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Wanted to bail out yesterday afternoon, but threats of thunderstorms and flash floods kept me at work.
Woke to clear skies and sunshine, and just HAD to call in sick - "can't come to work, my arm is in a cast" - well a troll anyway. (I took vacation really)
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Got loaded out about 10am, and then had to bop back to the car for the downrigger. THEN - got motoring, and had to motor back for my grubs! Grrr! Did I put the drain plug in? Good grief! Getting mighty low, and big boats need not apply, I think I'm done launching - this was more of a SHOVE, I dared not get too close. Gush!
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Got rigged, got rolling and not 5 minutes out, first fish in the boat! Off to a good start. Followed by a day of not so fast, not so furious, but plenty windy action. I marked a lot of schools - pretty deep 50-60 FOW even.
I had the WHOLE lake to myself, not another boat (fool) launched, then a canoe showed up in the afternoon. Don't know if they were even fishing.
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A few ominous clouds rolled along the horizon, but stayed sunny. Fished mostly near the dam end, but did venture upstream by the cliffs. Just about got blown into the rocks, and with the shallower depths, decided I'd just stay out in the big water. Worked.
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Only landed a half limit, was hoping to fill the smoker with fat pinkies, but it is what it is. Had several come unbuttoned, but did manage to land each one that got close enough to see net.
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It's been fun Kokeing out, but I'm done for this year. Time to turn attentions to Warm water species, maybe notch a few more kitty points before it's all said and done.
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Good for you John, getting out before the shutdown on the kokes. Hard to tell from your first pic is that a trout? Those kokes are really starting to change color. About that big rock in the middle of the launch, did you jump in and move it aside so the rest of us can safely user the launch[  ].
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Well, it's a Salmonid - all I caught was Kokes, no big browns for this pup. Just wouldn't quit wiggling and sit pretty for the picture.
Color and shape both changing. Seen some pretty humpy backs, and jaws starting to look hooky.
Oh sure, since that's just the tip-of the iceberg, and it's probably a mountain under the mud.... um, no - I didn't move the boulder. BUT on the plus side - it marks off where it gets REALLY muddy to the side, so you don't WANT to put a boat in there anyway (or a truck).
If you look close - I think you see Jeff's tracks in the mud in the water. He must have backed farther in than I dared to, plus I have a smaller boat so easier to just push it off the trailer, then crank it up after. Made that mistake ONCE of backing in too far. Not planning to do THAT again.
Do wonder how the upper shore is, if it's still steep enough to get in safe. Dropping so fast, makes the edges really muddy.
So - the regs say you can't possess any Kokes that show any RED. But is a pink tinge counted as going red, or do they mean really red?
You and I didn't do so well that one year we went after the spawn. Don't know if it's worth the bother. Maybe if I target Browns that are scarfing up the dying off Kokanee that wash back down? Hear they'll hit anything red.
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[quote So - the regs say you can't possess any Kokes that show any RED. But is a pink tinge counted as going red, or do they mean really red?[/quote]
[#484848]I was wondering the same thing? ...... Some of the ones from the gorge that have a tinge of pink, are still good smoked.[/#484848]
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Yes, once the date has passed you can't keep any kokes that have even a little color change. I think as low as the water is now, that third launch will be usable now.
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Not that I'm heading back up, but what third launch are you referring to???? J
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You must have been busy last year and missed my post, here is a link to the thread, third launch pics start with #3
http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gfo...ig;#836781
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Thanks Curt, I did miss that one, but I think that is where I launched time before last. Where is number two down the west side of that same area on the otherside of the creek? Thanks for the reference. J
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I do remember that post, but couldn't find it. Still trying to figure out where exactly that is. Further towards the inlet than the "willows" by the camping area? (my #2)
I had tried around the corner from the creek my first time, seen signs of launching. Neglected to notice the scraps of carpet from folks that ran into the kind of problems I did that day!
So east of #2 - right where it juts out and bends to the narrow narrows?
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Had a round with the smoker Sunday. May have taken me more than one trip, but had a full limit to "take care of". Fish Candy!
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Hard work pays off.
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So what are the greens you have in the water tray. I haven't seen that before.
I also have the Camp Chef smoker and love it.
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You can see the spring in this pic and I copied your Google earth pic and added a couple of lines to show you where you can drive down.
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[quote SkunkedAgain] Where is number two down the west side of that same area on the otherside of the creek? Thanks for the reference. J[/quote]
Yes, that is exactly where you turn, you really can't see the whole road until you start driving down. It is a good solid road but a 4x4 would make it easier coming out.
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Thanks Curt, appreciate your info. J
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The road that Curt drew in was built by some WY. National Guard troops back in the late 70's. They spent their 2 weeks summer training there, they widened the road in several places that runs along the North side of the lake and built a floating bridge across the lake there. They flattened the area out enough so you could camp and launch small boats from that area. There were no trees along the shoreline at site # 2 in those days. We use to spend alot of weekends up there during the summer months. The family and I caught alot of kokes out of that little lake starting back in 1976.[fishin]
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Well that is some good info to know, thanks for sharing that with us Pete. As narrow as that road is now, it must have been really bad before they widened it. 1976 was the year I was stationed here, a lot less people here during those days and there were a lot more open places to hunt and fish as well. What is your largest koke out of Porcupine?
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That's the time frame when the Cutts were big and thick. Had some fun trips in the early eighties myself. Thanks for the follow up. J
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I've got various herbs in the garden, so snatch a few sprigs of something. This time it was basil and sage. Oregano is a common one for me too. Often "trim" the flowers and use those - don't know how much aroma/flavor they really add, but can't do no harm. (unless I used pine needles!)
I have found the selection of wood(s) can be a significant factor in the flavor. I know TD uses mesquite on his catfish, but I prefer to reserve that one for pork/beef.
Ok, so we're talking west of the spring. Seen folks camping on that beach earlier, and launching from there too. Nice to know the history on it - thanks Pete. Sure does help to have some level ground instead of the steep shoreline along much of the lake. I need to do some camping up there!
Now if only I could charge up my batteries overnight with my GoalZero solar panel! [crazy]
You can see a truck coming down the road, and where a group camped and launched from the beach. It's lower now than it was then. But as long as it's gravel, not mud...
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Anyone caught any Splake from there since they were planted? That's a trout I haven't met yet.
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The family and I got stationed here in March of 76 returning from a tour in the UK, our 1st trip to Porcupine was the 4th of July of 1976 our Nation's 200th anniversary. It was a great weekend and we caught alot of kokes using leaded line and triple teasers. Curt our biggest koke was maybe 17 or 18 inches if my memory serves me correctly. Most kokes in those days were 12 to 13 inches. They completely drained the lake the fall of 1998 and we lost a lot of kokes that you could see swimming in the stream below the dam. It took a couple years to recover but once it did that's when we caught our largest kokes for a couple years running from 14 to 16 inches with a few larger ones. Not many boats fishing for kokes during our early years camping there, some weekends we would have the campsite near the creek comming from the spring all to ourselves. [fishin]
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"I know TD uses mesquite on his catfish, but I prefer to reserve that one for pork/beef."
[#0000FF]Nope. Hickory. But I also use mesquite for pork and beef. Sometimes chicken.[/#0000FF]
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Wow, that is a decent sized koke for a small lake, I know a few members that have caught them that big from Causey. Did they have the 24 koke limit during that same time?
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