Herzog's Kokanee 101, 201 and 301: anybody need help?

[NWWildCountry]

In the spirit of education, I've talked Professor Zog into sitting down for a series of Kokanee Klasses over the next couple of weeks, leading up to the Lake Stevens Kokanee Derby. Although, as Zog has repeatedly pointed out on the air lately: "Y'all are just fishing for second place."

Kidding aside, I know some of you are kokanee newbies. It's a rapidly growing sport, and I'd expect the participation at this first Lake Stevens derby to be sensational. But let's tap into the mind of a certified koke freak, shall we?

Over the next two weeks, we'll dedicate much lively on-air discussion about kokanee technique with Bill Herzog and an all-star cast of West Coast kokanee Yodas, all with the Lake Stevens Derby in mind.

Questions, anyone? Let's hear 'em. AS DETAILED AS YOU WANT 'EM. We're ready to dive into the intricate details of a fishery that's as technical as any trolling you'll ever do for blackmouth.

We look forward to the Qs, and we'll do our best to provide some sensational As.

JS/NWWC

[Big_Daddy]

I'm going to follow Zog around and pitch Seal Bombs next to his boat...............

[NWWildCountry]

Do it! Because, I'm competing against him, too.

JS/NWWC

[Big_Daddy]

I just downloaded a aerial map of the lake......

I am starting to lay out the tactical pattern as we speak...............

[SeaRanger21]

I'm going to follow Zog around and pitch Seal Bombs next to his boat...............

Now that just sounds like all kinds of fun.

[fishn2gthr4ever]

I just downloaded a aerial map of the lake......

I am starting to lay out the tactical pattern as we speak...............

[Chuck S]

Might just be time to load up the ole tater gun for this one

[Kokanee Kid]

I got a few for the "pirate of american lake"

Why apex lures?
Why gulp maggots?
What scents does he use?
Why rmt doggers?
When can we repo the kokes we gave to utah?
Whats a kokanee, a beer?
What is his top 3 combos, and when does he use them?
Why was/is his boat broken?

and most important:

When is he guna take me & dbfeild koke fishin?

And sorry to be a pain joel, but can i get the answers on here. Some of us are slaves to a time clock on saturday and no radio

[hottshott206]

whats the top ways to catch these fish with out downriggers?

[Bubba]

I just downloaded a aerial map of the lake......

I am starting to lay out the tactical pattern as we speak...............

The captains job is never done.

[NWWildCountry]

KOKANEE KID: Here's the first of Herzog's A's to your excellent kokanee Q's. More to come shortly:

Q. What scents do you use?
Zog: Pautzke Gel Krill #1 above anything else, and crawfish/anise Smelly Jelly. I also have a secret concoction that I've used the past three years that I've NEVER told anybody about. It's the shizzle. Tune in on Saturday: I'm going to share my formula.

KK: I'll see if I can maybe e-mail that to you.

JS/NWWC

[Lake WA Fishr]

Speed; what is the slowest you've ever caught them and what is the fastest you've ever caught them? Does time of year have a bearing on your trolling speed?


Does the dodger / bare hook routine ever work for kokes like it does for socks?

[winterun]

Joel,
Ask Willie if he goes through a pre-fish routine before he hits the lake???

You know kinda like a pre-game routine, and does he have any superstitous habits before hand??? Like making sure he eats Hostess Ho-Ho's, or a certain Latte made at a certain stand before hand???

Winterun

[Gray Ghost]

whats the top ways to catch these fish with out downriggers?

Fly reel loaded with 30lb. Dacron backing with 6" Blind Splice loop, lightly Aquasealed.
Backing looped to 110 yds. of 15-20lb. Berkley Tracer Braid, 6" Surgeon knot loops on each end. I like the Berkley Tracer Braid for its 2 1/2' metered color change, for precise depth control.
Berkley Tracer Braid looped to Shooting Head, 30' Rio T-14, T-17 sinking, sink tip material, 1/4"-1/2" braided mono. loops on each end. 8lb. Nail knot frayed ends and Sharpie color green. Or fold over Shooting Head, Rio T-14, T-17 to 1/4"-1/2" loop and double 8lb. nail knot base of loops. Lightly Aquaseal all nail knots.
Shooting Head, Rio T-14, T-17 looped to 30'-60' 8lb. Maxima Ultragreen, 6" Surgeon knot loops on each end.

