Northwest Fishing Magazine April 2025 Volume 4 Issue 6 - Flipbook - Page 28
Lateral lines are really
a series of pores that
contain a network of
sensory structures called
neuromasts. The third
is the very elongated air
bladder that kokanee
have (much longer than
in other freshwater fish).
This air bladder acts like
a drum in picking up
sound waves. The three
tools work together to
give the kokanee a threedimensional picture of
what direction the sound is
coming from.
Be assured that the sound
you are creating with your
dodger travels outward,
upward, downward,
backward, sideways and
forward at speeds way in
excess of the speed you are
trolling. And kokanee can
swim way faster than you
are trolling.
If you are to be a successful
kokanee fisherman, then
you want your setup to
make the kind of sound
waves that will in fact
attract kokanee. This is to
also say that if you want to
be a successful kokanee
fisherman, you do not
want your setup to make
sound waves that repel
kokanee. In my opinion,
using flashers either ahead
of the dodger or on the
downrigger ball produce
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just the kind of sounds that
repel kokanee. The reasons
are basic.
Every manufacturer of
flashers claims that their
action produces sound
that mimics wounded
baitfish. And that they
do, without question.
Essentially flashers are
predator attractants. Except
kokanee are not attracted
to wounded baitfish. But
fish that eat kokanee are
attracted to wounded
baitfish.
Any right-thinking kokanee
(a survivor) has learned
the sound of predators
and what attracts them.
Kokanee hear that sound
and go the opposite
direction. You might in fact
pick up a kokanee using
flashers because there is
always a really dumb one in
the mix. But you will scatter
the rest quickly.
Many times I have heard
and read that when the
fishing is slow, use flashers.
Bad advice. If the fishing
is slow, change your setup
to a larger dodger and
different matching lure.
Change location. Change
scent. Change speed.
Adjust depth.
Next month I will go further
into kokanee eyesight,
colors, and presentation to
up your kokanee success.
