Flaming Gorge Kokanee: Has It Collapsed?

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Flaming Gorge is one of the most famous Kokanee fisheries in the United States. Recent reports have suggested the Kokanee fishery is in decline. My experience last year on the Wyoming side suggested the fishery might very well be on the decline. However, Sidra and I still found good numbers of large Kokanee in the lower reaches of the lake on our recent trip. One thing is for certain and that is Flaming Gorge is still one of the best Kokanee fisheries in the country for large Kokanee even when the fishing is "tough".
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Пікірлер: 70

  • @michaelmoore2872
    @michaelmoore2872 Жыл бұрын

    Nice fish and scenery . Happy to see Sidra out and catching a few too.

  • @youraveragefishkeeper
    @youraveragefishkeeper Жыл бұрын

    The ultimate duo is out again! It’s good to see you both out the water.

  • @campingkids
    @campingkids Жыл бұрын

    love fishing that area! one year we thought we heard gun shots but it was the young rams banging heads above us on the point heading out to the main lake area. very fun time just sitting and watching them.

  • @returnofsid
    @returnofsid Жыл бұрын

    The scenery is beautiful! Seeing Sidra out, with you, even more beautiful!

  • @tla1950
    @tla1950 Жыл бұрын

    We've gone there the last 2 summers and had a great time, and even caught some nice fish.

  • @bruceparker1945
    @bruceparker1945 Жыл бұрын

    Glad to see you and yours back at the Gorge. It’s easy to see how Flaming Gorge got its name. Beautiful! And, the fishing wasn’t bad either.

  • @shelleyszulinszky9732
    @shelleyszulinszky9732 Жыл бұрын

    Beautiful view + big fat kokanee ❤️✌️👍

  • @timwelsh974
    @timwelsh974 Жыл бұрын

    Please show the nicer examples of the off species as well. I was so stoked to see that rainbow!

  • @robbysmusic8507
    @robbysmusic8507 Жыл бұрын

    Boy O Boy, Wish central Oregon had that size of Kokanee, awson!

  • @hjc07
    @hjc07 Жыл бұрын

    finally a video at my home lake😁

  • @tazeat
    @tazeat Жыл бұрын

    I'd love to make it out there, always wanted to do the burbot bash on the ice. Someday.

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Me too! Sounds like fun.

  • @reapergrim76
    @reapergrim76 Жыл бұрын

    Awesome stuff! 👌

  • @normdeshon665
    @normdeshon665 Жыл бұрын

    The fish managers have been asking people to keep the young 'pup' mackinaw for years because there is so many of the small ones. Hard to manage a 100 mile long lake, especially when so many species spawn in the lake. Also so many species. Carp, channel cats, Utah chub, browns, rainbows, burbot, etc.

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Yeah their options are fairly limited on a body of water that size.

  • @tonyparrish2448
    @tonyparrish2448 Жыл бұрын

    Beautiful location pictures probably don't do it justice. How about the size of those Kokanee!

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Yeah its a special place!

  • @tri_nofeet
    @tri_nofeet Жыл бұрын

    Best lake in the world!! Way to go!

  • @saltywalrusfishingcompany
    @saltywalrusfishingcompany Жыл бұрын

    Im hearing all the doom and gloom for Anderson, arrowrock, and lucky peak also. This is my first year fishing kokanee as i live in Wisconsin but fishing has been great for me in boise area! Maybe my expectations were low being new but always end up with several 15-18" fish, and thats mostly after work trips. Even pulled a couple 6 fish limits thanks to all the great info you put out. Guess my ? Is are people spoiled from past easy limits of smaller fish? Personally id rather work for a few big ones

  • @jacobdalecrow564
    @jacobdalecrow564 Жыл бұрын

    That place is on the bucket list

  • @Foswatabe
    @Foswatabe Жыл бұрын

    Glad to see some big Kokanee out of that lake! Do you ever see slow fishing with full moon phases? Is there anything to the moon phases? My buddy swears by it.

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Absolutely! I have local lakes that will go dead in the mornings after a full moon and clear night. The bite usually starts picking up around 10 AM on those day.

  • @Foswatabe

    @Foswatabe

    Жыл бұрын

    You’re a stud! ❤ all your content!

  • @zacharypedersen4090
    @zacharypedersen4090 Жыл бұрын

    Nice catches! When you can try out some dodgers from kokabow tackle. They work great.

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    I love my Paulina Peak Tackle. Never lets me down and they are a great supporter of this channel and its content.

  • @johnnewman8431
    @johnnewman8431 Жыл бұрын

    Sweet video. I’m my backyard.

  • @richardcasparian1003
    @richardcasparian1003 Жыл бұрын

    Did you see the osprey try to get your jumping fish?

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    It was a California Gull. He wanted that tasty meal as much as I did!

  • @anonymouse7074
    @anonymouse7074 Жыл бұрын

    Kokanee drought in eastern WA & ID, anyone else experience this?

