Pro Tips: Is the Sonic BaitFish the Best Kokanee Lure?

IS THE SONIC BAITFISH THE BEST KOKANEE LURE?

by Pete Rosko | Contributor

To answer the question to the title of this month’s article, I feel that there is no better month to fish for kokanee than September. In addition, a Sonic BaitFish™ (SBF) is the lure that has the potential to catch the most kokanee by vertical jigging!

Before all of you trollers quit reading the rest of this article because of the word “jigging,” please read on as this article is especially for you.

WHAT MAKES THE SONIC BAITFISH UNIQUE FOR KOKANEE?

The SBF is uniquely effective because of two primary actions — darting and vibration. Watch your rod tip when flatline trolling. It is actively pulsating because of its darting and vibration action. These are two primary actions that cause a fish to strike. These actions are duplicated whether using downriggers or any other fishing device.

Tip for trolling: Do not attach an attractor (flashers, dodgers, etc.) directly to your mainline. Attach it to your downrigger cable as an “indirect attractor.” Mack’s Lure offers a number of great indirect options for this, including the Ball Troll and Flash Lite® Troll.

SHOULD I USE AN ATTRACTOR WITH THE SONIC BAITFISH?

By attaching an attractor to your mainline, the true darting action of the SBF is reduced. The only attractor I add to the mainline is the SBF itself. I attach an Indiana blade to the split ring on the back side of the hook shank (away from the hook point).

Oftentimes, I connect the blade to the split ring with a duo-lock snap. This gives a more effective, free-swinging, side-to-side action.

• I never attach a swivel to the blade, only to the nose of the SBF when casting or trolling — not when vertical jigging.
• Try not to extend the blade beyond the end of the hook, as to not interfere with hook sets on the strike.

TROLLING WITH THE SONIC BAITFISH IN OPEN WATER

Here is one of the truly unique features of the SBF for you trollers and any other angler, in general. During open water seasons, troll with the SBF until you locate fish. Then, vertical jig that location by attaching that same SBF to your second rod.

This is how you can catch large numbers of fish on calm water days by monitoring your electronic fish locating and staying over those fish. When that open water freezes over, jig that same SBF through the ice.