Bobby Loomis: Spring Kokanee Tactics

Spring represents a period of transition and opportunity for Kokanee anglers across the Western States and BC. As lakes shed their winter ice and water temperatures gradually climb, these landlocked sockeye salmon emerge from their semi-dormant winter state, presenting unique challenges and rewards for those who pursue them.

Understanding Spring Kokanee Behavior

“The thrill of Kokanee fishing has exploded over the past two decades, and it continues to grow in popularity with no signs of slowing down,” notes Loomis, who grew up fishing the productive waters of Lake Chelan. This growth reflects the unique appeal of these fish-their fighting ability, table quality, and the technical challenge they present to anglers.

Kokanee behavior in spring is heavily influenced by water temperature. “Kokanee are very temperature sensitive and they prefer water temps between 48F-54F, with optimum range being between 53-54 degrees,” explains Loomis. This temperature preference drives much of their behavior during the early season.

In early spring, particularly just after ice-out, Kokanee emerge from their winter patterns but haven’t yet established their typical summer holding patterns. The lake’s thermocline-that critical layer of water offering optimal temperature and oxygen levels-is still developing. “In the early spring the water temperature hasn’t warmed up enough to establish a ‘comfort zone’ for the fish,” notes Loomis. This transitional period creates both challenges and opportunities for anglers.

One significant factor affecting spring Kokanee fishing is lake turnover, a phenomenon that occurs as lakes transition from winter to spring. “You’re going to get turnover on your lake… especially if you’re fishing shortly after ice out,” Loomis explains. “This is a period when the lake’s re-establishing equilibrium in terms of stratification, and it’s going to bring up a bunch of low oxygen water. The turbidity is going to go up, and it will squash the Kokanee bite for anywhere from seven to ten days before lakes settle out”. Understanding this natural cycle helps anglers time their outings for maximum success.

Locating Spring Kokanee

Finding Kokanee in spring requires a strategic approach that differs from summer tactics. “Due to the cooler water temperatures, you will find the Kokanee holding in areas of the lake that you normally wouldn’t during the regular season (May to July); such as shallow areas where the water warms up much faster than the middle of the lake,” Loomis advises.

His primary recommendation is to “target areas of the lake that get the most sun exposure throughout the day”. These sun-warmed zones heat up first, attracting Kokanee seeking their preferred temperature range. Pay close attention to your boat’s temperature gauge or sonar thermometer to identify these slightly warmer pockets.

Another spring location strategy involves focusing on lake inflows. “We fish for them in lakes, and the best lakes have an inlet and outlet of streams or rivers that allow for a natural spawning of the fish and also allows us to narrow down where to start looking for them,” says Loomis. “In early spring, where the streams enter, you want to fish on the backside of points or areas that are out of the current, zooplankton catches in these areas of warmer water, thus creating a feeding area”.

A significant challenge of spring Kokanee fishing is that the fish tend to be more scattered than during their summer schooling period. “Another thing that makes these spring or early season Kokanee hard to locate is that they are just widely scattered,” Loomis points out. “I am not finding fish going back over the same areas where I found fish before. There’s just you know one or two fish here and there, and the few fish I am marking on the graph are really widespread”. This distribution pattern requires patience and persistent coverage of likely holding areas.

Depth selection is also crucial in spring. “Since the Kokanee are seeking warmer water temperatures, they will be residing near the surface as this is the first part of the lake to warm up,” explains Loomis. This surface-oriented behavior can make them difficult to detect on sonar, as they often sit above the typical cone angle of most fish finders.

Tackle Selection and Rigging

Mack’s Lure has developed a fantastic lineup of products specifically designed for the unique challenges of Kokanee fishing. “Kokanee fishing has exploded over the last two decades. To effectively target this feisty landlocked salmon, anglers have found that trolling at slow speeds is of utmost importance,” notes Loomis. “This is where the Smile Blade, Wedding Ring, and Cha Cha spinners excel. Add a Sling Blade or Double D Dodger to your presentation and be ready for the bite”.

For spring Kokanee, Loomis recommends several essential components in your tackle selection:

• Attractors:  Mack’s Double D and Sling Blade dodgers have proven particularly effective for spring Kokanee.

“When you’re using different types of attractors like a dodger for instance, most of your stuff that you want to fish that doesn’t have its movement, you want to fish like a two and a half times the length of the dodger to impart movement on that lure,” Loomis advises.

• Lures: For early spring conditions, Loomis often turns to Mack's specialized Kokanee lures.

The Double Whammy lure, “a variation of the well-known Wedding Ring Spinner with a double hook set-up downsized for the soft mouth of Kokanee and a mylar ‘Smile Blade’ replacing the metal Colorado blade versions for trout,” is particularly effective at the slower trolling speeds necessary in spring. The Cha Cha 1.5 Kokanee with its two-hook setup is another spring favorite, as is the Smile Blade Kokanee Hoochie.

