Hi all, took a year off fishing to deal with some back problems and found it easier to use a new handle than the old one i had a couple of years ago. I do the bulk of my fishing from a kayak with a downrigger on the starboard and long line with a cannonball sinker set up port side.
Anyway tried Porcupine Friday and Saturday and the bite was on. Easy limits both days. Schools were darn near everywhere 45 - 65’ with 50 being the sweet spot. Colors were green and chartreuse. I did try blue at 65’ just out of curiosity and picked up. A couple of 11”ers.
I don’t remember seeing so many kokes the last time i was there although the size is definitely smaller with mostly 9-11”. Even with the smaller size the fish seemed to be fat, sassy, and healthy.
Just curious – I’m not a new fisherman, but a new kayak fisherman (wannabe)…I have caught a few kayaking, but the first larger one pulled me around, and you’re not paddling forward anymore … so how do you fish with 2 poles without that second line getting all tangled up, as you’re fighting a fish? I don’t think I’ll ever put a downrigger on mine, but what is a cannonball weight, and how deep can you get with it? tks…
I started with a Ocean Kayak Trident 13 paddle kayak when I sit got started in kayak fishing and fishing with 2 lines out led to heartache more often than not. I now pedal a Hobie Revolution and can fish hands free and keep moving forward while playing a fish.
The cannon ball is just a round lead sinker 1-6 oz that attaches to a sliding swivel about 2 feet above your dodger. A kayak angler named Tyler Hicks with a YouTube channel SpiltMilt productions has an excellent tutorial on fishing Kokanee without downriggers. I was fishing 2 oz 100’ back and getting bit, I would estimate i was 30’ at a speed of 1.2 mph. It is possible to get 50’ plus without a downrigger.
Here is a look at what i use on my non downrigger rod. With the swivel slider I can quickly change weights if needed and the fish has a harder time using the sinker to leverage itself off the hook. It also seems to have fewer line tangles than banana sinkers. I then use a bead chain to a leader of at least 2 feet. Then dodger and lure. When letting your line out go slow.