4/0 dodgers are looped on and off of the 6" 8lb. Maxima Ultragreen Surgeon loop.

This whole deep troll set up reels on to the fly reel. To find out how much backing is needed, the whole set up must be put on the fly reel reversed first. 30'-60' 8lb. Maxima Ultragreen, then Shooting Head, 30' Rio T-14, T-17, then 110 yds. of 15-20lb. Berkley Tracer Braid, then 30lb. Dacron backing, till fly reel spool is full, mark the Dacron full mark with a Sharpie. Now you know the correct amount of Dacron backing to spool on, just reverse spool everything again.

Rods - Slow action Fiberglas fly rods, 5,6,7 wt.s and spinning rods can also be used with the fly reel. Graphite rods are all right also, as long as they are of a slow action. Full parabolic bend, slow action rods.

[Smalma]

I like gray ghost's approach.

An alternate method that is commonly used for kokanee is the use of lead core lines. These are a dacron line with a soft lead wire center which come in hundred yard spools with each 10 yards marked a different color. They come in several different "weights" (# test) with heavier rated ones sinking a little deeper. You can control your depth by the amount of line/colors of line you put out. At kokanee trolling speed 3 or 4 "colors" will get you down say 25 feet or so and 5 colors something in the 30 foot range. Fishing lead color takes some experimentation to find the correct depth/amount of line but once you hit fish it is a simple matter of noting the amount of colors out and repeat.

The lead core line takes up quite a bit of room on a reel so a large size reel is regarded. A common way to set a lead core outfit is take a large capacity reel add some backing (30# braid for example) tie 5 colors of lead core (I use 18# line) to the backing using a nail know and then add 30 to 50 feet of monofilament (10 or 12#) to the lead core; again with a nail knot and attach your terminal gear to the mono. Such an outfit will allow you to comfortable to access fish in that 30 to 35 depth range. In some ways the lead core actually fishes better than off a downrigger in that the on turns the lead core line with rise and fall cover a better range of depths. However with 4 or 5 colors of line out you will have a lot of line out. While the lead core is heavy it does not put a lot of drag on the rod though a slightly heavy rod is needed than the lighter "noodles" sometimes used with riggers. In theory one could fish down to 50 or 60 feet with lead color lines by using full spools of lead core (and a large reel) and fishing 8 or 10 colors (80 to 100 + yards of line out).

For me once the fish you are targeting are at a consistent depth of 40 feet or more a down rigger is a far more efficient tool to target those fish however at the shallower deeps a lead core line is a viable option and some days will out fish a downrigger.

Tight lines
Curt

[Gray Ghost]

Curt,

I'm glad you posted the Lead Line troll rig. My Shooting Head (Rio T-14, T-17), braid troll rig is a spin off of the Lead Line troll rig you describe. I like the metered 15-20lb. Berkley Tracer Braid over 30lb. Dacron that is behind the Shooting Head-Lead line because of the small diameter. The depth is measured more by counting the color changes of the metered 15-20lb. Berkley Tracer Braid, than counting different colors of Lead Line, like one does using the traditional Lead Line troll rig. Deeper depths with less weight (Shooting Head) is needed and a steeper line angle with less blow back is achieved using the 15-20lb. Berkley Tracer Braid. The steep line angle trolls more like a Down Rigger rig. Different Shooting Head weights can be changed out quickly because it is all rigged loop to loop. Different lb. and length Lead Lines, looped at each end will work also for the Shooting Head, braid troll rig. If one really wants go down to the depths, I'll loop on either Shooting Head, 30' Scientific Anglers Deep Water Express 550, 700, 850. You may need to go up in rod size when fishing the S. A. Deep Water Express Shooting Heads because of their heavier weight.

[fishing bear]

Well I missed it today because I was fishing any highlights?