That’s not actually accurate. Smallies will inhabit the same temp zone much of the time and eat Kokanee for sure! Several lakes in Idaho they eat kokanee for sure. Friends I have up there catch them and they have kokes in their stomachs. They use swim baits in koke colors to get big smallmouth. I catch kokes in Several lakes in UT And other states in 60 plus degree water temps that’s right in smallmouth wheelhouse.
A month ago in an unarmed lake out of state we caught 23 kokanee at 15 feet or less, surface temps were 70 degrees. Temp on fish hawk at 15 feet was still 69 degrees.
My little brother got into some nice smallies at the gorge a few weeks back, one spit out a 7 inch koke when he landed it. SMB and Wipers do eat kokes. Trout survive better because they are usually planted at 8 to 10 inches, kokes are planted at 2.5 to 3 inches, a nice snack for hungry predators.
A month ago in an unarmed lake out of state we caught 23 kokanee at 15 feet or less, surface temps were 70 degrees. Temp on fish hawk at 15 feet was still 69 degrees.
My little brother got into some nice smallies at the gorge a few weeks back, one spit out a 7 inch koke when he landed it. SMB and Wipers do eat kokes. Trout survive better because they are usually planted at 8 to 10 inches, kokes are planted at 2.5 to 3 inches, a nice snack for hungry predators.
time spent fishing isn't deducted from ones life