The Fishin' Magician: Kokanee at Lake Chelan

Anglers continue to take big kokanee at Lake Chelan and they are finding them in deeper water than they are used to in the lower basin. The main schools haven't arrived off Lakeside Park in the shallows yet. You'll find most boats fishing out in the middle of the lake just up from Lakeside, out far enough to get into 100 feet of water. Electric Scottys are sure handy to have for this fishery.

My brother Rick and stacked our riggers, since we have the two pole permits. We would put one bait right on the ball and the other 25 feet above it and let the whole thing down to 100 feet. Many anglers are getting good action on the bright orange or pink Macks Lure squidder, fished behind a small Double D dodger. Rick got a lot of fish on a purple colored squidder, and I had an orange Super Duper that worked very well for me.

All of the baits are tipped with a good amount of white shoe peg corn and scented. Don't be surprised if you hook a lake trout while fishing for kokanee. We caught three and one was about 10 pounds. I stopped using light leaders a long time ago at Chelan. I was losing too much gear to the lakers.