06_2025_REELLIFE_digital - Flipbook - Page 31
Try as I could, no kokanee
could be enticed from
the 60-foot depth. The
kokanee at the 40-foot
depth were the only ones
that would bite. I set
out the FishHawk TD to
determine if temperature
had anything to do with
it. Sure enough, it did. The
fish at 40 feet enjoyed a
temperature of 54 degrees.
The fish at 60 feet were at
44 degrees. The deeper
fish were already starting
to settle in for the winter.
Since it was September, I
could tell these were the
two-year-olds (next year's
fish). Most of the kokanee I
had caught at the 40-foot
level were either turned
or were turning color. By
combining what I learned
from the temperature
measurements with what
I saw on the fish finder, I
was able to figure out why
I was not getting bit at the
deeper depths.
ELECTRIC TROLLING
MOTORS
The single best advantage
of the electric trolling bowmounted motor is the
ability to steer the boat by
wireless remote control
from wherever you are in
the boat. I simply strap the
small control on my wrist,
and that lets me easily
control the boat's direction
and speed, even when I am
fighting a fish or setting
the downrigger.
SCOUTING A NEW LAKE
Once you have enjoyed
some success fishing for
kokanee, you can have
confidence in fishing
any lake with a kokanee
population. Kokanee are
kokanee regardless of
whether they are in Oregon,
Idaho, Montana, North
Carolina, British Columbia,
Washington, Colorado, New
Mexico, Utah, Wyoming, or
California. When I know I
am going to fish a new lake,
the very first thing I do is to
