Kokanee feed almost exclusively on zooplankton, tiny aquatic animals from the size of a pinprick to the size of a small fish hook. They will also eat tiny plants, insects, and freshwater shrimp when available. They strain zooplankton from the water by means of many fine combs on the gills called gill rakers.
How do you catch Kokanee salmon ice fishing?
What depth do you ice fish for Kokanee?
It is important to note that Zooplankton is light sensitive, which means the brighter days will drive them deeper, and the Kokanee will follow. An angler will typically locate Kokanee during ice over anywhere from 15 feet down as much as 80 feet.
What lures to use for Kokanee?
Think salmon lures but smaller. Popular lures include inline trolls and dodgers, which are becoming increasingly popular due to their low water resistance. Spinners, spoons, hoochies and other types of salmon lures work for kokanee, just in much smaller sizes since most kokanee don’t exceed 15 inches.
What do I need to ice fish for Kokanee?
Popular baits when ice fishing for Kokanee are live pink maggots, synthetic pink maggots, shrimp and cured white shoepeg corn. Adding Pro Cure scents such as Bloody Tuna, Krill, Shrimp or Garlic scent can make the difference between the fish just checking out your gear to the fish attacking your lure!
What size hooks for Kokanee?
Hooks: Dropshot hooks (also called splitshot hooks) are much superior to the traditional Octopus style hook, said Black. He prefers sizes No. 2 or No. 4 and whether they are red or black does not matter.
How do you jig ice salmon?
How do you target Kokanee?
By far the most effective way to target this fish is by trolling. Fly fishing can be successful in the spring while Kokanee are cruising the shorelines, but majority of the open water season trolling is the most productive approach. Trolling also allows you to cover a large amount of water in a short period of time.
What time of year is best for kokanee fishing?
Late Spring In May and June, after rising shallow-water temperatures have forced kokanee to return to the deeper portions of a lake, you can catch them using gang trolls and dodgers trailing almost any kind of small lure (like spoons, flies, and hoochies). This is the time most anglers experience the greatest success.
How do you make a jig on kokanee?
Is Kokanee good to eat?
Kokanee is best eaten just before the spawning stage. Their flesh is the dazzling bright orange that many anglers long for, and it is richer in flavor than trout but softer than other salmon. If the fish is longer than 12 inches, you can fillet it.
How do you tie a Kokanee hook?
How do you catch a large Kokanee?
Usually a heavy one to three-ounce sinkers or lead core line is trolled slow and deep. A spinner rig tipped with a chunk of worm, maggot, or piece of corn is attached behind a large tandem flasher combination. This established method is excellent for catching small school kokanee in the eight to twelve inch range.
What depth do you ice salmon?
Most of the time you’ll want to be ice fishing for salmon at least 15 feet below the surface (and perhaps down to 80 feet). Where you can use multiple rigs or tipups, set up to cover a broad expanse where the depth of the bottom is sloping downward.
Can you ice fish Lake Huron?
Ice Fishing While the ice cover has been getting thinner in recent years, there’s still a good chance that it’ll be there if you visit in January. Popular fish when the lake freezes over are Perch, Northern Pike, Walleye, and various Trout species.
What time of year does kokanee?
A kokanee can spawn in a variety of different time periods called runs. Individual populations can have multiple runs associated with the kokanee in a lake and occur from August to February. Some kokanee have been seen spawning in April. The female kokanee creates a nest called a redd.
How do you get kokanee without trolling?
Jigging for Kokanee This isn’t something you can do from the shore, but there are some places in the country where you might be able to do this from a dock. If you don’t have a trolling motor on your boat, like ice fishing, or have access to a long dock, this is a really effective option for catching kokanee.
How do you fish for kokanee without a downrigger?
What is the limit for kokanee in California?
Yes. You may keep 5 kokanee and 5 trout species per day.
How fast should you troll for kokanee?
Trolling Speeds and Tactics Much slower speeds are used when trolling for Kokanee. Unlike when fishing for Rainbow Trout where the average speed is over 2mph, speeds for Kokanee range from . 8 to 1.8 mph. Kokanee tend to follow your gear for miles around the lake until something changes.
Can you cast for kokanee?
The Lindy Viking and PK Flutterfish in the 1/8 to 1/4-ounce sizes both cast well and come in the pink and orange colors preferred by kokanee. If casting is not your forte a small jig tipped with a waxworm 3 to 6-feet under a bobber will also work.
How do you rig buzz bombs?
What kind of fish is a Kokanee?
Kokanee are landlocked Sockeye Salmon. Like Sockeye, Kokanee mature between 3 to 5 years of age and then die once they have spawned. They feed almost exclusively on Zooplankton. They strain zooplankton from the water by means of many fine combs on their gills called “gill rakers”.
How do you troll on Kokanee?
Can you eat Kokanee salmon raw?
After all, kokanee are salmon, and, as you may well know, sockeye flesh is the reddest of them all. And that flesh is richer than most trout, a bit soft like salmon is, and hates being overcooked — although you cannot safely eat kokanee raw unless it has been frozen first for at least a week.