kevinbe
8/8/2011 6:36:00 PMO.K. You win. Nicely done. I do everything you mentioned in your report, and come up short every time. A lot must have to do with experience, as I'm still only in my third season at it.
Great looking fish. Way to Go!
Great looking fish. Way to Go!
tnga
8/8/2011 9:46:00 PMkevinbe, We are very fortunate to have such a great night time kokanee fishery at Loon Lake that is only 30 minutes from Spokane and seems to be good every Summer. I have fished here for many years and my equipment and techniques haven't changed much through the years. One thing you probably realize by now about night kokanee fishing is how soft they bite, or nibble. Being able to detect this bite then setting the hook immediately is the most important factor and can make the difference between filling a limit or going home with a goose egg. I often take friends fishing with me and the most difficult thing for them is detecting the bite. But I help them detect the bite and it's not long before they start catching fish. All of my fishing gear and boat are set up to make detecting this bite easier, including a well lit boat, shorter rods, braided line, and even a small LED light aimed at my rod tip. Also, kokanee VERY rarely bite at a bare and still hook, so I always make sure there is bait on my jig and keep the jig moving with intermittent pauses. Hope this helps and good luck fishing!
dkelliott3
8/15/2011 3:36:00 PMThanks tnga for the report. I was at Loon over the past two weeks and I agree, the 'bite' was sooo soft, almost imperceptible. Especially in the second week of August. In the first week of Aug. I got my 10 fish in 27 minutes, but then later in the week and the next week, the bite slowed down.
One night took 2 1/2 hours to limit, and then one night I was out for 3 hours and only took two fish home.
I did learn that it was important to use a fresh can of corn, as the bite got so slight, any soft pieces of corn would get sucked clean with no perceptible nibbles.
Whether the fishing is slow or fast, it's always fun.
One night took 2 1/2 hours to limit, and then one night I was out for 3 hours and only took two fish home.
I did learn that it was important to use a fresh can of corn, as the bite got so slight, any soft pieces of corn would get sucked clean with no perceptible nibbles.
Whether the fishing is slow or fast, it's always fun.
collman
8/15/2011 6:51:00 PMI never had fishing in the night. But it really sounds like fun. So, do I need launch the boat at public access? since all private resorts are closing at night? Thank you ahead.
tnga
8/16/2011 4:51:00 PMcollman: I don't know if the private resorts offer launching/loading at night since I've never used them and have always just used the public access on the northwest side of the lake. Make sure and bring a head lamp with you since it makes loading your boat in the dark much easier.
collman
8/16/2011 6:52:00 PMtnga : Thank you. Can you let me know which area is good on Loon lake at night? Is there a dock too at the public access?
collman
8/16/2011 6:57:00 PMtnga : Thank you. Can you let me know which area is good on Loon lake at night? Is there a dock too at the public access?
tnga
8/16/2011 9:00:00 PMCollman: Yes, There is a dock at the public access which makes launching and loading much easier. This time of year finds most of the schools of kokanee scattered throughout the lake, however, most fisherman tend to fish the south and west side of the lake (near the highway and railroad tracks). Anchored in 30 to 35 feet of water near Granite Point Resort is a popular spot and all you have to do is look for all the anchored/lighted boats on any given Friday and Sat night. Having a fish finder is helpful in finding your depth, but also with knowing when schools of kokanee have moved under your boat and usually indicates the bite is about to get hot!