ANGLERS UPSET ABOUT limited coho fishing opportunities still have a good shot at landing something silver this month.
With school in session and an early fall dropping the lake’s temperatures and improving fishing conditions, it’s time for anglers to retake the lake, specifically Lake Sutherland, for a shot at pre-spawn stage kokanee, or landlocked sockeye salmon as the tasty little swimmers also are known.
I’ve targeted these fish before, mostly on camping trips to Eastern Washington, but haven’t had much luck. I owe that to bank fishing limited stretches of water near our camp sites rather than covering larger swaths of territory via boat.
Lake Sutherland success
Port Angeles angler and lure designer Pete Rosko is a different story.
He knows plenty about these lake dwellers.
Rosko fished Lake Sutherland successfully Tuesday, and he and I are planning a trip out Friday morning.
“Don Nunley, a long time resident of Lake Sutherland and ardent kokanee angler, told me that this had been a very slow summer for kokanee,” Rosko said.
“After the recent rains, I was hoping the cooler lake temperature would result in better fishing.”
Rosko took Nunley’s advice to jig near the no-wake buoys on the lake’s north side.
“The water temperature was 67 degrees,” Rosko said. “That’s still on the warm side but better than being in the 70s.”
Nunley’s advice proved prophetic.
“It did not take long to prove Don right,” Rosko said.
“Small schools of kokanee were showing on my colored fish locator mostly in the 62-66-foot depths, 10- to 14-feet off bottom.”
Rosko’s weapon of choice on Lake Sutherland is a glow chartreuse (think fuzzy yellow tennis balls) or glow orange Sonic BaitFish jig.
“Today, I fished a ½-ounce Sonic BaitFish in the glow chartreuse finish,” Rosko said.
“Success was immediate with the first drop and ended after the release of seven legal limits [five kokanee being the legal limit per person].”
I’m hoping for similar such results Friday. Except I plan on keeping my five for a tasty dinner.
To get to that level, Rosko said an angler has to be able to read. But he’s not talking books and periodicals.
“Being able to read a quality electronic fish locator is necessary on Lake Sutherland if you are serious about hooking good numbers of fish,” Rosko said.
“Once your fish are located, a well-placed metal jig will usually out-fish trolling and any other technique. Never over work your jig as this will spook kokanee.”
Now the next bit of advice Rosko offers gets me a little nervous as I’ve never been known for being subtle.
“This is a finesse presentation, similar to jigging through the ice,” Rosko said.
“I almost never jig the rod more than four inches. A high action jig, like the Sonic BaitFish, will dart and flutter about three times greater than the movement of the rod tip.
“Never use a rod that is ‘whippy.’ Instead, jig with a rod with good backbone for proper hook sets.”
Rosko also recommends turning off the fish identification signal.
“Most times it misinterprets schooling bait fish for game fish,” he said.
Rosko’s catch showed signs of changing from bright silver to the dullish gray as they are entering the pre-spawn phase.
“At the end of the day, I saw only one other boat,” Rosko said.
“It was a troller and he caught two kokanee.”
I’m hoping for a far better catch report.
Gun and knife show
Falcon Productions will hold a gun and knife show at the Masonic Temple in Port Angeles, 622 S. Lincoln St., on Saturday and Sunday.
Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.
A weekend pass is $9, and general admission is $6. Active or retired military receive a $1 discount with ID.
Children 12 and younger are free with a paid adult.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
