SO I bought my first real boat in March and added downriggers and kicker motor so I could go chase kokes at FG. We arrived Friday evening to gusty winds and were able to lose one koke and land one mac. Friday morning the lake was like glass and we decided to troll the Holmes crossing area. We landed 8 kokes and lost a few. Most people we talked to only caught a few so we were happy with our catches. That night we only caught 2 more on the boat. But yesterday morning it all came together around Big Bend just south of Buckboard as we landed two 3.5lb red kokes that I am putting on the wall and another 6 smaller kokes in about half the time we fished the other mornings, (due to losing a downrigger ball and terminal set-up when friend drove boat too shallow - $70 and 1.5 hours later we were fishing again). The smaller of the big kokes fought like nothing I have caught fresh water. It stayed down and for a while I thought I was still attached to the downrigger ball. It made about a dozen runs and took some deep-sea fishing tactics to get it to the surface. I cannot wait to go again!
Everyone said the fishing has slowed big time in the last 2 weeks. We are already planning a trip for June and July next year. We didn’t catch as many as we hoped to but we did better than most and each time out we figured things out and did better and better. It definitely takes some time, some trial and error and lots of money but we caught the two fish I was after. Next year, we will try for more of them and bigger but it was a fun trip with good friends and great weather (except for the crazy wind every night preventing anything close to sleep).
Sounds like an awesome trip!! Those two red kokes are beautiful!
Were they a buck and a hen? The jaw lines in the last photo with all the fish layedout shows the difference between the two big ones pretty good. I may be wrong but my guess is you have a buck and a hen there?
PM me when you find out. If so you could do some way cool mounts with them pairing off getting ready to spawn or something!!
Nice job on the Kokies Jared. You will soon find out what it means to be a Captain on your own boat. Trolling is so much more than just driving around pulling some lures. You have to pay attention all the time.!! I rarely let any one else drive my boat because all my friends suck at it !! My wife is the worst ! The results are I never get to reel in any fish, but I dont lose gear or get many tangles. I’m fine with it, I like putting guys on fish and I dont have to yell at everyone. You are now addicted to Kokes. It is heck of an addiction, tough to beat!! Now that you have this, you may have to change your name to Flaming Gorge Man !! Any way, great job on your first time boat trip. Tom JL
Congrats on the kokes I love the pair of reds I have only had the opportunity to fish sockeye in the northwest and loved it. I would love to fish the landlocked versions money just dosent allow at this time someday FG is only a 580 mile drive for me
Yep Tom. It was a time consuming and semi-costly mistake but someone had to drive while I set up downriggers, looked at maps, etc. I will be sure to better train the next driver. I do want to have a few of best fishing buddies ready to drive the boat as it makes it more enjoyable for everyone but it is amazing at how much more a boat owner is aware and concerned for his boat.
We may be up in a few weeks to fish, Jackson Lake, Lewis Lake and Yellowstone Lake. I’ll let you know.
I thought both were bucks but I am not sure. I will have to have the taxidermist tell me.
Definitely an addicting type of fishing. Hopefully the burbot doesn’t eradicate the kokes or else I will be spending much more time on Strawberry trying to figure out their smaller version.
You need to read a little bit harder. I was there with some of my best friends, 3 of them to be exact, and one stayed back sick yesterday morning. So one under our limit for the day if you need to know.
Wow. Everyone is touchy lately. We were one fish under our limit yesterday but 2 of us cleaned them while the third broke down camp. I think everyone needs to go out and fish a little bit more. [fishon] And by fish I mean real fishing, none of the easy to target big fish and take out the big genes spear hunting garbage![:P]
GO STICK YOUR HEAD UP YOUR BUTT FOR ALL I CARE. DO YOU LIKE YELLING IN SIBER SPACE OR IS YOU CAPS LOCK STUCK?
I am mostly just saying for people to mind their own damn business. There are a bunch of yahoos on here who love to just get on and give someone a bunch of crap about their fishing reports because they think they broke some law, or some secret law of ediquite like “no spear fishing” or some other stupid nonsense. Or, “you are only 2 over your limit”
Oh and then in turns out that, oh yeah there were 3 guys on the boat, so even with WY regs he was perfectly legal.
Just don’t post stupid stuff, or try to nag someone who is willing to share about their trip.
Looks like the new boat is a success. Too bad about the down rigger. Friday night I was having a discussion about just that kind of accident with my dad. A friend of the family has a tough time relaxing at Strawberry while fishing with down riggers for just that reason.
was it 2 yr’s ago you posted a 6 fish limit of rainbow’s? not bad you were only 2 over your limit!!! Great job boy’s we kinda lost you when we headed north sound’s like you did just fine!
you’re probably right. I was looking more at the jaw line then anything else. The bucks get a hooked up under jaw for fighting and the hens stay more bullet shaped in the head. But with the humps on them . . . the one might just be a buck that is not as far along on the process of growing his hooked out jaw.
Either way they will be a cool mount if he puts them together.
I plan to put them both on the same mount chasing the exact set-up I caught them up. We ran four different lines throughout the morning and caught both of them on the same one. I know they aren’t the biggest kokes but I need to start somewhere. Plus I am dang proud to have figure it out enough and spent enough money to catch them![;)]
We looked for you Ash when you headed north but we didn’t go past Squaw Hollow. Where did you guys go?We launched from Buckboard the next dy and wished we would have done that from the beginning.
I don’t mind people on here making sure that everyone understands and follows the rules and I also don’t mind people sharing opinions, but when people start making wrong assumptions, accusations and getting personal, I think it makes that person look like an idiot and removes the fun and interest in these forums.
we got a radio call that one of our buddy’s found a pile so we headed to big bend allso, most of the fish were small up to 4lb’s I still say the big boy’s are were we meet you guy’s. we limited up this morning with some very nice fish but no 5lber’s this week yet! here is a pic of a 3.8 that was red as red it was her first koke ever now she is hooked so my buddy and I will have a tag along every time we go now she is hooked, much like you are!sorry we didnt get to educate you any more but maybe next time? I wanted to hook up with you again to give you a hand full of spoon’s to help you out,next time for sure!who you going to have do your fish?Scott Bailey in preston Idaho is the best hand’s down!
I have only had the opportunity to fish sockeye in the northwest and loved it. I would love to fish the landlocked versions money just dosent allow at this time someday FG is only a 580 mile drive for me 
