Berry looking for kokes

[2knots]

Went up to the KSL Outdoors/Strawberry Marina koke fishing event today along with about 20 other groups. We went east from the marina close to the far side in 90-100’ of water (near the river channel). Fishing was slow for all that I saw, I know Eakel’s crew had 1 on early that came off and I lost 1 at the hole along with 4-5 other hits that I couldn’t get a hook set on. Hooked the 1 on an orange rat fink under a hyper plaid dodger tipped with a piece of crawler, other were fishing with buzz bombs and typical koke trolling setups dodger and squid. Fish were coming through off and on from 70’ down to the bottom, didn’t get any cutts. Ice was just under 10”s and the group had ATV’s and side sides out there along with snowmobiles. There is about 3”s of snow on the ice, also a pressure ridge that you have to cross about a 1/3 of the way across, the shuttle service was crossing it in a couple places wher the ice wasn’t sticking up much. 

[PACMEN]

Thanks nice info.
Did you try moving away from the herd a bit?
I'm of the opinion that all the activity is bad for catch'n. However sounds like you were fishing pretty deep. Don't know how deep till the noise doesn't bother em.

[2knots]

Thanks nice info.
Did you try moving away from the herd a bit?
I'm of the opinion that all the activity is bad for catch'n. However sounds like you were fishing pretty deep.  Don't know how deep till the noise doesn't bother em.

I didn’t move as I was marking fish, the group was really spread out,  but I set up to the northeast from most of the others on the outside. The KSL crew did move to the north quite a ways around 10:30ish but don’t know if the action picked up for them or not

[macscabin]

Thanks nice info.
Did you try moving away from the herd a bit?
I'm of the opinion that all the activity is bad for catch'n. However sounds like you were fishing pretty deep.  Don't know how deep till the noise doesn't bother em.

I didn’t move as I was marking fish, the group was really spread out,  but I set up to the northeast from most of the others on the outside. The KSL crew did move to the north quite a ways around 10:30ish but don’t know if the action picked up for them or not

Adam came by about 2:00 and said they had caught 3 fish all day. He was still looking for the fish. Sounded like a slow day for all. I marked about 5 all day with 4 hits but landed none of them.

[doitall5000]

I have never seen strawberry with easy access like that. Little snow and no slush. What kind of temperature s did you have, was there lots of wind??

[2knots]

I have never seen strawberry with easy access like that.  Little snow and no slush. What kind of temperature s did you have, was there lots of wind??

I believe it was 11 when I got there and 33 when I left, there was a breeze 1st thing that mostly went away by mid day

---

Thanks nice info.
Did you try moving away from the herd a bit?
I'm of the opinion that all the activity is bad for catch'n. However sounds like you were fishing pretty deep.  Don't know how deep till the noise doesn't bother em.

I didn’t move as I was marking fish, the group was really spread out,  but I set up to the northeast from most of the others on the outside. The KSL crew did move to the north quite a ways around 10:30ish but don’t know if the action picked up for them or not

Adam came by about 2:00 and said they had caught 3 fish all day. He was still looking for the fish. Sounded like a slow day for all. I marked about 5 all day with 4 hits but landed none of them.

good to hear he got a few for the show, would of been nice for better action for all but that’s fishing, still a great day

[TubeDude]

Sorry to hear about the slow day.  Sounds like you were in the "ZONE" but just not enough active fish to make for a good day. 

I tend to agree with the thoughts of another member...on another thread...that the extremely heavy pressure on the kokes during the open water months is likely to have had an effect on total numbers.  There were a lot of fish removed this summer.  Thanks Covid.

I haven't heard back from any of the "Koke Nuts" who have done well fishing for them through the ice the past couple of years.  A select group has had them dialed in and usually does pretty well on them.  Kinda anxious to see how they do this year.

There was one suggestion that you might do better by getting away from other groups.  With some species...some of the time...that can be good advice.  However, for kokes a group will usually do a better job of attracting them and holding them if there are more lines in the water in the same area...especially if they are jigging noisy and flashy attractors.  When a school of kokes breezes through they will hang around a few seconds/minutes longer if there is feeding activity going on.  That's why it is good to have several rods rigged and ready.  When you bring a fish up through the hole, toss that rod down and pick up another one rather than taking the time to unhook the fish and rebait.  The extra few seconds saved might put another one or two fish on the ice for you before the school moves on.

Koke fishing through the ice is a good example of long periods of boredom followed by brief periods of wild and crazy catching...or not.

[catchinon]

That was what I was thinking Pat. How close together should the anglers be positioned? I'll be heading up with the group on Friday and hope Obi or someone will get us organized and lined out. Would 30' spacing be about right?

[TubeDude]

That was what I was thinking Pat. How close together should the anglers be positioned? I'll be heading up with the group on Friday and hope Obi or someone will get us organized and lined out. Would 30' spacing be about right?

I have caught a few kokes through the ice but mostly while fishing for trout.  However, there are a lot of videos available online...especially for Idaho kokanee ice fishing.  You can see them all the way from solitary anglers in tents to small cities only a few feet apart.  I know some of the "regulars" on Strawberry drill multiple holes around them and when the fish move in they invite others to join them and fish their extra holes.  And, has been mentioned, the more the merrier to keep the school there and occupied.

I'd say the distance should be a matter of simply leaving everybody enough space to operate...and the limits of your deodorant.

[obifishkenobi]

That was what I was thinking Pat. How close together should the anglers be positioned? I'll be heading up with the group on Friday and hope Obi or someone will get us organized and lined out. Would 30' spacing be about right?

My thought is that we go out into the openness set up spread out in a box grid 100 yards to a side and we can each drill several holes to call others over to if the Kokes pass under our spot.

[2knots]

That was what I was thinking Pat. How close together should the anglers be positioned? I'll be heading up with the group on Friday and hope Obi or someone will get us organized and lined out. Would 30' spacing be about right?

My thought is that we go out into the openness set up spread out in a box grid 100 yards to a side and we can each drill several holes to call others over to if the Kokes pass under our spot.

Yes it seems to be the way to go to try and keep them around a bit longer and get them while the getting is good