Finally submitting a report in a somewhat timely fashion... Got the Blue Hoochie up to Roosevelt for some redemption after a couple of relatively fruitless and hard fished trips in late winter/early spring (couple of rainbow and kokanee on two separate trips but nothing spectacular). Also for my record I want to mention a trip to Hayden Lake in ID back in April that was also slow with around ten smaller kokanee total for two days (anyone else fishing Hayden? haven't seen any reports but we fished hard for 10-12 inch fish that didn't want to bite well) and also a bottom fishing trip out of Westport at the beginning of May in which we limited on lings and rockfish. I personally caught 3-4 smaller lings and around my limit of 10 rockfish. Boat had a 27 lber that just missed the derby prize dressed. If you want a big ling hit up Westport for good chances!

On to the more important facts. Headed up to Spring Canyon Friday on a late 7 AM start. Spent much of the night before and early morning getting all my gear dialed in. It was a rough go as about 5 miles out of the gate we totally lost a trailer tire. Freak accident? Who knows but it got us an even later start. Got the tire swapped and on the road again for the 2 1/2 hour drive.

Arrived at Roosevelt about 11 with lines in the water at 11:30. It wasn't long until we picked up our first fish (11:40). I had a hunch the Southwest wind and the rising lake would be moving feed into the Swawilla basin. So must have some other folks because we showed up to a small group of boats. I had committed to fishing it so I stuck it out. We dropped in and just as we were edging outside of one of our fellow fishers we were recipients of the most EPIC kokanee take down I have ever witnessed. The rod tip on my lami must have been 6 inches in the water. I thought we were caught on that other guys gear but my fishing partner picked it up and it was a fish. Got lucky on the first one and my buddy played it out nicely after some good runs and we got it in the net. His first kokanee ever and a dandy.

As we continued our troll the kokanee madness set in. I proceeded to lose one on my long line and then the most savage kokanee I have ever hooked off of a downrigger. The long line fish broke my 8 lb flouro leader. As I was tying leaders the night previous I knew I should have switched to heavier leader. Good bye pink Kekeda (I will be making an order soon Dave!). The next fish was fighting so hard I was honestly not prepared for it. Never has a kokanee fought me that hard. The take down was off the clip and savage and when I grabbed the rod it was like a chrome bright king on my light tackle, smoking my drag. In my stunned state trying to figure out which way to play I accidentally thumbed the reel for a split second and felt the dreaded head shake and pop. Luckily we didn't lose the kokabow hawk spinner that was my terminal lure but we did lose what I am assuming must have been a HUGE kokanee.

After losing the two fish we got everything set back again and continued our troll towards the inside of the basin. My buddy hooked and lost a small rainbow right next to the boat. It's easy to get overconfident on those small bows after hammering a huge koke. Hooked another one up and played it gingerly. Was very nervous after the two prior mishaps but swam the fish into the boat like I knew what I was doing. It fought valiantly but nothing like the previous fish. Still a new PB at 21" and 3.5 lbs, woo hoo!

After all the cluster we decided to run just downriggers as most of the fish were biting on the riggers. Flipped around at about the inside point of the basin and hooked into another one in shallow. Got my buddy's second hawg kokanee into the boat for his limit. Trolled back out to the group of boats with no luck then as we got to the back side of Swawilla hooked up on a nice fish again. It popped the clip, tension was gone, I grabbed the rod and reeled like a madman to some tension. Wasn't sure if it was there and then all of the sudden both of us saw the blue bullet in the clear water streaking towards the boat. I reeled faster than I thought humanly possible and caught up to the fish with a large portion of luck. The rodeo continued. Got a double and the second fish ran straight to the surface spitting our best pink hoochie like that old time cartoon fish spitting tobacco (anyone?). Both of us saw that thing flying through the air for about four feet.

After dancing around rods, downrigger cables and the electric bowmount we finally got that hot fish to the back corner of the boat lifting it into the net like a tired baby into its cradle. Boat limits around 1 in a little over a hour. Decided to troll our lines a bit shallower and see if we could get a couple of bonus rainbow. Back towards the main channel we hooked one more koke that again ran straight to the surface and jumped sounding like a 2 X 4 smacking the water surface upon its return to the depths. No chance on that one. All in all an awesome trip, 4/8 kokanee and one small rainbow lost. If I go back I will no doubt be switching all my leaders to 15 lb flouro which will hopefully increase the landing ratio. Hot color was a solid pink hoochie with chart. beads and pink smile blade. Downriggers at 18 and 20 feet, long lines 120-150 feet back with 1 oz lead over 180 to 50 feet of water. Trolling speed 1.5-1.8 mph.

These fish are quality and angry and will not be forgotten. A blast to catch, get out there and do it! I still can't believe the fight they had. Hopefully going to be back one more time this month, tight lines all!

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