school me on kokanee

[jasnt]

Me and my brother have been trolling for kokanee on horseshoe lake(pend Or. County) with no luck. We've tried kokanee killers and wedding rings or jackaloids and wed rings or mepps agilia with no luck.  Caught a few rainbows. I've caught them here before just bait fishing.  Im not sure what im doing wrong. Been trolling the surface. 

[Colin]

I watched this a few months back and thought it was fairly informative.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2CmGf43A6Q&list=UUfzGIE6_9MxmZCQEPTqzk0A

[Alchase]

Each lake is a little different on how or what they bite, but most common Kokanee rigs for trolling will include a flasher or blade string (UV are popular) short 12 - 16 inch leader if using hoochie (pink or combination of pink) or any lure that does not have it's own action or flash. The flasher will swing the lure back and forth. Or 16-24 inch leader for Wedding Ring, or any other bladed lure. A Double Whammy my favorite, I replace hooks with red Gamakatsus. I use a couple pink Gulp maggots on the top hood and white shoe-peg corn (with shrimp, anise, or other scent added) on the bottom hook. A down rigger if you have one to get you where the fish are. If no down rigger, then a 1 oz. banana sinker in front of the flasher with 24" - 36" leader to the flasher.
Trolling speed is usually higher then for trout, 2-4 is common, though I still prefer to troll slower 0.5 - 1.5 mph.
A fishfinder is the best tool to get you were the fish are.

Usually if you are where the fish are they will bite, but sometimes a color change  of scent change of your lure works wonders to trigger the bite.

Lots of great Kokanee videos on YouTube as well

[klikboom]

Light bodied lager, imported from Canada, reasonably priced, will get you drunk. What more do you need to know!?

[jasnt]

Light bodied lager, imported from Canada, reasonably priced, will get you drunk. What more do you need to know!?

[jasnt]

Each lake is a little different on how or what they bite, but most common Kokanee rigs for trolling will include a flasher or blade string (UV are popular) short 12 - 16 inch leader if using hoochie (pink or combination of pink) or any lure that does not have it's own action or flash. The flasher will swing the lure back and forth. Or 16-24 inch leader for Wedding Ring, or any other bladed lure. A Double Whammy my favorite, I replace hooks with red Gamakatsus. I use a couple pink Gulp maggots on the top hood and white shoe-peg corn (with shrimp, anise, or other scent added) on the bottom hook. A down rigger if you have one to get you where the fish are. If no down rigger, then a 1 oz. banana sinker in front of the flasher with 24" - 36" leader to the flasher.
Trolling speed is usually higher then for trout, 2-4 is common, though I still prefer to troll slower 0.5 - 1.5 mph.
A fishfinder is the best tool to get you were the fish are.

Usually if you are where the fish are they will bite, but sometimes a color change  of scent change of your lure works wonders to trigger the bite.

Lots of great Kokanee videos on YouTube as well

Thanks!  I maybe going a little slow. I been using the weight method but we are working on down riggers. Fish finder is a cheapy but it works.

[Alchase]

Loon lake up in your area use to have a ton of kokanee. When we stayed at Deer Lake resort, we caught a ton out at Loon of standard pop gear.

[jasnt]

I've fished loon plenty but horseshoe is 3miles away, no water skiers and way less pressure. 
I've always caught trout at loon but it seems your always dodging people and bouncing off the wakes.  Im thinking the down rigger is going to help alot. I just have no idea if my lures are getting down to the fishes level.

[Fishnclifff]

Each lake is a little different on how or what they bite, but most common Kokanee rigs for trolling will include a flasher or blade string (UV are popular) short 12 - 16 inch leader if using hoochie (pink or combination of pink) or any lure that does not have it's own action or flash. The flasher will swing the lure back and forth. Or 16-24 inch leader for Wedding Ring, or any other bladed lure. A Double Whammy my favorite, I replace hooks with red Gamakatsus. I use a couple pink Gulp maggots on the top hood and white shoe-peg corn (with shrimp, anise, or other scent added) on the bottom hook. A down rigger if you have one to get you where the fish are. If no down rigger, then a 1 oz. banana sinker in front of the flasher with 24" - 36" leader to the flasher.
Trolling speed is usually higher then for trout, 2-4 is common, though I still prefer to troll slower 0.5 - 1.5 mph.
A fishfinder is the best tool to get you were the fish are.

Usually if you are where the fish are they will bite, but sometimes a color change  of scent change of your lure works wonders to trigger the bite.

Lots of great Kokanee videos on YouTube as well

 

I'm gonna add and change some of what Alchase said.

I run Lake trolls or cowbells with BIG blades, preferably willow leafs. All nickle or chrome, or half brass/ half nickle. Bigger blades work well deeper and attract more fish.
We fish a 4 oz banana sinker, in-line, attached to the rudder on the flashers with a duo-lock snap. The leader between a sinker and a sling blade and hootchie is critical, but not a lake troll or cowbell rig.

Start at 30-50 pulls. Unless you use a line counter reel, then just set your depth with that. If you don't get a strike, go deeper. We will start at 30 and work our way down to 85 to 100 pulls or feet since I use a counter.

4oz will put your depth at about 75% of your pull count or what your line counter reads. Speed will make this angle vary, but 1-1.8 is the speed you want. Speed up a little, then slow back down. Use a Zig Zag trolling direction, never a straight line. Make wide turns.

We use wedding rings and small spinners. Change your hooks out to a #2 red or nickle hook. Kokes have big mouths. Also tie up double hook rigs on your wedding rings.

We fish Yale and Merwin, Lake Stevens. Never a dull moment and lots of limits.

[Alchase]

Cool, next time I go I will rig a couple "stiffies", along with the usual lighter stuff, to use 4 oz weights and big flashers and give them a try. I bet this works great later in the year when they start going deeper.