• Leader Length: Leader length takes on special importance in spring fishing.

“In the spring period I prefer to troll a minimum of 75 feet out as the terminal tackle is being presented not that deep from the boat,” says Loomis. He also notes that “in the spring months I also increase my leader lengths more than I do in the regular season so that the lure’s action is slowed down behind the Dodger, not imparting as much movement on the lure as the Kokanee like during late spring and summer”.

• For specific lure types, Loomis provides detailed guidance:

“Something like this Cha-Cha 1.5 inch Squidder with a Smile Blade on it, I’m going to run about 3 times the dodger length with a DD Dodger on there. I will do the same thing with beaded products like the Double Whammy Mini Kokanee Pro, doesn’t matter whether you are fishing Hoochies or beaded spinners, early in the season run a little bit longer leader length than usual. When you get a bit later in the spring and summer I like to fish some of the same lures, but I will shorten the leader lengths down to impart more movement on the lure. I also go to a Wiggle Hoochie which imparts its movement through the water, I’m going run it maybe three, three, and a half times the length of a Sling Blade. I want to allow that lure to do its own business and not be hindered by the attractor or the dodger”.

• Color Selection: For spring conditions, particularly if the water is cloudy from runoff or lake turnover, Loomis suggests a specific approach to color selection:

“Switch to darker colors such as blues and purples and increase the size of your lures. The Kokanee need to find your presentation and the way they do that is by feel, smell, and sight. The darker and larger presentations will help the contrast of your presentation to stand out for the fish to locate it”.

Perfecting Your Trolling Technique

Perhaps the most critical aspect of spring Kokanee fishing is trolling speed. “The key to trolling during early spring is to slow everything down! Trolling speeds between .8mph to 1.2mph tend to produce the best,” Loomis emphasizes. This slower presentation accounts for the Kokanee’s reduced metabolism and activity level in cooler water.

Loomis warns that spring Kokanee “can be sensitive to troll speeds this time even more so than later in the year.” He explains that “without much stratification and water temps in the upper 40s right now, they’re not exactly at their Prime in terms of how they feel, and so they will be a little bit more sensitive to those troll speeds”. His specific recommendation is to “stay between 1 and 1.2 and if I go to 1.4, I’m just not getting hit”.

For anglers without downriggers, spring offers a unique opportunity. “Early season Kokanee fishing provides an excellent opportunity for anglers that don’t have downriggers on their boats to effectively target these fish,” notes Loomis. “One can have success by long lining a presentation such as the Mack’s Lure Flashlight Troll and Double Whammy Wedding Ring just below the surface with a small amount of weight”.

For those with downriggers, Loomis recommends “targeting the upper 25 feet of the water column” during spring. This shallow presentation matches the Kokanee’s tendency to seek warmer surface waters early in the season. Remember, early in the morning they will be up on the surface looking for as much food as possible and start dropping in the water column as soon as it starts turning light, the lighter it gets, the lower they go until they get to depth where they are comfortable for the day”.

Scent and Bait Considerations

Adding scent to your presentation can be particularly important during spring when Kokanee may be less aggressive. “Adding Pro-Cure scents such as shrimp, garlic, or krill to your bait will also help the fish track down your lure and encourage them to bite,” says Loomis.

For bait, the traditional white shoepeg corn remains effective, but in spring, Loomis often experiments with other options like pink maggots, this little bit smaller bait, scent that it puts out sometimes will trigger fish where the corn has slowed down a bit. Do not be afraid to try different types of baits and or scents, “we grew up fishing Kokanee only using nightcrawlers, but they still work!

Adapting to Changing Conditions

Spring fishing conditions can change rapidly, sometimes within the same day. Loomis stresses the importance of having variety in your tackle selection: “Make sure you have a variety of colors, sizes, and types of lures within your arsenal as the bite can change from one lure or color to another multiple times throughout the day”.

When you do find success, Loomis advises staying with those fish: “Rule number one: don’t leave fish to find fish. When I break that rule is when I have bad days”. Given the scattered nature of spring Kokanee, returning to productive areas can be more effective than searching for new concentrations.

Conclusion

Spring Kokanee fishing presents unique challenges but also exceptional opportunities for anglers willing to adapt their tactics to the season’s conditions. By understanding the Kokanee’s temperature preferences, focusing on likely spring holding areas, selecting appropriate tackle, and most importantly, slowing down your presentation, you can experience consistent success during this transitional period.

As Bobby Loomis reflects, the technical aspects of Kokanee fishing are what make it so rewarding. With Mack’s Lure’s specialized tackle and these expert techniques, even early-season Kokanee can become a predictable target for anglers across the Kokanee country. Whether you’re trolling the shallows of your local reservoir, or fishing Lake Chelan on the thermocline these spring tactics will help you connect with more of these prized landlocked salmon as they emerge from their winter patterns.