Flaming Gorge

[duksnfish]

Ok so i know this wont be about Idaho fishing, but, I believe some of you may have or do fish Flaming Gorge at times. So, I thought I'd drop a quick note to see how you have done and what maybe you use for koks and lake trout there. I originally worked for the Forest Service there back in 1977 thru Oct 1979 and havent been back down there since. So, thought I'd take a trip and go visit some friends who I havent seen in a long time and take the boat and try a bit of fishing for a while. I know the koks, like here, are staging for spawning, but, thought I might just try and see what happens.

So, if I cant post this up here, let me know and Ill take it down, but, I'd love to see what some of my Idaho folks have done before down at the Gorge.

Hope this goes well and I'll let everyone know if I have any luck or just get a big zero, lol.

Thanks

[wiperhunter2]

Ok so i know this wont be about Idaho fishing, but, I believe some of you may have or do fish Flaming Gorge at times. So, I thought I'd drop a quick note to see how you have done and what maybe you use for koks and lake trout there. I originally worked for the Forest Service there back in 1977 thru Oct 1979 and havent been back down there since. So, thought I'd take a trip and go visit some friends who I havent seen in a long time and take the boat and try a bit of fishing for a while. I know the koks, like here, are staging for spawning, but, thought I might just try and see what happens.

So, if I cant post this up here, let me know and Ill take it down, but, I'd love to see what some of my Idaho folks have done before down at the Gorge.

Hope this goes well and I'll let everyone know if I have any luck or just get a big zero, lol.

Thanks

No problem posting this here and you should be able to catch the kokes, at least until they shut it down for the spawn, which I think is Sept 15th. You should be able to catch some, using the gear you use in Idaho, although from most reports, it has been slow for them lately. The key as it is on any koke lake is to find them. Do you plan on fishing on the Utah side or the Wyo side of the lake? Both sides have different fees and permit you will need to get to fish there. The kokes are a little bigger on the Wyo side but people are having an easier time catching them on the Utah side, down by sheep creek and you can keep 4 on the Utah side but only three in Wyo. There have been a few reports on the Utah board about fishing for the Lake Trout but not many, the last report involved dragging their downrigger balls over the tops of underwater islands, with one lure on the bottom, then another lure stacked 10 ft off the bottom. The theory being that some trout will see the silt getting moved around and go to see what it is and the higher lure will catch those fish that are on the bottom that get spooked by the ball and rise to get above it. Good luck, hope you find some willing fish.

[duksnfish]

Thanks Wiper, I bought a reciprocal license to fish both sides if I decide. Right now, a little island called, and not to be offensive, Jap Island has been hot.  I'm still not totally sure where exactly that is, but, folks have been doing quiet well there. Most of the time I'll probably concentrate on the Utah side and I think, the season closure actually got moved to the 10th of Sept.  I know, watching the Flaming Gorge Fishing FB page, which has been most active and talking to a guy I met from BF who fishes both Ririe and the Gorge has given me a ton of great info. The males from what I am seeing are really active right now and some folks are losing some due to break off's from sharp teeth that have developed ready for spawn.

I know, I know, I broke my own comments about FB vs these forums, but, that is where I was sent to by some I talked to trying to get a little inside info on what was and wasnt working. I have to try and pick up some watermelon color flashers or what is being talked about as flutter bugs sold by Paulina Peak has been the hot go to for most folks. But like here, it's all about presentation and being patient.

If nothing else, I hope to learn a lot from this trip and then go back earlier next year when the spawn isnt affecting fish.

Also, something I just found out this morning is that out of staters, non-residents using watercraft in Utah must complete an online watercraft user session which costs $20. For those who didnt know like me, here is the link to the site. Wow, it costs one H*** of a lot of money to get to fish the Gorge as a non-resident.     stdofthesea.utah.gov

Good luck to others heading that way or who fish there. I'll definitely post up some info on how things go when I get back.

[wiperhunter2]

Yes, I agree, they are making it very expensive to go fishing at the Gorge. You will also need to pay $30 for an invasive mussel sticker to fish the Wyo side. It might be cheaper just to fish one side or the other. Not sure I've used a flutter bug but if you get a chance take a pic and show us what they look like.

[fast_randy]

Yes, I agree, they are making it very expensive to go fishing at the Gorge. You will also need to pay $30 for an invasive mussel sticker to fish the Wyo side. Not sure I've used a [font="Open Sans", sans-serif]flutter bug but if you get a chance take a pic and show us what they look like.[/font]

Duks, I want to meet you. No, I need to meet you. You are BFT family.  I fished FG a lot when it first filled up. Every weekend we could get away when I was teenager my dad would take me there. We would troll one day and flote the river to Little hole, the next. 
If you are up for it, I will meet you there.

