Once more, I called upon the expertise of Mike Ramsay regarding kokanee fishing. I chose Mike because of his reputation for being successful in taking kokanee throughout the seasons. Mike is the Provincial Director of Provincial Fish Policy and Allocations with the Ministry of Water, Lands and Natural Resources in Williams Lake and has written numerous magazine articles about kokanee fishing. He has been fishing for kokanee in the Cariboo for over 30 years and has learned a lot about this fish, both on open and hard water.
He was gracious in providing me with what he has learned during this time. He says he likes fishing at Bridge and Sulphurous Lakes because of the larger fish to be found there as soon as ice conditions are safe. He concentrates his outings in January and then again in March as the water temperature begins to rise. When I asked about how he locates the fish (my obvious answer would have been to go where everyone else was on the ice), he says he likes to find deep channels that funnel the fish, and due to the absence of a thermocline during the winter months, the fish can be found at almost any depth from just below the ice to much greater depths.
Here a fish indicator pays dividends in determining their position in the water column. He added that in lakes with predators, fish can be found usually at depths of 20 to 30 feet or even shallower.
I then asked Mike about his preference for tackle when ice fishing for kokes. For a rod, he prefers a very, very stiff short fibreglass stick that he says is more responsive and sensitive. The one I have seen him use is about the diameter of a person’s little finger. When I questioned him about this, he explained that instead of watching the tip of a normal ice fishing rod, he feels he has more success by slowly lifting the rod up to detect a take.
He also uses a very heavy jig as it quickly drops back down after lifting the rod up. He also uses a flasher and prefers tipping his jig with bait such as maggots or corn that he dyes himself, usually in pink or orange. He mentioned using a krill scent as these combinations have proven most productive for him over the years.
Getting back to the jig, he pointed out that a heavy one quickly drops back down, as using a lighter one with a slower descent could result in missing subtle takes. He also pointed out that kokanee are not hook-shy and consequently he likes to use hooks in the range from size two to six.
An interesting point he made was that when the fish are not aggressive, they may tend to shy away from flashers. He also feels that weather may play a role in fishing success as the fish seem to prefer either a high- or low-pressure system and don’t like pressure changes.
Mike said that when it comes to being successful in taking Kokanee through the ice, experience is the key and suggests accompanying someone who has had success fishing for them over the years. Patience is also important, as is moving your offerings up and down slowly, he further emphasized, no fast movements.
It won’t be long before the ice will be thick enough to allow access to one’s favourite spot on the lake. I know I have witnessed many very experienced ice fishers on many different lakes consistently taking fish by employing techniques similar to the ones Mike discussed.
Be safe and enjoy your time on the ice while sharing the good times with others.
