Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service
After seeing some decent reports on Stevens and the south end lakes not giving up any koks yet, we decided to head up north and give it a try. Launched as the sun was coming up, what a beautiful morning. Started fishing a little before 7:00 and with our 2 rod endorsements, had 4 rods in the water pretty quickly, two on riggers, two wide long liners with 3/8 and 1/2 oz of weight. By 8:00 or so, there was probably another 8-10 boats on the water. The day made it fantastic, but for any good reports, we sure didn't see the same thing. We threw everything at them, rotating rods out about every 15 minutes, giving each rod a good 45 minutes on a setup. Tried all colors, different dodgers and lure types (wedding rings, hoochies, spinners, dick nites, etc.). Varied 10-35 feet on the riggers. Used 4 different flavor soaked shoepeg as well as pink and natural gulp maggots.
It wasn't til about 9:30 when I was slowly letting out the left long liner that I had a smack down. Totally took me by surprise and landed a 12" kok. About an hour later, the same exact thing happened (while letting the line out), had another hook-up, but was a little guy about 8" or so, so we let him return to grow up. Just as we were getting ready to leave, we have a heavy take down that popped the clip on the left pink hoochie rigger. Got super excited until it seemed there was nothing there. Then there it was, and while it had some weight to it, it had no fight at all. Turned out to be a nice 18" rainbow, but I don't keep trout so he went back to get even bigger.
Left the lake at about 11:00, and since we were headed south, we decided to try Meridian on the way home. Did the same thing there for about 3 hours with only one small trout to show for it. It was a busy day on the lake, with at least 10 other boats either fishing, or coming or going. On a small lake like Meridian, it is really frustrating when boaters don't pay any attention to the other boats and their patterns. They cut you off, go straight across the lake when others are moving in a perpendicular direction. When you are running your lines 100 feet or more back, you have to be careful. Almost had water rage a few times. As weather gets better, will probably only get worse, grrr.
I am beginning to think the koks in these western lakes are still a few weeks out from getting aggressive. I am surprised since Stevens surface temp was 54 degrees by the time we left, and Meridian was 57 degrees. I don't think it should be too long, but certainly not hot yet. Would have given the day a 1 if not for the amazing weather.
Available Fishing Guide:
Website: Darrell & Dads Family Guide Service