Detroit Lake Chinook?

Phish_on · 01-30-2001, 09:55 AM

Supposedly there are "landlocked" Chinook salmon stocked in Detroit Lake - any Ifish'ers have any clues about that? "Fishing in Oregon" says they can run 5-6 lbs!

Hoosier Daddy · 01-30-2001, 09:58 AM

Well, it is true. My Dad caught one a few years ago.

fishbait · 01-30-2001, 10:18 AM

I can also personally verify the chinook. Caught on on the Deschutes while trout fishing about 15 years ago, about 5 Lbs.
Wait a minute, I am AFU. Deschutes does not dump into Detroit. Sorry

[This message has been edited by fishbait (edited 01-30-2001).]

Trout,myster · 01-30-2001, 04:05 PM

Phish,
Yes, they are there. I haven't personally fished for them as Detroit isn't my favorite idea of a place to go, although this time of the year it probably isn't bad. From what I've heard and read on them, most are caught deep trolling. How deep? Good question. If I were after them, I'd probably brush up on Great Lakes methods and use smaller lures. But they are, indeed, in there. I've seen several pictures of them hither and yon.

------------------
Troutmyster

willierower · 01-30-2001, 04:16 PM

If my memory is right. They troll small small plugs like rapalas anywhere from 50 to 100' deep.
The chinnok are supposed to feed on small kokanee, So something that looks like a kokanee would probally work.
I read that somewhere.
Hopefully this may help.

And yes there are landlockd chinook in lake Billy Chinook. When I ived in Prineville(YUCK!) A friend of mine targeted them in the Dechutes arm using wiggle warts. He rarely caught any. I did see one he got that was pushing 12lbs.

Joe · 01-30-2001, 04:42 PM

I was told this program was dropped a few years ago.

[This message has been edited by Great White hunter (edited 02-06-2001).]

cskip · 01-30-2001, 05:08 PM

Yep I've seen 'em too. Never fished for them. But I saw a guy net a 6 or 7 pounder from the top of the dam. He used a crab net with a long rope to scoop it up.

Wouldn't have believed it if I didn't see it myself.

cskip

jawbreaker · 01-30-2001, 05:41 PM

me and a friend of mine like to fish there
a couple times a year. right now would be a
good time because of the lower water level.
We have noticed that there are large schools
that travel in the 60 to 80 foot depth and try, if you can, to locate one of these. You will need a downrigger. You won't know what species the school is until you catch one.
Detroit Lake holds not only Chinook but also
Big Macinaw and Atlantic salmon as well as
Kokanee. Try plugs tipped with bait. Good luck.

jb

Drifty · 01-30-2001, 11:18 PM

Well Dexter has them too. I cought one last year that was 18".

O'City Fisherman · 01-30-2001, 11:48 PM

Don't listen to DRIFTY I was there. It was only about 13'

happybrew · 01-31-2001, 04:32 PM

Yes, there are landlocked chinook in Detroit. I caught one about three or four weeks ago, but it was only about 9 inches long. It was not a kokanee. I e-mailed ODFW, and they told me they had tried them out, but the program was discontinued. Apparently, a few of them have spawned, given the size of the fish I caught. I don't think there are too many in there anymore. You would probably have better luck with the trout.

happybrew