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Well the Derby was pretty fun for our first time. Saturday was by far the best day. Started at anvil draw just past pipeline. Fishing was pretty good. Caught 12 kokes and 2 pups before the wind came up. Threw a few of the smaller kokes back and headed into a nice come to eat lunch and try some casting. After lunch we tried a little casting in horseshoe with no luck. The wind died down so went along the cliffs at Sheep Creek and trolled and caught 7 more kokes and 2 more pups.
Here's the gear that worked best for us. A black and gold spinner from Kokanee Creek tackle absolutely out performed any other offering. Used a black and white Kokanee Creek tackle spinner did well too. Ricky mountain tackle serpent viper spoon caught Kokanee and pups and a Kokanee Creek mini squid caught a few.
We caught most Kokanee in 20 - 40 feet of water and the pups slightly deeper in 50-60 feet. Was trolling at 1.5 to 1.8 mph and had the down riggers stacked at 10 ft apart. Had the planer boards with 2 and 3 oz weights. Most Kokanee were 16-19 inches and the Lakers went up to 22.
Sunday was a while different ballgame. We targeted pups so we trolled deeper and faster. Went 40-65 ft deep and 2-2.4 mph. Surprisingly still caught kokes. And they were hitting hard. Both hooks inside the mouth and a couple that were fairly deep down the mouth. Still up in anvil draw. The wind came up quick and hard so we called it a day sooner than we would have liked but still 4 nice ones.
Didn't win any money for size or any of the door prizes but had a great time watching my wife and sister setting lines, reeling in, and meeting all these fish. What a great couple of fisherwoman!!! Hope all that participated had as much fun as we did! Way to go team Knotty Thrills.
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Looks like fun! Planers on the derby...were you crowded... that must have been challenging. I love the gorge! Not sure I like the crowds on derby weekend though.
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What depth do you get your lures to with both 2 oz and 3 oz weights. How much line do you put out between your board and weight?
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No, I didn't think it was that crowded. There is usually a pretty good group of boats that fish around the state line up to pipeline but there wasn't alot of boats around anvil draw. As a matter of fact I told the ladies to set them out farther because I felt they were to close to the boat. Sheep Creek was probably more crowded but it seemed like they were fishing for rainbows closer to shore. We primarily fished in 80-100 feet of water.
Normally I subscribe to the 50/50 method. 50 feet set back then the weight, 50 feet more to reach the desired depth then the planer board and out as far as you wish but my wife recently attended a Kokanee seminar at Scheels with Art Pearce who said he puts his weight closer to the dodger so he can net the fish without removing the weight. It made sense to me because we would lose fish taking off the board, then taking off the weight seemed too many opportunities for the fish to come free. We put the weights about sixish feet behind the dodger then let out 80 feet more to reach the desired depth. We kinda guesstimated from a chart from redneck outfitters for our depth. We lost fewer fish using this method.
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i think it's more of a mental thing with the perceived crowds , that lake is the size of 20 regular lakes .
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Great report. I figured this front would have brought the wind in earlier than normal but sounds like you were ahead enough to put some fish in the boat.
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Good report, and great pic.....nice fish! ....but I'm also looking at your Surveyor insignia.....we have a 2011, 18'9 Surveyor that we really enjoy....So if you pulled yours up to the Gorge, did you pull your boat behind? I've seen a few do that, but that's a little out of my league..or you just stashing it up there? I'll be there this week to fight the wind and rain, and hopefully to fight a few that you threw back....Guluk...
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Did you use the same tackle for the pups or did you switch to something else?
Also, mind sharing where abouts In anvil you was marking the pups? Up by the regal nest/island or close to the pipe?
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Hey congrats, that sounds like a fun trip and looks like a great batch of fish... Glad the weather didn't ruin the fishing for ya... Later Jeff
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Great report, I hope to have some fun up there this weekend.
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The surveyor is my sister's fifth wheel. She does pull it along with her 22 ft pontoon on most occasions. We will be back up for memorial weekend in the b loop at Lucerne campground. Stop by and say hello if you get a chance.
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If you're heading north on the east side of the lake past the pipeline. There's a point that runs pretty shallow so you have to go wide around it. We usually do or best along that east shore line. We go up there until you get to about the ramp there at anvil and cut across there to the island then head to the point right before skunk cliffs. I apologize I'm not familiar with the correct name of the area. If I can figure out how to post it on a map I'll put it up for you. We usually do pretty good with the serpent viper spoons for pups down around 50-70 ft. I'll usually run Kokanee gear around 30-40 ft right now. So I stack the downriggers with Kokanee on top and pups on the bottom.
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The trip isn't over yet!!!! We decided to stay a couple of more days. Today was beautiful, a little overcast but not too much wind and sun from time to time. We tried down the Utah side at hideout all the way down to Carter Creek. Here's a picture of today's keepers. Sometime we'll have to get together so you can teach me some of your tricks.
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If you're coming back, we may pass you going up...we're leaving Layton 0500 tomorrow, but coming back Thurs. afternoon....so we'll probably be off the water around noon Thurs....if you'd be at your camp then we'd surely stop by.....
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Wow that sounds like a good deal and those koke are beauties. I’d love to join you sometime if I can ever find time. My summers are a little crazy busy but I know this is the best month for the gorge. Man I’d like to get there, but I just don’t know how I can get away with new water systems to get going and hay about ready to start cutting plus the kids new house I’ll probably need a rain check. And btw you’ll need to teach me, your getting a lot more hours clocked on that pond than I have so I’m sure you know it better than I do. I sure like fishing there though. It’s a great spot. Well if you get to hit it again, good luck and safe travels home. Later Jeff
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I got s pretty good idea where you’re talking about, I’ll have to make a trip over that way and see what I can find for pups!
We usually fish the pipeline “boulevard” pretty heavily for kokes or run up around the island.
Haven’t spent to much time fishing that easy side, sounds like I’ve been missing out.
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