Frustration in Hooking Kokes

[RiverChromeGS]

Ok so i run a half night crawler with one or two pieces of corn on a double number 4 hook rig 20 inches behind a 4/0 dodger in samish and other places for kokanee. I get ALOT of bites, over 30 in the last 2 days, but ive only hooked like 6. Most didnt stay on the bite, others came off half way up. Kokes always come off i know, paper mouths, but this is getting ridiculous. anybody know a good way to have a better hooking percentage on kokanee?? bigger hooks, smaller, differnet kind, closer together, smaller bait, gear closer/farther from dodger?? Im having trouble!

[returnofthefish]

A nice long limber rod helps, try adding a rubber snubber and use a small treble as a trailing hook.

[G-Man]

A nice long limber rod helps, try adding a rubber snubber and use a small treble as a trailing hook.

All great suggestions. Further, you are using too much bait for kokes and possible your hooks. When putting on bait use only enough to add a bit of scent to your presentation. With half a crawler, the fish can grab the worm and not touch the hooks, which I'm guessing is happening more often than not. The kokes are not after your presentation to eat it, they just want to chase it out of their "space". Too much/too large of a bait in the bend of the hook, especially harder baits like corn, won't allow for the hook to properly set on a kokanee. One of the reasons why maggots are a near perfect bait for these fish.

[zen leecher aka Bill W]

where's the post about using the sharpest hooks you can find or using a sharpener on them yourself.

There's a reason some hooks are described as "sticky sharp". Also the second hook gets a chance to hook into the kokanee somewhere else during the struggle (if they are really, really sharp).

[Toni]

My Leaders are never that long.
The spacing between the hooks is small. I never load bait on the hooks.
The special rod helps but if you can't get one get a snubber.
My hook-up ratio is about 2/3 caught 1/3 lost. It seems that if I can fish 2 days in a row I go down to 50%. I have only been out 2 days in a row twice this year.

[RiverChromeGS]

so is the suggestion use a lure like a wedding ring and put small bait on so the hooks are bare, or just use smaller hooks closer together with better hook exposure on a small piece of bait, like a 3/4 to inch long piece of worm at most so they fit it in the mouth. Im thinking of running a small triple hook "stinger" also. Thanks for the help guys.

G-man... PM me about lake wash cutts. Havent been down since that 4 lber i got jigging mouth of cedar, wondering if the summer is any good, (i know the ski boats make it harder)

[Dave]

Today at Lake Cavanaugh the Kokanee either hit hard and were hooked and boated with exception to a few that my buddy missed, or they just mouthed it and we missed em. After reading this topic I didn't know Kokanee had soft mouths, maybe that's the problem then. We ran wedding rings, either double whammy or single Kokanee Killers tipped with white corn. Lots of bites, 6 Kokes boated along with one lone cutt. Great day on the water, report submitted.

[Smalma]

First never "set" the hook; rather if fishing off a downrigger wait to make sure that fish is on. They break the fish loose if it has not released and quickly reel until tight to the fish. A limber rod and lightly set drag (or direct drive) so that the fish can easily take line will help. With such a set up a snubber is not need (actually hurts getting the initial hook up).

I like double SINGLE hooks and prefer drop shot hooks in size 2. I tie the hooks about 3/4 to 1 inch apart (as measure from eye to eye). The thin wire with sticky sharp points are a huge help. For bait I would forget the night crawler or cut it into small pieces (corn kernel size) and go with scented corn or Glup maggots.

Some days the fish just do not take the bait very well and losing some is just part of the game. If they are taking the gear well there is no reason not to land a reasonable per centage of the fish hooked (something north of 80%).

Play the fish with a light hand (especially close to the boat) and of course a long handled net.

Tight lines
Curt

[racfish]

Kokes have soft mouths.I used to fish a lake near Shelton called Lost Lake. Great for Kokes. We used these tiny maggot hooks with a maggot on it. If you tried settine the hook you almost lost it every time. I remember letting them take it and start reeling and a slow to moderate speed.

