5/2/10 Wickiup Report

[moknots]

Fished Wickiup solo with two rods Sunday afternoon. Finally got situated and started fishing in earnest about 3:30 and immediately found cooperative fish. Sort of. They wouldn't hit a hoochie, they wouldn't hit the same Apex they had been nailing every pass Friday, and of the 5 or 6 spinners I threw at them, they only liked one. Good thing they really liked that one



Definitely two classes of fish. 6 from 16" to 17 1/2", the rest all between 11 and 13". The Coors is strictly for scale so you don't think I am using a really tiny cleaning board -- no beverages were consumed during the harming of these fish -- it was too windy and I was too busy They sported very full stomachs, and at least one looked to have already found grazing worthy concentrations of daphnia.

Much as I hated the wind, it proved to be somewhat helpful, first by piling feed on the east end of the lake, second by piling up waves big enough to keep most of the boats on the other end of the lake, and finally, by providing enough propultion to allow me to fish single handed without the engine running.

I now have a lot of fullfilled fantasies of being able to switch a lot of lures around trying to find what these crazy little kritters want! Two rods really helps. I also have a lot of unrealized nightmares to live down. For starters, before resigning myself to wind drifting, I got some helacioius tangles!! I also found it impossible to handle the fish and the 3' waves and the landing net all at once. I was forced into fish launching heroics, and was even awarded a silver medal for my efforts. That's right, a nice silver badge pinned right on my chest...... when the fish attached to the back hook of the spinner ended up impaling the front hook of the spinner right where my USCG medals used to hang. I'd like to blame it on the boat lurching, but the reality is, I just missed catching the leader in my free hand before the fish made it all the way to the backstop -- a much smaller error than the two that sailed right by me in the wind and ended up dangling over the far side of the boat. It's hard to calibrate launch angle and leverage when one fish is 11" and the next is 16" or 17"!

Anyway, three hours of that and I was flat beat. I plan to go on a calm day next time! Some of these guys are going to be 18" or more by the end of June

[FallRiverGuy]

Nicely done. That lower fish is a hog!

[Pwillie]

very nice you didn't mention what that 1 particular apex was by chance did it have eye's on it just ribbing you a little, those are some hawgs. I will be there sat in hopes of duplicating our opening day success and am still waiting on our pic's from that trip to post, once again great day.....

[SoylentGreen]

Originally Posted by moknots

The Coors is strictly for scale so you don't think I am using a really tiny cleaning board -- no beverages were consumed during the harming of these fish -- it was too windy and I was too busy

That's right, a nice silver badge pinned right on my chest...... when the fish attached to the back hook of the spinner ended up impaling the front hook of the spinner right where my USCG medals used to hang.

These two lines should go down in the ifish hall fo fame somewhere.

[sturgeonboy]

Moknots,


You forgot to teach us your fish launching technique in class. Would be nice if you could share a few pics to.


Rob

[moknots]

Originally Posted by sturgeonboy

Moknots, You forgot to teach us your fish launching technique in class. Would be nice if you could share a few pics to. Rob

I guess the good news is, I can't tell you everything I know in 4 hours, but I probably came real close. Good point on the photos. Next time I am by myself and the waves are too big to handle the net, I will take some photos of myself deftly willing them over the side. The secret is in not letting them know your plan until it's too late.

P Willie, the Apex was chrome. I found it in the driftwood along the face of the dam. Thank you

[twisted lines]

Very nice! Hope to use a larger scale when I am off the water though could hardly see it

[chukardave1]

Great Job! That is a feat. I know how bad the wind was in the morning up there, imagine it was blowing at least as hard or more by the afternoon. That is dedication my friend. Looks like you were rewarded handsomely for all your rockin and rollin.

[SilverBullets]

Way to get into em moknots! That wind lately has been relentless. I took a drive up there Saturday to look things over and saw 3-4' rollers. Glad to hear you made it back safe and a bunch of fish to show for your efforts. That technique of boating the fish sounds dangerous... don't forget to wear eye protection!

[Splash]

Thanks for the great report. I am itching to get over there for vacation in the next couple of weeks.

[dlm]

Originally Posted by moknots

P Willie, the Apex was chrome. I found it in the driftwood along the face of the dam. Thank you

That's mine you owe me 4.95.

[Buck]

Nice board meeting Moknots! I'm so jealous. I'm up to my eyeballs on a boat re-wiring project and am waiting on the new switch panel in the mail. Your mint bright kokanee give me something to look forward to as I am laying on my back crimping connectors!

[Cannon]

Good Job Moknots! That is my big complaint about mono. The stretch in the line is like a rubber band when you land fish without a net. If the fish has any size to it, the stretch works against you. It is like stretching a rubber band and waiting for the other end to release and hit you in the face.

[Pwillie]

Originally Posted by moknots

I guess the good news is, I can't tell you everything I know in 4 hours, but I probably came real close. Good point on the photos. Next time I am by myself and the waves are too big to handle the net, I will take some photos of myself deftly willing them over the side. The secret is in not letting them know your plan until it's too late.

P Willie, the Apex was chrome. I found it in the driftwood along the face of the dam. Thank you

that was good

[moknots]

Originally Posted by Silver Bullets

Way to get into em moknots! That wind lately has been relentless. I took a drive up there Saturday to look things over and saw 3-4' rollers. Glad to hear you made it back safe and a bunch of fish to show for your efforts. That technique of boating the fish sounds dangerous... don't forget to wear eye protection!

Thanks SB! Good tip. I thought I was o.k. with just the silver bullet proof suit, but maybe I should start wearing a helmet and visor. Bet the other boats would give me a wide berth. Here's the death defying suit:

[eric71m]

theres that plethera of knowledge shining through agian... well done!!!:ap plause:

[Klamanite]

Congrats

That's a nice batch of fish there, good length and girth too.

[Live 2 Fish]

Hey guys new to ifish just wanted to say I fished wickiup tues. 5/4 and boated 18 kokes with 4 being the larger variety about 16-17 inches. Wind drifting with a rod in each hand and the action was steady. All of this in 4 hrs. What a ball! I am hooked on this fishery and I am new to kokanee fishing really. Now I need to figure out the browns I did mark alot of big fish while kokanee fishing. Maybe a good place to start? Moknots I know how you feel swinging them in sometimes without net and trying to keep your balance.

[sturgeonboy]

See,

That is proof he was holding out on us at the class. I do not remember seeing that picture.

Very nice Koke


Rob

[JAG]

Hey Mike I'm late to the congradulations party but just the same looks like you had an awesome trip. I'll have to hit Wickiup one of these days. I'm waiting for Odell and Crescent to take off.

I got downriggers for my boat

I'm going to retire the drift boat this year and set up my jetboat with the downriggers. You won't see the DB this year with the downrigger attached to the anchor release.

Thanks again for the great class!

Jim