How to Fish for Kokanee Salmon

fishing image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com

Kokanee salmon, introduced in large numbers to lakes and reservoirs across North American in the 1940s, have become popular prey for fishermen. They are plentiful, they taste good--and they are being introduced to more and more bodies of water. As such, it may behoove the aspiring fisherman to learn how to catch kokanee salmon.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

Lures--spinners, small spoons or bugs
Bait--small worms or maggots

Step 1

Focus on water that is less than 50 degrees F in temperature. If the body of water in which you are fishing is warmer than this, the kokanee salmon will most likely be congregated near the bottom or along cool, narrow bands.

Step 2

Head to where rivers or streams run into the body of water you've chosen. These converging waters are the mostly likely to contain large numbers of kokanee salmon.

Step 3

Use a lure. Some lures commonly used to catch kokanee salmon include spinners, small spoons and bugs. Tip the lure with a small piece of worm or maggots.

Step 4

Troll through the chosen body of water, working your lure very slowly. Kokanee are more likely to hit a slow-moving lure. Though faster trolling doesn't necessarily discount your chances, try trolling at 1.5 miles per hour or slower.

Step 5

Speed up from time to time for a few moments. You don't want your lure moving at such a consistent pace that it doesn't appear natural. Most of the time, the rule is slow, but regular short bursts of speed should be carried out.

Step 6

Troll in a squiggly line, not a straight line.

Tips & Warnings

Kokanee salmon don't always swim in schools. They are often all alone--and will attack your lure out of a territorial defensive instinct.

Article Written By William Jackson

William Jackson has written, reported and edited professionally for more than 10 years. His work has been published in newspapers, magazines, scholarly journals, high-level government reports, books and online. He holds a master's degree in humanities from Pennsylvania State University.

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