Jordanelle Kokanee Aug 15

Utah Fishing Reports & Discussion Utah Fishing General
1

Hopefully my post will catch the attention of a F&G biologist, since I would like to hear what may be going on with the Jordanelle Kokanee and if they think that the system is ever going to be self sustaining and the salmon will ever start the process of self recruitment.

This year I only fished at Jordanelle two times for Kokanee. Around the End of May and again this past weekend, primarily due to Covid. I wanted to fish earlier, but it was closed to all but the Wasatch County residents. When I did go in May, I got skunked. Not even a trout. That day there were other fishermen who I saw had the same poor luck. Sine then I have only seen a few good reports about Jordanelle.

After that day, I didn’t head back and went to Strawberry for Kokanee and concentrated on learning to fish for Walleye this year on Deer Creek. Then this past weekend I headed back for Kokanee on Jordanelle. Last year at this time, I had a couple really good fishing trips there, so I wanted to see if it was going to be productive again the middle of August.

Anyhow, we started out around 8:30 and headed to the narrows and trolled along the south cliff and fairly far up the narrows. Soon we found some schools of planter trout in the 12-13 inch range that would not leave the gear alone. I have just one downrigger which I used at depth ranging from 25-60 feet as I spotted targets on the fish finder. Other rigs I set up with Walker TripZ divers from 30-40 feet down.

Later we cast from the boat as we trolled along and caught trout on the surface with a Berkley Flicker Shad in a ghost perch pattern. My brother had a hoot and land about a dozen rainbows that way. The most productive spot was the bluffs on the south as we came back to the dam.

We ended up with a limit of rainbows with one 13 inch koke mixed in.

I just wonder if other fisherman have experienced the same thing. Slow fishing for Kokanee.

Looking at stocking reports, the F&G has stocked the lake every year for the past 3 years with over 100,000 fingerlings every year. Some years over 200,000. I think these are probably just 3 year fish with some maybe going 4 years and then spawning.

Just wondering what happened in 2020 with the Kokes. Any theories or ideas?

Matthew

Jordanelle Kokanee Aug 15
12

I agree on the Shallow at Jordanelle for sure! I have caught 90% of the many Kokes for the last 3 years at 10 feet or less. ( all summer long) I have been trying to clue people in on that for some time. Many just wanted to argue or disagree,
PS Jordanelle is not the only Lake that Kokes are shallow at least part of the time. I feel many anglers miss them when they are shallow because they are difficult to pick up on the finder. I fished another Lake that shall remain nameless in early July with warm water temps and caught limits each of the 3 days we fished it and got all of them at 10 feet or less, early and including mid day.
So doesn’t hurt to try shallow for location purpose.
Tight lines,
Mildog

13

Did a Google search about shallow water kokes. Lots of intresting articles. Mostly what you would expect - chase em shallow in the spring - kinda articles - but there are “others” out there who defie traditional koke mindset and pound the shallows in the heat. Not sure i understand the science behind that, but Ms Twicheel told me, in second grade, that science may not be my thing.

14

Ond thing I have noticed about many Kokanee studies. They are done in more northern and colder climates. They dont have much data on the warm water, because those conditions may not exist, so hard to study or make observations based on that. Several I have read are from British Columbia. I would assume the conditions up there may be quite different. I can tell you I have caught numerous Kokes at 10 feet or less with surface temps at 70. On a trip a year ago July, Surface 70.2 and the temp at 10 Feet and 15 feet was 67.9 and temp at 45 feet was 54.5 a temperature more “suited” to Kokes. Yet could not catch any fishing that deep got limits at 10 feet and 5 feet. This was at Jordanelle a lake known to produce shallow Koke action. On a trip in early July, I mentioned before at an un-named lake, surface temp was 68.9 and we got limits 3 days straight with most fish at 10 and 5 feet deepest we got that trip was 15 feet. So go figure. I know it works to try shallow sometimes so don’t overlook that option.
Mildog

16

Thanks for all the input! I am so happy about all the feedback. Shallow at Jordanelle makes sense. Here is something I observed last year.

The times I went fishing there were in August, so it was still pretty warm. I fished one rod on my downrigger (deeper). The other three rods I used a diver to get to 20 feet or less. We caught most of the fish on the 20 foot divers! And they were probably fishing closer to 10-15 feet. Also, the fish were coming up warm to the touch. Meaning they were feeding in the shallower, warmer water and perhaps above the thermocline. I was a little surprised to handle a fish that warm. We put them right on ice.

I will remember this next time I go. Fish Jordanelle shallow for kokes.

One more question, if you are willing to share. What places on Jordanelle did you find the most successful for Kokes? I tend to head straight to the opening of the narrows since that was where I caught them the first year I started. One fellow mentioned right outside the boat launch. I would never have tried that, but I may be more inclined to try various places next year when I go.

Thanks again!
Matthew

17

Yes we have noticed when fishing early in the day up there many times the fish are warmer than the air temp when you catch them, kind of strange sensation. We always have a cooler full of crushed ice and put the kokes in the ice immediately. No problem with the eating quality when handled that way.

Mildog out

As far as “areas” of the lake. It is not that big a body of water. It is worth doing some looking around and searching by fishing, remember shallow fish are hard to find on fish finder. I can say I have caught fish in 4 distinct different areas than where most most of the action is and people are regularly fishing for them.
Take some time to explore it can pay off. But remember the golden rule, if you are getting them “Don’t leave fish to find fish” LOL

Mildog out