F&G staff gives kokanee fishing tips to help you better understand (and catch) these unique fish

Kokanee trolling tips

The Rule of 100

Most anglers new to kokanee fishing struggle with knowing what trolling distances work best, and don’t know how far behind the boat they should run their gear. “The rule of 100” is a good place to start. The water depth and distance behind the boat should add up to at least 100. For example, when trolling 30 feet down, use a 70-foot setback (30 + 70 = 100). A longer setback is usually better when trolling near the surface, or in very clear water, because kokanee may be spooked by boat traffic. It’s a rule of thumb, so feel free to experiment until you find what works best for you. Martin Koenig, Sportfishing Program Coordinator

Troll slow

Speeds between 0.9 to 1.5 mph are typically most effective; my go to is 1.2 mph. Rob Ryan, Panhandle Regional Fish Biologist

Temperature (mostly) determines how deep to fish

Kokanee like cooler water and will adjust their depth to stay in it. Early in the season – like April and May (depending on location and elevation) – lakes are often cold from the surface down. That means kokanee can be near the surface. You may not even need a downrigger early in the season because you can present tackle within 5 to 10 feet of the surface. As the weather warms, so will water temperatures. Because cold water is heavier and sinks below the warming surface water, kokanee will often suspend below that warm layer where the cold water starts. This is called the “thermocline” and it gets deeper throughout the summer, so you’ll need to adjust your tackle deeper when the water warms in late spring and summer. Martin Koenig, Sportfishing Program Coordinator

Watch the surface temperatures

When surface water temperatures are 50 to 60 degrees, kokanee are often near the surface. Fishing on or near the surface is the way to go during that time of year. When fishing shallow, put your gear farther away from the boat to increase strike potential. Rob Ryan, Panhandle Regional Fish Biologist

Going deep

As surface temperatures warm, downriggers are great for getting your gear down to the kokanee layer and staying there. Weighted lines combined with trial and error on distance behind the boat will also work to locate kokanee and stay on them. Rob Ryan, Panhandle Regional Fish Biologist

Downrigger distance

Distance from the downrigger ball to the lure usually is not too critical if you’re fishing deeper than 25 feet. Rob Ryan, Panhandle Regional Fish Biologist

Key on the combination of speed and depth

When you have to have your gear where the fish are layered (depth), the tackle has to present itself to the fish in a manner that will elicit a strike (speed). So, anglers need to have the ability to fish at various depths (downriggers, trolling weights, or weighted lines) and speeds as slow as 0.8 mph. My rule of thumb is to fish near the surface early in the spring (1-10 feet) and go progressively deeper into early summer (15-40 feet). I fish three downriggers and stagger depths until I’m keyed into where fish are holding. John Cassinelli, Fish and Game Anadromous Fish Manager

Vary your speed and direction

Avoid trolling in a straight line and at the same speed.  An s-curve pattern varies the speed of your lures and fish often bite when the boat is turning. A boat speed of 1-2 mph is best, and I typically target 1.3-1.5 mph. Andy Dux, Panhandle Region Fisheries Manager

Using electronics to catch more kokanee

Fish finders are great kokanee fishing tools

Using sonar is a big help to find the depth where kokanee are feeding. It can also fool you into catching other species like trout (or pikeminnows), so results may vary! Other than finding fish, your downrigger balls are usually easy to track on your sonar, so you can see precisely how deep your tackle is trolling. Martin Koenig, Sportfishing Program Coordinator

Make tracks in the water

I like to keep GPS tracks when I troll. If I mark groups of fish, or get a bite, I can also record those locations and troll back through productive areas, or avoid empty water. Most fish finders can also overlay water temperature and speed right on the monitor, which can be a big help. Martin Koenig, Sportfishing Program Coordinator

Don’t always believe what you don’t see

Don’t get discouraged if you don’t see fish on your fish finder, especially early in the season. Your fish finder’s view is like a pyramid, with your boat at the top. When kokanee are shallow, you may never see them on your monitor because they can pass outside that narrow cone without being detected. Don’t be surprised if you hook a fish even though your monitor isn’t showing any. Martin Koenig, Sportfishing Program Coordinator

Mark the spot

When you find a school of biting kokanee, mark a waypoint with your boat electronics or a smartphone mapping app, which is an inexpensive alternative. Trolling back through the same school of fish can really improve your catch rate, especially when fish are harder to find. It also gives you a good starting point when you return on your next trip days or weeks later. Andy Dux, Panhandle Region Fisheries Manager