Hit the lake at about 8:30 a.m., using spoons with no bait or scent with single hooks we set out. Melanie flatlining had most of the luck, with 2 rods on the downrigger I still couldn't keep up with her. She limitedwith one rod by the time I had 3 fish on 2 poles on downriggers! She even caught the only kokanee of the day on the surface! More hold overs then stockers, but we released 4 or 5 small trout.Largest trout was just over 14, next was over 13, both deeper. Koke was only 8 inches or so. I don't know why WDFW stocks these 7 to 8 inch fish, (both trout and kokes) useless for anything, keep them in pens 'tll they are at least 9 or 10 inches. I don't even know why people are off the hook to catch kokes in this lake, for Melanie and myself the holdover trout are much tastier and put up a decent fight, being bigger. If anyone limits on kokes using corn or other scents without trout in the bag they are illegally releasing trout while using bait, there are just too many trout in there for this type of actvity. I've called out more then one person for this unethical behavior.
You cannot limit on kokes using corn or other bait as the Rainbows are much too prevelant. On that note a truck had just dropped off 5000 + stockers, jerks were on the shore at the launch using power bait to "catch and release" dead and dying fish so they could continue past 5. Watched some moron yank hooks out of two and through them back in with gills completely ripped out and bleeding profusely.I called them out on it quite vigorously, they just basically ignored me as i yelled at them. I tried WDFW, after 4 calls( the recorder said that they were closed due to after hours, This is at 1:00 P.M., after 3 calls to 911 I finally got through only to be told, we only have 2 guys and 1 of them is on a call. Real typical, I don't think ANY of my calls to them in the past(5 to 10) have had ANY timely response, our law enforcement for fishing is pathetic. How these guys justify their pay is beyond me. Bob R

Hunter757

5/19/2015 7:07:00 PM

I don't think there is anyone that is off the hook for catching kokanee at this lake. I know myself that I enjoy targeting this fishery and enjoy eating them. They are on the small side for the most part but will grow as the season goes along. Think of you like to catch hold over trout vs fresh stocker, this is how some guys feel about kokanee vs trout. I enjoy eating both so makes no difference to me what I bring home as long as I catch fish and have fun doing it.

You will never get anywhere with wdfw they put the fish in the lake for guys to catch and eat. Look at Green lake this past year when the put all those fish in there and raised the limits to 10 fish there were people going nuts and taking way more then allowed. Took a week or two of complaining and wdfw went down there. As long as I do my part and know I am keeping within the rules that all that matters. I would inform them of the rules and let it go, not worth the stress but understand your point of view as I feel the same way. When we left the other day there was a dead fish laying on the bank wasted.

Tight lines,

Eric

Toni

5/19/2015 9:56:00 PM

Wdfw doesn't plant large kokanee. Those 7-8 inch kokanee were planted last spring or the year before that, as fry.

Bob R

5/19/2015 10:32:00 PM

They may want to change their stratagy, I have fished that lake off and on for almost 40 years, in the last 10 or so anything over 8 or 9 inches is somewhat unusual. I've seen diff. stratagies where larger kokes were planted at lower rates and survival was up and quality improved. Smaller kokes is why I don't fish Yale or Cushman anymore. Thanks for posts. bob r

Toni

5/20/2015 6:33:00 AM

They hold the fish 6 months longer before planting and they are still fry. There are lots of different reasons for small kokanee. Maybe they need to plant less fry.
Planting
2013 01-Oct-13 SUMMIT LK (THUR) 2012 Fry AD
2013 20-Jun-13 SUMMIT LK (THUR) 2012 Fry
2013 09-Oct-13 SUMMIT LK (THUR) 2012 Fry AD

Toni

5/20/2015 6:34:00 AM

AD is clipped adipose fin

Toni

5/20/2015 6:46:00 AM

Sorry I messed that up
8721 Fry AD
130194 Fry
13053 Fry AD

Bob R

5/20/2015 7:17:00 AM

Limited food supply is prob. the reason, less fish planted would improve that, but numbers are still low, not many clusters on fishfinder. If less fish are planted will that still result in larger fish? Seems like there's not a lot there now, so not sure what strategy might help, it's not like they can put myosis (sp.?) shrimp in there to improve food supply like in Lake Chelan. That's a high altitude somewhat sterile lake. I just know it's a difficut lake to fish for kokes without running into small rainbows ans small kokes, and catching and releasing small kokes and smaller trout while using bait ain't the answer either. I spoke to the state biologist last year, he said diff. release tactics for koke fry might help, they dumped them out in the mddle of the lake rather then just dumping them at the launch. Don't think it made much difference , though. We did limit using no scent and no bait, improved overall catch sizes, we probably released 4 or 5 smaller fish. Using single hooks helped for sure, those trokar hooks are good, great hook-ups for successful releases. We have also done well using sickle hooks, less lost fish. bob r

buc

5/23/2015 11:10:00 AM

911 is not for this type of problem your risking the lives of others when you make these types of calls to 911.

Bob R

5/25/2015 7:03:00 AM

Actually that's what the state police tell you to do if you can't get through to fish and wildlife, the dispatcher routes your call. bob r

Bob R

5/25/2015 7:07:00 AM

And to BUC, what's with disabling your private message inbox? Getting bad messages? bob r

Bob R

5/30/2015 6:31:00 AM

You know I pointed out that the state police tell people to call 911 to report poaching in progress when phone of WDFW is on message, and you don't respond to that lie you that you propogated about "putting people at risk'. What do you do when you see someone stealing from all of us by poaching? Not say anything? It IS our place to confront poachers, I think it's pretty lame to just watch it happen, I guess you condone poaching, huh? Maybe you are a poacher yourself. It's too bad you're in Eastern WA. I'd like to see you poaching someday. See what that would get you.You are a real piece of work, you admit you are hassling me because you don't think it's my place to confront poachers , takes someone with no backbone to post garbage like that. Hiding behind a screen is what a real coward does. You got a bad taste in your mouth from getting your hand slapped by mods for posting garbage in the past. You are an uneducated fisherman who gets his rocks off trolling for other fishermen rather then fish. You're pathetic (or you would be) if you weren't a trash-minded troller of others posts. As it is you just generate hate, but that's your point, isn't it? To trash post by others you don't like on line? Get a life! Bob R
P.S.P.M. me sometime if you come west of the mts., I'd love to meet you sometime, it's nice to put a face on hate.

buc

6/1/2015 1:15:00 PM

Cant wait !!!!!!

G-Man

6/1/2015 3:08:00 PM

I'll confirm what Bob was told. If you call Fish and Game and they don't pick up, the recording instructs you to call 911. In rare cases, a sheriff will respond , in most instances, no one will. I've called out people keeping trout and using bait on the Cedar many times. Most of the time they make up a bogus excuse, but you can tell they know they are poaching. Only once did enforcement ever show and they let them off with a warning, despite the 4 fish they had in the cooler, barbed hooks and power bait they were using.

G-Man

6/1/2015 3:13:00 PM

Note: the cure for small kokanee is to plant fewer fry.

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