[fear_no_fish]

When ever i fish for them im almost always using a wedding ring behind a ford fender or little dodger, make sure you have the 2 little hooks that are sticky sharp, ill put 2 corn pieces on the top hook and 1 on the bottom, when the fish hits i dont set the hook, just start fishing. I feel like the extra pull from getting the rod out of the holder and up into fighting position is enough.
But thats just me

[RiverChromeGS]

Thanks guys that helps alot. ive been running 2 #4 hooks about an inch apart, and actually have been setting the drag super loose so when they roll and shake its not so tight that it pulls out, but idk still losing tons. This morning i went 5-21........... i lost 7 because i didnt have a net long enough to reach when they did the death roll along side the boat. but the others either didnt stick on the bite, or came off half way up, even without setting the hook and having loose loose drag. and i have a 2-6lb test rod. I dunno they were SLAMMING the rod into the water on the bites too, like hard hits. If i just simply run a tiny tiny piece of worm or 2 or so corn kernels on the 2 hooks behind a dodger with nothing else, you think theyll still hit it, so that they are pretty much just biting hooks? I remember 6 or 7 times today where they were about 15 feet behind the boat right under the surface. I saw the bottom hook was all that was in them, and watched as they did the famous kokanee roll and POP goes the hook right out of the mouth. over... and over again. Im lucky the first light bite is RIDICULOUS at samish, or id be in trouble. I just simply dont know what else to try, ive done all you guys are saying... theyre big too, smallest today was 13.4 inches, biggest 15, suprsied they dont just take the whole thing down!!!@!!!!!!! IM PPISSED! buying dip net tho tomorro id of been limited soon with it

[racfish]

Try Dupont Spinners. They always catch fish.

[Smalma]

Racfish -
The guidelines for converting hook-ups to fish in the boat I posted earlier in this thread works nearly as well as Dupont spinners.

Yesterday took a newbie (at 76 his second kokanee trip ever)to my home lake - fished from 12:30PM to 4 PM during a tough bite but still managed to go 11 for 13 (a pretty normal conversion rate).

Tight lines
Curt

[racfish]

I was being a total smart allic on my last post. I hear ya. One you bead in a a school you can do very well quickly. Like anything we do in life patience plays a key role. Good Luck everyone . Drive carefull wherever y'all go for the Fourth. As an FYI I use Shoepeg corn. Shoepeg corn is the Sheot of bait.

[RiverChromeGS]

Well, today i decided to run dual treble hooks, and went 5 for 5 in 20 minutes. Nice to limit quickly for a change without missing 20 fish a day.

[Skagit River]

My grandpa always told me that if your hook doesn't catch on your thumbnail when dragged across the nail "SHARPEN YOUR HOOK KID, you'll never catch anything thst way! Wish he was still around.

[Anglinarcher]

Thanks guys that helps alot. ive been running 2 #4 hooks about an inch apart, and actually have been setting the drag super loose so when they roll and shake its not so tight that it pulls out, but idk still losing tons. This morning i went 5-21........... i lost 7 because i didnt have a net long enough to reach when they did the death roll along side the boat. but the others either didnt stick on the bite, or came off half way up, even without setting the hook and having loose loose drag. and i have a 2-6lb test rod. I dunno they were SLAMMING the rod into the water on the bites too, like hard hits. If i just simply run a tiny tiny piece of worm or 2 or so corn kernels on the 2 hooks behind a dodger with nothing else, you think theyll still hit it, so that they are pretty much just biting hooks? I remember 6 or 7 times today where they were about 15 feet behind the boat right under the surface. I saw the bottom hook was all that was in them, and watched as they did the famous kokanee roll and POP goes the hook right out of the mouth. over... and over again. Im lucky the first light bite is RIDICULOUS at samish, or id be in trouble. I just simply dont know what else to try, ive done all you guys are saying... theyre big too, smallest today was 13.4 inches, biggest 15, suprsied they dont just take the whole thing down!!!@!!!!!!! IM PPISSED! buying dip net tho tomorro id of been limited soon with it

I find that most of the advice you are getting is good, but sometimes it is hard for those that know, to tell, in writing, those who do not know, how to do it. I have a suggestion that will help, but ............. it is not to replace what you have been told.

One suggestion is circle hooks, size 6. You don't set the hook with circle hooks, and they actually hook well on Kokes. When you get the bite, just let it take it. Like said before, just reel in. I think this will really improve your catch rate.

Another suggestion is tru-turn hooks, if you can find them small enough. They turn in the fish's mouth and hook those paper mouths a little better.