  • @clarkfelt4098
    @clarkfelt4098 Жыл бұрын

    How far did you go from the boat launch before you caught your closest Kokanee? I’ve only hooked on them on the actual channel.

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Sidra hooked hers about a 1/2 mile south of the main channel.

  • @adamwarrick2970
    @adamwarrick2970 Жыл бұрын

    First! Great Scenery!

  • @TwoStageTrigger
    @TwoStageTrigger Жыл бұрын

    I camp near there. About an hour away. An area called spirit lake The utah DNR is going to kill off the whole sheep creek drainage with rotenone so they can stick native cutthroat in a couple years. They did that 7 or 8 years ago and it killed the fishing. And they didnt check what they were stocking so all the brook trout and rainbow have taken over again. And the tiger trout eat all of the 4 inch cutthroat they stock.

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Yeah I fly fished the creek and only caught Rainbows.

  • @harryjayne5306
    @harryjayne5306Ай бұрын

    Is the Buckboard area good place for kokes in late June? Were headed to Fontanelle this Sunday for a couple of days and then Flaming Gorge where we have not been before.

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Ай бұрын

    The fishing has been better as of late on the Utah side. You won't find many fish in the Buckboard area but if you do they will be big.

  • @fishroper
    @fishroper Жыл бұрын

    What happens to fish that outflow? Do they eventually take up residence in downstream bodies if the depths are deep enough or do they not do well in those rivers?

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    I think they mostly perish unless suitable reservoirs exists downstream and they survive passage thru the dam

  • @antoniohumphreys939
    @antoniohumphreys939 Жыл бұрын

    I am going to a lake that has both kokanee and sockeye, how would I know the difference just size? The regulations on each are different and wouldn't want keep something I'm unable to. I would be able to keep the kokanee now but not the sockeye yet. Thanks for any tips!

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes size difference will be substantial. Most states have specific regulation on length

  • @jerillarhen

    @jerillarhen

    Жыл бұрын

    Here in Oregon at Lake Billy Chinook the regulations state that any Kokanee/sockeye larger than 17" is treated as a sockeye. 20 years ago that could have been an issue as it was pretty common to catch 17" but since they dropped the limit from 25 to 5 the kokes are pretty much never over 12.5.

  • @adamwarrick2970
    @adamwarrick2970 Жыл бұрын

    What weight were you using for dropper rig?

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    3 oz

  • @doublereefed
    @doublereefed Жыл бұрын

    You said "headed to the Kokanee grounds"... what location are you referring to? Haven't been to Flaming Gorge yet.

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    The large deep area to the north of Sheep Creek launch.

  • @doublereefed

    @doublereefed

    Жыл бұрын

    @@spiltmilt would this be a good place for a novice to start?

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    @@doublereefed there are better Kokanee lakes in the area for beginners

  • @mountianbluebear
    @mountianbluebear Жыл бұрын

    How are you clipping the weight on so that it stays?

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    The snap clips onto the line and holds as it is designed to do.

  • @chubbrock659
    @chubbrock659 Жыл бұрын

    Looks like you’re near Lucerne and Linwood bay when you first started out?

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Nope Sheep Creek

  • @chubbrock659

    @chubbrock659

    Жыл бұрын

    @@spiltmiltcool, I fished all around kingfisher and hideout islands a few weeks ago and destroyed the trout. Love it out there.

  • @verdeanpetersen8350
    @verdeanpetersen8350 Жыл бұрын

    What speed do you usually maintain.

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    1.3 to 1.5 mph

  • @AlexRamos-yr8xw
    @AlexRamos-yr8xw Жыл бұрын

    What kind of hooks and what size is good for Sockeye?

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Size 2 or 1

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Gamakatsu Split shot drop shot

  • @AlexRamos-yr8xw

    @AlexRamos-yr8xw

    Жыл бұрын

    And what lb test you use for the leader? Awesome thanks! 😊

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    10 lb

  • @richardcasparian1003
    @richardcasparian1003 Жыл бұрын

    Have you ever noticed that you get more kokanee trolling in one direction over another?

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Absolutely but somedays its going into the sun and other days its with the sun to my back.

  • @adamwarrick2970
    @adamwarrick2970 Жыл бұрын

    I wonder if Kokanee sushi would be any good...

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Its very good! kzread.info/dash/bejne/eoiOj8x-gNzYptY.html

  • @ryanbarton6739
    @ryanbarton6739 Жыл бұрын

    Seagull almost took your fish

  • @ronlee597
    @ronlee597 Жыл бұрын

    Did you swing by Fontenelle while you were out that way?

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    yup

  • @ronlee597

    @ronlee597

    Жыл бұрын

    @@spiltmilt As good as last year? We fished the Font last weekend and Friday was decent but Saturday stunk.

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes we did awesome.

  • @Honks34
    @Honks348 ай бұрын

    Yeah things are not in good shape there.

  • @spiltmilt

    @spiltmilt

    8 ай бұрын

    Its still a great fishery but a difficult one to manage. Lake Trout are such a pest species the world over.

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