Wallowa Rush

[HiTide]

There have been some previous threads re the coming big rush of koke anglers to Wallowa including some complaints that it will be to crowded due to the recent flurry of huge record fish. If some of those contemplating a trip to Wallowa were to read the latest article in Northwest Sportsman, the crowd may thin out a bit. Basically, the message is that a few very large fish may be caught but numbers will be very low. Except for a few large fish the koke population is low. If you are up for working for a shot at a few trophy fish, this is the year to go. If you hope for a lot of action you may not want to drive that far.
Now, maybe I will have it all to myself. Right!

[No Reservations]

Wow you must be a member of the chamber of commerce? or perhaps the visitors association.

[Waterfish]

I will be there June 2-6. Trolling with Scotty electric downriggers, Apex's, hoochies, spinners, Mack's double whammie kokanee lures, Rocky Mtn and Shasta Tackle dodgers, shoepeg corn, Gulp maggots, and Procure scents. After breaking the world kokanee record , I will switch gear and focus on mackinaw. After fishing bumper boats in the Columbia and Drano Lake for springers, no crowds at Wallowa Lake can intimidate me!

[kokaneekid]

Originally Posted by Waterfish

I will be there June 2-6. Trolling with Scotty electric downriggers, Apex's, hoochies, spinners, Mack's double whammie kokanee lures, Rocky Mtn and Shasta Tackle dodgers, shoepeg corn, Gulp maggots, and Procure scents. After breaking the world kokanee record , I will switch gear and focus on mackinaw. After fishing bumper boats in the Columbia and Drano Lake for springers, no crowds at Wallowa Lake can intimidate me!

What a positive attitude, “I like it”… Please post some pictures to go along with it.
I'm with you I hate combat fishing there is a lot of room on the lake and you don't have to wait for the fish to start showing up..... "They are always there, and there is no where for them to go but in my boat"
Fish on kokaneekid

[No Wishin Just Fishin]

Originally Posted by Waterfish

I will be there June 2-6. Trolling with Scotty electric downriggers, Apex's, hoochies, spinners, Mack's double whammie kokanee lures, Rocky Mtn and Shasta Tackle dodgers, shoepeg corn, Gulp maggots, and Procure scents. After breaking the world kokanee record , I will switch gear and focus on mackinaw. After fishing bumper boats in the Columbia and Drano Lake for springers, no crowds at Wallowa Lake can intimidate me!

You will be a little late We plan on a 10 lber the week of May 23rd We have 8 guys and three boats doing a documentary that week.

[dlm]

Articles, in newpapers or magazines (or internet for that matter) are one persons opinion or information they have gathered from someone else. Case in point, look at the posting on this forum about fishing being poor at Merwin. There have also been reports that GP was slow, but others are catching fish.

Those going to Wallowa or anywhere else and expecting to limit out on big fish, or any fish, are not into fishing for the fishing. Sure, we all hope to catch the fish of a lifetime, but the real enjoyment is the fishing.

I will be one of those going and I hope to catch a lot of big fish. But, I will also be spending time with friends, meeting new friends, and enjoying the outdoors.

[eric71m]

Originally Posted by dlm

Articles, in newpapers or magazines (or internet for that matter) are one persons opinion or information they have gathered from someone else. Case in point, look at the posting on this forum about fishing being poor at Merwin. There have also been reports that GP was slow, but others are catching fish.

Those going to Wallowa or anywhere else and expecting to limit out on big fish, or any fish, are not into fishing for the fishing. Sure, we all hope to catch the fish of a lifetime, but the real enjoyment is the fishing.

I will be one of those going and I hope to catch a lot of big fish. But, I will also be spending time with friends, meeting new friends, and enjoying the outdoors.

Well stated... its the fishing, the catching is the bounus

[Cannon]

Originally Posted by dlm

I will be one of those going and I hope to catch a lot of big fish. But, I will also be spending time with friends, meeting new friends, and enjoying the outdoors.

I too will be one of the guys going to "fish" Wallowa. I would love to break a record but I don't go with that in mind. I fish because I love to do it and I wouldn't have it any other way. I am hoping to get up there in June but I haven't refined my schedule as of yet.
To be quite honest, I would guess that a record is in order at Wickiup. You have the combination of large fish and exceptional feed coupled with ample fishing pressure to keep the competition between fish for food way down & promoting larger fish. Oops, maybe I shouldn't have said that, but I guess there are no secrets in kokanee fishing, Huh Moknots [wink, wink]

[Addicted2Koke]

It's all about if you want to make the drive or not. And if you don't know the lake, the locals don't really help you out much. I had a couple of them lie to me. Luckily I was smart enough to know they were lying.

But, if you are familiar with the lake and the fish, you shouldn't have a problem. Don't think that the store at the campground will give you any advice, they will say whatever in order to get you to buy stuff from them. Believe me. People are super nice there but are just protective of the lake it seems.

[alaska 41]

On the big rush at Wallowa on Wednesday was to see how fast you could get out of the snow. But being born and raised in Alaska I felt right at home. But I don't plan on going back any time soon.

Two of us went to Wallowa on Sunday and came back Thursday. We fished Monday,Tuesday and most of Wednesday. (Only in Oregon) Monday it was raining with winds at 40 MPH. Tuesday it was nice with some wind with swells at 3'. Wednesday was the best that is if you would have brought your snow shoes it snowed 12''. Have you ever tried trolling in a blinding snow storm and navigating with a compass because you could not see land at 200 yards FUN FUN FUN. We did manage 4 fish with one 22 1/2'' and 2 17 1/2'' 1 12''. We caught them on a bright silver and red flasher with a UV pink hoochie and a flame orange apex. One thing we didn't have any competition only 4 boats including us.

[Waterfish]

Originally Posted by No Wishin Just Fishin

You will be a little late We plan on a 10 lber the week of May 23rd We have 8 guys and three boats doing a documentary that week.

If you catch all of the 10 pounders, I will be very happy with two 5 pounders!

[marshworm]

I encourage everyone to make the trip to Wallowa Lake....multilple times!

Probably be your onliest chance to catch the reallyone!

The price of gas is coming down and it's a great drive through some great country and that last stretch as you come out of the canyon into the Wallowa Valley, WOW! what a beautiful piece of Oregon!

Please go! You know you'll be really upset if you don't especially if the record falls multiple times.

The lake is big ya know lotsa room for everyone and like dlm says its just about the fishing so, why not go?

I wish I could go but hey I guess I'll just havta force myself to be happy hanging around my old haunts even if I am all by myself.

Aw shucks, poor me, I never get no fun

What a bummer!

[stimpy dee]

I plan on making a trip to Wallowa this year. It would be great to limit out on those fatties.

[tundra5]

just got back from up there. i was pulling in the the lake as the new state record was pulling out, just my luck. i was really surprised at the lack of people there . sunday was sunny and 65 and there were less than 10 boats on the water, i didn't think that was bad at all considering that for the trout opener i went to krumbo , where there were 72 boats and it's only about 150 surface acres. the fishing was very slow though, finnally gave up on kokes and limited on rainbows.