Kokanee prefer slower trolling speeds than trout or walleye. 1.2 mph is the ultimate sweet spot and speeds ranging from 0.8 mph to 1.7 mph entice kokanee to strike in most situations. Kokanee may be aggressive but they sure can be picky about your tackle presentation.
How fast should you troll when fishing?
The best trolling speed depends on several factors including the type of fish, water conditions and lure choice. In general, trolling speeds between 1.5 and 2.5 mph, as measured by GPS, are a good starting place for most species like walleye, trout and salmon.
How fast should you troll for salmon?
The best trolling speed for salmon will lie somewhere in the range of 1.5 to 3.5 mph depending on your exact setup. Dodgers are designed to dart from side to side without much spinning. If you start to run at speeds above 2.5 mph you may well end up making the dodger spin.
What line do you troll for kokanee?
Line: Black prefers monofilament, because kokanee are known for having a soft mouth. Maxima Ultragreen in the 10- or 12-pound strength are his staples.
How far behind the boat should I troll?
Every boat is different and you should make your boat your own study. Proper distance for most boats will be anywhere from 20 feet to 150 feet behind your boat. Whether you have inboard diesel or outboard gas engines, your power dictates the distance you troll your baits and lures.
How much line should I let out for a troll?
Trolling Depth Trick #3
Consider the following example: If you’re trolling a tandem rig tied with two five-ounce bucktails (5 x 2 = 10), and you let out 100 feet of line (double 50, so multiply by two again), according to the Rule it will run at about 20 feet below the surface (5 x 2 = 10 x 2 = 20).
How do you catch Kokanee?
Kokanee tend to be an open water fish, and most anglers target them from a boat or flotation device such as a kayak or float tube. Very few are caught from the bank. Kokanee can be found anywhere from close to the surface to hundreds of feet down, in deeper lakes.
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 can I reduce my troll speed?
- Shut Down Your Boat’s Engine(s) If your boat has multiple outboards, shutting down one or more engines will allow you to drop speed.
- Shifting Engines Out of Gear.
- Using Drift Socks and Trolling Bags.
- Benefits of an Auxiliary Outboard Engine.
- Using an Electric Motor.
- Outboard Engines with Troll Mode.
How fast can you troll with a downrigger?
Most people troll at 1.5 to 3.5 mph. How do you know if you are at the right speed? Sure, you can look at your GPS speed over ground readings, but you see your downrigger lines are almost straight at 2 mph.
What do Kokanee fish eat?
zooplankton
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 fast should you troll for grouper?
One of the things that you should remember when it comes to trolling for grouper is to take it slow. Go at 2 knots. Downriggers or planars are great for methods for trolling for grouper.
Should you troll with or against the current?
When in an area with current, troll crosscurrent as opposed to with and/or against the current. Going crosscurrent, you don’t have to worry about how the current is affecting your lure’s or bait’s speed through the water. Plus, fish generally swim into the current.
How fast do you troll crankbaits?
Changing speeds is key
Typical crankbait trolling speeds are 1.5 – 3 mph, and there are times when it makes a big difference. If you are marking bait and fish but not hooking up, don’t be afraid to speed up or slow down. Making “S” turns is also a good way to test several speeds at once.
Can you troll without a downrigger?
The secret to trolling without a downrigger is being able to replicate success. That is why I highly recommend a level-wind reel with a built-in line counter. If you don’t have a line counter for your reel, just find a repeatable method to play out line. Another consideration when choosing a reel is spool size.
How deep do you fish for kokanee?
If the fish are schooling in water no deeper than 50 feet, you’ll want to use ½ ounce jigs, but you likely will want to go heavier if fishing any deeper. Over 100 feet, you also should switch to glow lures.
How much line do you need behind a downrigger ball?
For trout, you’ll want to run your offering from 50 to 200 feet behind the downrigger weight depending on the depth you are fishing. The deeper you fish the shorter your line can be. When kokanee and kings are the target you can shorten your lines considerably.
Does kokanee fight hard?
Moving up the scale are diminutive fish like kokanee salmon. They fight hard pound for pound, but they usually weigh in in the ounces. How hard can a 12-ounce fish possibly fight? Plus, their mouths are as durable as wet toilet paper, so there is no way you are going to pull too hard on them.
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.Even if you butterfly or fillet your Kokanee, leave the skin on when you grill it.
How do you catch a large kokanee?
Always use the front line hole coming through the slanted front of the lure. This gives the perfect kokanee action. The rear hole which comes through the top of the lure gives a very erratic action kokanee do not seem fond of. When you get kokanee on top of the water prior to netting they usually go crazy.
Can you troll with a drift sock?
The preferred way to use your drift sock for trolling is to first find the fish or landmark on the map you want to target. Then continue past the spot heading into the wind. Drop all lures or bait into the water that you want to use. Deploy your drift sock and let it slow the boat down.
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