Tips n' Tricks

Fishing for Kokanee with Gibbs Minnow

By Jim Turner - Tri-T’s Sales, Madras Oregon

Billy Chinook is loaded with Big Bulls this year; I took a couple friends out to teach them how to jig for Kokanee. The 3 of us went out a 9am this morning. The water was calm and no wind, perfect day for fishing (Feb. 22nd) and within fifteen minutes of jigging for Kokanee with Gibbs minnows (#12 ½ oz. Pink Pearl) we had about 10 kokes on board and the guys were hooked on this method of fishing. Then D’Arcy Angel hooked this monster on 4lb test line and 15 minutes later had him in the boat. By this time D’Arcy was so emotionally involved he was ready to give this fish a name. This Bull Trout measured 32 inches and weighed 14 pounds. I have been fishing nothing but Gibbs Minnows since a fellow angler clued me in on Gibbs last July. By 1pm we all limited out on Kokanee and had released 7 Bulls all running around 17 to 20 inches. It was real common to be landing a Koke and have one or two Bulls after the koke right up to the edge of the boat, Bulls have a tendency to get under Kokanee and feed on them. This is just like ocean fishing. The Kokanee were all running about 11 to 12 inches perfect for Smoking (Kokanee Candy Bars) nothing beats smoked Kokanee. We make brine using ½ cup of Canning Salt (non iodized) ½ cup Brown Sugar and a ¼ cup Molasses and 8 cups of water. Soak them submerged in this brine over night for 14 hours or so then smoke for 8 to 12 hours depending on the temperature. Wella you got Kokanee Candy Bars. And it is also good with Cream Cheese on Crackers.

Back to the important things catching fish. The great thing about these jigs is you can jig for Kokes and as a side benefit you will pick up Bulls and Browns and even Rainbows at the same time, I have yet to be trolling for Kokes with wedding rings and pick up a Big Bull Trout. And with gas prices as high as they are who wants to spend all day trolling around a lake burning up gas or using your trolling motor. As for a technique if you see the on a Fish Finder and you know where the fish are suspended you can vertical jig at that depth or cast out and do a count down method of jigging. To use a count down method if the fish are around 30 feet cast out and count 1-1000 2-2000 to about 15 (15 seconds) then start cranking in and every couple of cranks twitch the end of the rod, or you can lift the rod from the 9 o’clock position to the 12 o’clock position then let the rod go back down and crank a couple more times. If no strikes you may need more depth extend your count a couple more seconds. Koke seem to suspend in about a 10-foot band so it is critical to be fishing in that band. Lately the fish were running real deep and the size of the band increases. When jigging I use three different weights of jigs for fishing surface to about 20 feet I will use a ¼ oz jig and a ½ oz down to 50 feet and from 50 to 100 feet I use a ¾ oz. To get Gibbs Minnow you can got to Gibbs web site at http://www.gibbsfishing.com and click on links for on line stores. I don’t work for Gibbs I just love to fish and teach people how to fish since last March I have made more than 120 trips out on Billy Chinook.