Detecting Kokanee bites on downriggers

[Griiz]

Hi guys,

I've been out multiple times last spring/early summer and am looking forward to another season of Kokanee fishing. I have definitely gotten hooked on these little buggers. I still haven't caught one though. My girlfriend (first mate) has caught a couple. I just steer the boat. I would like to get your guys tips on detecting the bite. It seems as though these fish can't break the line loose from the downrigger releases and the motion of the boat rocking and waves makes it hard for me to see the rods showing a bite. If you guys have any advice, I'd appreciate it.

Run a 4 to 5 foot line from your line clip to your cable. It allows you to see little shakers when salmon fishing also. I just break the line loose by realing pole tip into water and pulling up with fishing pole pointed at eownrigger ball = you don't break your pole.

Are you saying to make the release longer? I think they are like 30" or something like that.

Yes, cut the line off and tie your own from the release clip to the clamp that goes on the wire.

[Bill W]

Run a 4 to 5 foot line from your line clip to your cable. It allows you to see little shakers when salmon fishing also. I just break the line loose by realing pole tip into water and pulling up with fishing pole pointed at eownrigger ball = you don't break your pole.

This and a kokanee rod (aka a flyrod or ultralight spinning rod).   I use one I bought at Outdoor Emporium and have a casting reel on it.   That one was not a spinning rod style.  I also had a rod built on a 5 wt 9' fly rod blank and it shows everything.

[95powersmoker]

Last season I fished only on Lake Stevens, however I have a couple weekends planned down at Merwin this year and hopefully make a trip or two to Chelan. The fish we have caught so far have been 10-12" or so. We are using 7' Lamiglas Glass downrigger rods. They are pretty lightweight and I can load them up pretty good on the releases. I just have a hard time seeing the bite without the fish popping the line out of the release and the boat rocking which gives the rod a slight bumping action. We have 8lb test on our rods and use a flasher and about 14" of leader to our rigs. After talking with WSU, we seem to be doing mostly the right things. I just need to get it tuned in. I do appreciate all the suggestions you guys have to offer. Keep em coming if you would.

[Alchase]

One other tip, Kokes tend to school up by size. If you are catching a lot of smaller fish changing up your depth or speed can bring you into were the bigger fish are sometimes.

[h20hunter]

Here is a little clip from taking my boy and his buddy Andrew out for their first koke trip. They drove the boat all over...had a blast, and landed a few.

[95powersmoker]

Nice video h2ohunter.

Another question, how many of you guys are running braided downrigger line?