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Stevens Lake Report
Snohomish County, WA

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Details

04/16/2016
61° - 65°
Trolling
Kokanee
Corn
Orange
Sunny
Dodger
Morning
56° - 60°
04/17/2016
4
1883

Today was more like a 3 1/2 star day, but I will give it a 4 anyway. I had my lines in the water right around 6am. Nothing the first 30 minutes for me, nor did I see any other nets in the water. Then the action picked up. I got 4 fish on in about a 20 minute period, and lost each one. This was looking like a repeat of last weekend for me. After the 4th "are you kidding me", I landed 2 fairly quickly. Then just like that the bite shut off.

Talked to quite a few people in other boats that were having the same experience. Many of them had been out Friday and were commenting on how on Friday the bite was hard and heavy, but today the fish were very finicky. There was one boat out in the morning that I know of the had a real good day. I saw one of the guide boats comment that they were really having to search today.

I started playing around with different lure choices, and found 1 that seemed to get their attention. It took awhile, but I found it. The problem at first was that getting their attention meant getting about 5 consecutive drive by bait stealing strikes. One hard thump, then nothing. After that I landed 3 of the next 4 fish.

Started the morning with a Dick Nite Clown Dodger followed by a Radical Glow spinner in pink on one rod and on the downrigger line a Macks Double D Dodger in pink followed by a Radical Glow spinner in pink and white. I tried slightly different combinations at the start, but this is what got me bites early. Later when the bite died down the long line got all of the action when I switched it to an orange double hook wedding ring with a sliver blade. It was the only orange one I had otherwise I would have changed the downrigger line to it as well. I tried many different lures on the downrigger line, but nothing I threw on it could get get any interest.

The long line I started with a very small rubber cored lead weight, and later moved it to a 1/4 ounce. I has running it 30 - 40 pulls back, so maybe 50 - 60 feet. The downrigger line only got the 1 fish at 5 feet down, 50 feet back from the clip. Pautzke's Fire Corn in red soaked in Kokanee Super Dipping sauce was used all day. I also dunked the lures in the sauce every 20 - 30 minutes.

Surface temp started at 53, but climbed to 58 by the end of the day. 1.25 - 1.5 seemed to be the speed that triggered strikes. Nothing hit at slower or faster than that range.

Fish were 11 inches to 13 1/2 inches.

I also really played around with the drag setting so that if the fish gave a hard tug it could take a little line. Seemed to help. I also found that if I asked the fish to "please stay on" as I was reeling in helped as well. At least that it is what I am telling myself.


Comments

ElginFishing
4/17/2016 6:48:00 AM
Hi JoshH,
Nice job catching 5 Kokes, it's not easy! Just wondering of all the different lures you tried, did you try a God's Tooth spoon?
JoshH
4/17/2016 11:49:00 AM
Those are not part of my arsenal. Closest I tried was a Pro Troll e-chip lure. I did notice a place right next to where I work sells the Elgin Gods Tooth spoons. I will have to give them a visit monday.
RL44
4/17/2016 2:02:00 PM
you have a line counter reel what type line how fast you trolling
RL44
4/17/2016 2:02:00 PM
you have a line counter reel what type line how fast you trolling
JoshH
4/17/2016 4:04:00 PM
The downrigger rod is just a cheap Cabela's kokanee rod/reel combo. It just has the Cabelas logo and Depthmaster III. Its a 7'6" light action rod. Line on it is Izorline 12lb mono. I wanted to put 10lb on but in a rush I didnt keep enough tension while spooling it, so I stripped it back off and spooled the 12lb. Trolling speed was between 1.25 - 1.50 according the the Lowrance.
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Available Guide

Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service

Phone: (509) 687-0709