After reading in the saturday paper that people were having some luck catching kokanee at alder lake we decided to drive down and give it a try. Hit the water at around 12;30, several boats were leaving as we arrived, no one was having much luck but they were all first timers that knew nothing about the lake....just like us...

The reports I heard were that the inlet of the nisqually river was the best spot for kokes, so we launched and proceeded to go the wrong way on the lake from the launch but within 45 mins I was bringing in my third koke. It was the first keeper at 11 inches. the first two being around 6 a piece. But they were indeed biting. We did lose several right at the boat, since they are the masters of throwing the hook once on the surface... Along the way I did manage to lose 3 different wedding band set ups to the lake bottom.....and made a few of my own lures to replace them, with my best being one made up from 2 broken lures I found in the bottom of the tacklebox, a few beads, and some 8 pound test line.

We then figured out which way to go to get to the nisqually and proceeded to troll up the lake. Wouldn't you know it, my new lure worked right away....well, almost...I caught a crappie....let it go and dropped it back into the water,...10 mins later, another bite,...another crappie....hmmm.... perhaps I built the perfect crappie lure...5 crappie in about 35 mins, and not one kokanee or trout....

We never made it all the way to the nisqually since the biggest motor on our boat in just an 18hp that won't quite get the boat on plane, but we did make it back to the lauch before it started getting dark. Next time we get here sooner and head straight for the far end of the lake and get some good koke fishing in....happy times and tight lines everyone.

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