8' setbacks.  He's had 3 18s the last two trips.  I've been using ~15'-20'.  Caught 9 today, unfortunately most were pretty small.

[beerbatterbum]

I issued myself a challenge today. Catch a Kokanee on something other than a green hoochie. Started with a pink/chartreuse spinner with a wonderbread dodger and a pink apex with a pink sling blade. Gave it a half hour but nothing. Switched to an orange hoochie/dodger and pinurple hoochie behind a brass dodger.  No love. So mid morning I put on the tried and true pink hoochie behind moon jelly dodger on one rod and green hoochie and dodger on the other. Immediately doubled up. Landed only one of them. Over the next half hour caught two more and lost two more on green. Then it shut off for a couple hours. Finally a little before noon green got hit again but it didn’t make it into the boat. Within a couple minutes it got hit again and I landed that one for a limit. I might need to check some of my hooks. 35ft, 16 inchers.

[Paddler]

I issued myself a challenge today. Catch a Kokanee on something other than a green hoochie. Started with a pink/chartreuse spinner with a wonderbread dodger and a pink apex with a pink sling blade. Gave it a half hour but nothing. Switched to an orange hoochie/dodger and pinurple hoochie behind a brass dodger.  No love. So mid morning I put on the tried and true pink hoochie behind moon jelly dodger on one rod and green hoochie and dodger on the other. Immediately doubled up. Landed only one of them. Over the next half hour caught two more and lost two more on green. Then it shut off for a couple hours. Finally a little before noon green got hit again but it didn’t make it into the boat. Within a couple minutes it got hit again and I landed that one for a limit. I might need to check some of my hooks. 35ft, 16 inchers.

It was a bit over 60F at 35' yesterday, 58.4F at 40', and 54.3 at 45'.  About, I don't have access to my temp gauge right now.  I'll be up in the morning to give it another go.  Hopefully with bigger fish.  Or maybe just fish...

[beerbatterbum]

Wow I’m surprised it was that warm at 35ft since the surface was only 63-64. I wonder how deep the wake boats stir it up.

[Paddler]

Wow I’m surprised it was that warm at 35ft since the surface was only 63-64. I wonder how deep the wake boats stir it up.

I checked the temps early, it was 62.9F at the surface, and dropped very slowly, as it was still 62.4F at 25'.  At 30' it was 61.9F, 60.9F at 35', 58.6F at 40', 54.3F at 45', and 51.1 at 50'.  I didn't check it today.

The wakeboard boats are a real PITA.  I took photos of one passing me at 30 yards and called it in:




I spoke with the driver who was, of course, oblivious.  Not sure if the ranger found them, but he went looking.  If you want to call in a violation the phone # for Wasatch County Non-Emergent Dispatch is (435) 654-1411.  They will call the officer who will call you for your report. 

The proximity rule for wakeboard boats should be 100 yards.  At least.

[wiperhunter2]

Wow I’m surprised it was that warm at 35ft since the surface was only 63-64. I wonder how deep the wake boats stir it up.

I checked the temps early, it was 62.9F at the surface, and dropped very slowly, as it was still 62.4F at 25'.  At 30' it was 61.9F, 60.9F at 35', 58.6F at 40', 54.3F at 45', and 51.1 at 50'.  I didn't check it today.

The wakeboard boats are a real PITA.  I took photos of one passing me at 30 yards and called it in:




I spoke with the driver who was, of course, oblivious.  Not sure if the ranger found them, but he went looking.  If you want to call in a violation the phone # for Wasatch County Non-Emergent Dispatch is (435) 654-1411.  They will call the officer who will call you for your report. 

The proximity rule for wakeboard boats should be 100 yards.  At least.

Wow, that's close, way too close.

[AFDan52]

Looks like they have size to them , I've only fished for Kokes there a couple of times but that was the year after they started stocking them . Need to try it again.