Kokes, Lake Stevens

[h20hunter]

Anyone fishing yet? I've got some koke gear and plan on getting after it this season. Feel free to share your tips and go to colors and I'll do the same.

[lostbackpacker]

not fishing yet.  Greg's Custom Rods in Lake Stevens is a very good source on how hot the bite. 

[woods walker]

It been hit and miss with the weather but it should be heating up soon pink orange and green have been my goto colors just look for the schools and change up your speed good luck .

[mallard79]

We hit 6 and lost several ina coupl hours of fishing about a month ago. Went last weekend and not even a bite. If we get a few warmer days it will pick up. It's still a little early. 

[Ripper]

If you need someone to tag along H20, let me know. I've only fished Kokes on Stevens once, but it was fun. I'd like to give it a shot again sometime. Orange was the ticket that time.

[h20hunter]

Sure thing buddy.

[snocohunter]

I meant to mention it to you the other day when you were showing off the new growler. I'm getting really antsy to go. I haven't seen any boats out in the mornings, still a bit early. We will definitely have to slay a few this year. That time we went out was a little tough but i'm going all out with the arsenal this year.

[h20hunter]

I hear yah....we got the flashers and gear all tucked away in their own little koke box.

[Alchase]

I found Kokes when in the mood, don't care what you throw at them. When they are being finicky, pink is my go to color but green also works. I find myself changing up the spinner/flasher shape or size more then color. I buy the Double Whammys with the double gamakatsu hooks and use pink power bait maggots on the top hook and shoepeg corn soaked in shrimp oil on the bottom hook. 
I replace the spinners with various sized and shaped spinners.
I also switch up between a small flasher or a minnow blade string. Another thing is to ensure you have a snubber between the lure and the swivel, this saves allot of loss when they go into their death spiral, LOL.
I also vary my speed from as high as 2 mph - 0.5 mph.

Here is a good site for Kokanee stuff
http://www.wannafishalure.com/

[Alchase]

I forgot, I also put swivels between weight (I do not use a downrigger) and lure. Each lure rig gets their own swivels as well. That way I can quickly swap out either lure, blade string, flasher, or weight, quickly. Lure holders or piece of foam ( 3/4-in x 6-ft Foam Plumbing Tubular Pipe Insulation cut in 6 in. lengths) works great for storing lure rigs.

[sled]

  Lots Of Fish Jumping Today.  Don't Know What Kind.

[mallard79]

We run a locking snap swivel on the end our main line then pre tie our leaders to the lengths we want and put a swivel on them. This makes for very fast and easy rig changes. We keep our leaders ready to go on a piece of pool noodle from the dollar store to keep lots of rigs ready at all times.

Don't get stuck on a single scent if you are marinating your corn. Try different mixtures until you find one that works. Everyone has their go to but it is good to have others. I have one that I use 90% of the time but will have corn marinating in several other scents as well in case the bite slows. We also don't use corn for more than three consecutive days.

We run longer set backs off the downrigger than most people. I know this helps when the fish are shallow.

Slow slow slow.....Most people troll too fast. My most productive speed on Lake Stevens has always been 1.1 mph. I use my hand heald gps for my speed. Water speed can be off if there is any wind so land speed is what I use.

I can't wait til it gets good! Here are a few pics...first is how we keep our leaders, second is the product of a couple hrs when they are biting good, third is a not our biggest from last year but a good one.

Good luck out there and say hi if you see a grey Wooldridge out there.

[Alchase]

Last year finding white shoe peg corn  or pink Powerbait maggots was extremely hard in the Puyallup area. I ordered a case of 12 jars of Amazon last summer.

Another note - if you use scents on your corn, use a small jar and mix up just enough to get through a day or two. Any longer and the corn starts to breakdown pretty badly.

Mallard79, those are some nice looking fish!

[doyourtime89]

I am new to kokanee fishing myself.  Last year was the first time I fished them.  But me and my son did really good.  I was reading through here and have heard other people talk about using the rubber snubber.  That is something we didn't use.  I was wondering where you tie that?  I use a down rigger so I just have a dodger and short leader to my spinner?  Where would you put the snubber?  Right above the dodger?  I use a really short leader and use fluorocarbon so I wouldn't want to put that between my dodger and spinner right??

[h20hunter]

The snubber is to limit the shock at the bite and during the fight....helps prevent the hooks pulling out.