I had an interesting day on Shannon today. I started out in my favorite big fish spot about midway up the lake past the bottleneck by the stumps. I had decided to target big fish for a few hours and then go look for kokanee. Using my two pole permit I started out with a UV dodger and a pink and purple wedding band spinner tied with some holographic flash on one rod at 20 pulls. The second rod was set-up with a silver needle fish and fished at 30 pulls. I was running a double hook rig tied long with the spinner and a worm was threaded on both the spinner rig and the spoon. Right off the bat the spoon hooked a large dolly, probably 22”+ and at least 3 pounds. After resetting, the spinner rod went off and I caught another large dolly, both released unharmed.

About an hour later and in the same area I was fishing a smiley blade/mini squid combo and one of the rods goes off. Initially I thought it was a kokanee but the rod seriously loads up and the fish hits the road, persistently stripping line. Somewhere just short of the knot I get it turned around and fight it for another 15 minutes, thinking that I am winning the battle…wrong! The fish heads out of town again, stripping line until I can see the spool. Motor in gear I chase the fish for a couple hundred yards and finally gain some line on it. I get it up alongside the boat and it is a large chinook, maybe 8-12 or 14 pounds. Having only my kokanee net I headed for the beach thinking that I could beach the boat and get the fish up in some shallow water for a photo op. Wrong again, at that point I was solidly up in the stumps and the fish ended up breaking off before posing for a picture. The whole thing was quite an experience…I am still shaking!

A short while later the action died so I headed down towards the dam to fish for kokanee with feed eggs and corn or salmon eggs but that effort was short lived. I was getting a lot of bites but not catching a lot of fish. The fish that I was catching were a mix of kokanee and 4-6”salmon smolts so I made another move and over the side went my usual kokanee trolling gear. I trolled for another couple hours (no bait) and caught a few 10-12” kokanee and the skinniest 12” trout I have ever seen. Shortly there after I called it a day and headed in. Between the sun, no breeze and some lucky take downs it was an incredible day.

Troller

6/6/2010 7:26:00 AM

Great report ! Always enjoy reading your reports. Was that nook a fluke thing or does shannon have nookies in it

Idstud

6/6/2010 7:41:00 AM

Nice catch. too bad she broke off that would have been a great picture. Sounds like you were haveing some good action threw out the day. I bet that was a great fight on that light gear. Great read.

knotabassturd

6/6/2010 8:48:00 AM

Holy cow, that will add some excitement to a trip! I had heard previously of a guy flyfishing (years ago) catching a steelhead in Ohop with similar epic battle. Thinking lakes, it is interesting to see these ocean-going, river-running fish make it into lake waters sometimes.

thanx for the rpeort.

The Quadfather

6/6/2010 10:25:00 AM

Oh man.... you're killing me. I can't wait to get up there. Is the launch in fair shape? I had heard something about local people blocking the road?? A lawsuit ensuing? I guess you had no issues there.

Dave

6/6/2010 11:54:00 AM

Great report and it's great to hear you hooked an unexpected lunker. Love that!

rseas

6/6/2010 12:02:00 PM

Currently the road is open but the issue is being address with in the legal system and could close…one day, the owners have been trying to close the road for years. The ramp is graded gravel and the condition varies depending on water level. Most people would not have trouble launching at Shannon. Although (knock on wood) I have never been the victim of vandalism at Shannon, it is remote and traffic is minimal. One should take the necessary precautions.

MotoBoat

6/6/2010 10:58:00 PM

I am shaking for you, and I am just reading about what happened. In that location, you have hooked a fish of a lifetime! Any chance that fish was a Kokanee? I know they do not look alikebecause of the obveous spots..........but could you imagine!

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