[duksnfish]

Hey, sounds good Randy. As I said on my first post, I started working at the Gorge for the Forest Service in the late 1970's. At the time, cutthroats were the fish of choice even though there were lakers there, they didnt catch on until later. The kok's were introduced if i was told right in the 1980's and from there, it's what it is now. Sheep Creek is one of the few streams that the kok's spawn in I believe and now it is one of the biggest target fish in the Gorge. They were introduced after I left down there and I havent followed the work on them by both states which has turned into some of the best kok fishing anywhere around as I am finding out.

I wasnt able to fish the Gorge, I got to Fort Hall and the wheel on my boat trailer started this wobble thing and I knew what was wrong. Wheel bearings were going out so took boat back home and dropped it off and back on the road to the Gorge just for a visit trip to see people that I worked with and friends down there that I hadnt seen in over 40 years. But a good trip. I actually had forgotten just how big that body of water really was and forgot how fast winds come up and a person who doesnt know the Gorge well can get into trouble real quick. But, they are/were still catching some solid meat kok's and starting to pick up some decent lakers.

So, I'll take the winter to learn more about the Gorge and hit it next year, but, not by myself. That was a foolish thing to do, go by myself when I hadnt been on the water there since the 70's. Anyhow, Ill post up a pic of a flutter bug as I picked one up. Paulina Peaks has what the call a Flaming Gorge lure package, which I found out, a lot of people are picking up and doing well with it. A bit spendy, well to me, it runs about $150 but I guess it has about every lure in it and etc that you need to hit the Gorge.

And yes Rany, I'd love to meet up with you and get to know a bit more about you. Thanks for the offer.

Have fun guys and be safe out there and tight lines

[fast_randy]

Hey, sounds good Randy. As I said on my first post, I started working at the Gorge for the Forest Service in the late 1970's. At the time, cutthroats were the fish of choice even though there were lakers there, they didnt catch on until later. The kok's were introduced if i was told right in the 1980's and from there, it's what it is now. Sheep Creek is one of the few streams that the kok's spawn in I believe and now it is one of the biggest target fish in the Gorge. They were introduced after I left down there and I havent followed the work on them by both states which has turned into some of the best kok fishing anywhere around as I am finding out.

I wasnt able to fish the Gorge, I got to Fort Hall and the wheel on my boat trailer started this wobble thing and I knew what was wrong.  Wheel bearings were going out so took boat back home and dropped it off and back on the road to the Gorge just for a visit trip to see people that I worked with and friends down there that I hadnt seen in over 40 years.  But a good trip. I actually had forgotten just how big that body of water really was and forgot how fast winds come up and a person who doesnt know the Gorge well can get into trouble real quick. But, they are/were still catching some solid meat kok's and starting to pick up some decent lakers.

So, I'll take the winter to learn more about the Gorge and hit it next year, but, not by myself.  That was a foolish thing to do, go by myself when I hadnt been on the water there since the 70's. Anyhow, Ill post up a pic of a flutter bug as I picked one up. Paulina Peaks has what the call a Flaming Gorge lure package, which I found out, a lot of people are picking up and doing well with it.  A bit spendy, well to me, it runs about $150 but I guess it has about every lure in it and etc that you need to hit the Gorge.

And yes Rany, I'd love to meet up with you and get to know a bit more about you. Thanks for the offer.

Have fun guys and be safe out there and tight lines

PM sent

[duksnfish]

So Wiper, I finally remembered to take a picture of what a flutter bug looks like and sold by Paulina Peaks. This seems to be a hot tomato at the Gorge when put behind a flasher with pink, green or similar color(s). Im anxious now to try them on Ririe next spring to see what they do up here.  Just another piece of ammo in the artillery .

[wiperhunter2]

So Wiper, I finally remembered to take a picture of what a flutter bug looks like and sold by Paulina Peaks. This seems to be a hot tomato at the Gorge when put behind a flasher with pink, green or similar color(s). Im anxious now to try them on Ririe next spring to see what they do up here.  Just another piece of ammo in the artillery .

Thanks, that is very similar to a lure we are using now but it is called a brads lure and there is another one I think it's called an apex lure, let me see if I can find a link to one. This flutter bug looks a little thinner. I think it's the action of the lure that drives them nuts. I have no doubt it would work on any koke lake.

https://www.sportsmans.com/fishing-gear-...nt=Fishing

http://bradskillerfishinggear.com/super-...re-series/