Split Shot Charters

[deanna]

Has anyone used these guys on Kootenay Lake

[EZM]

I haven't used them myself - but they will put you on fish. Our regular vacation house a is few doors down (Balfour waterside) from one of the guys from Split Shot.

Good Guys. Lot's of happy customers.

Kootenay Lake, be aware, is really suffering with some serious disease and die off effecting the Rainbows and Kokanees. I am not sure how bad it is - but sounds like it's significant.

[tacklerunner]

Yup. He'll catch you fish! Gerrards are long and skinny this year.

[ganderblaster]

We have a trip booked with him for April 1,2. Curious myself, my brother set it up so I have no idea.

[Fishslayer99]

Yup. He'll catch you fish! Gerrards are long and skinny this year.

I have heard the lake suffered a major setback with the majority of the kokanee dying due to some disease. The kokanee obviously the major food source for the Gerrards, hence the long and skinny comment. Very unfortunate event and I would imagine it will take years for the fishing to return to what it once was...if it ever does.

[Fishslayer99]

I haven't used them myself - but they will put you on fish. Our regular vacation house a is few doors down (Balfour waterside) from one of the guys from Split Shot.

Good Guys. Lot's of happy customers.

Kootenay Lake, be aware, is really suffering with some serious disease and die off effecting the Rainbows and Kokanees. I am not sure how bad it is - but sounds like it's significant.

Sorry EZM...guess I should have read your whole post, not just half. Lesson learned!

[Wild&Free]

I have heard the lake suffered a major setback with the majority of the kokanee dying due to some disease. The kokanee obviously the major food source for the Gerrards, hence the long and skinny comment. Very unfortunate event and I would imagine it will take years for the fishing to return to what it once was...if it ever does.

The world record, before fishing geeks(kudos if your reading this)broke it, for a Gerrard rainbow was 6 years old, maybe 7. Caught just south of the border from kootney lake back in the 30s.

In the right conditions this strain of Rainbows grows fairly quickly.

[EZM]

Sorry EZM...guess I should have read your whole post, not just half. Lesson learned!

Just like me listening (or not listening) to my wife ..... lol.....

Anything after the few first words sounds like a charlie brown movie.

:) :) :)

[Kingfisher]

Here is the story on the kokanee in Kootenay Lake. I know lots of people say there is something wrong. But do not know what it is. At least if you read this you will understand what it is all about. Hopefull it won't spread to the other fish like the gerards, or to the other lakes in the region. The gerards do not look healthy. They are long and skinny compared to the big fat gerards that we used to get out of there. I sure hope they can get this under control. But that is one huge body of water.



This article is from the Nelson Daily News.

Here is the link to the page I got it from. http://thenelsondaily.com/news/fish-virus-found-kootenay-lake-kokanee-calls-action-28084

Fish virus found in Kootenay Lake Kokanee calls for action
by Suzy Hamilton on 26 Jan 2014

A fatal fish virus has been detected in the Kootenay Lake Kokanee raised in the Meadow Creek and Redfish spawning channels.

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNv) was found in 80 percent of spawning Kokanee in a routine check of the fish coming from the Meadow Creek spawning channel last fall.

The virus has also been detected in spawners in the Redfish Creek spawning channel.

“It turned up for the first time this fall,” said senior fisheries biologist Jeff Burrows with the Ministry of Forest Lands and Resource Operations (FLNRO). “It’s not a problem in the wild, but it can spread where there’s a high density of fish such as spawning channels.”

Fry and spawners are most vulnerable to the virus because their immune systems are weaker than adult fish, said Burrows. As fish mature, they become resistant to the disease until they become spawners.

So far, the virus is isolated to Kootenay Lake.

Believed to be spread by coming in contact with other infected fish or their feces, in this case the virus is “transmitted horizontally,” said Burrows, which means it is not passed on from parent to offspring, but rather spawner touching spawner.

It is thought the virus gains entry at the base of the fins and gills, and affects the internal organs so that it is not discernable in most fish.

IHNv is commonly found in Pacific Coast salmonids, affecting salmon, trout and sturgeon as well. The first reported epidemics of IHNv occurred in the United States at the Washington and the Oregon fish hatcheries during the 1950s.

This outbreak may also have an effect on the Gerrard Rainbow, who feed solely on Kokanee. Burrows said it appears that the predator/prey relationship between the two is already out of balance.

“We have had an abundant predator population, while the Kokanee run was low at Meadow Creek this year,” Burrows said.

“This is a food web dynamic,” he added. “The Gerrard may have eaten themselves out of house and home.”

In fact, size is down among the Gerrard, said Kerry Reed with Reel Adventure Charters.

“Basically they don’t have enough food. We’re not getting the big fish at 18-24 pounds that we used to get. This year a big fish was 13-15 pounds.”

This was the first time Reed had heard of the virus, but he had suspected something was going on.

“The fish are skinny,” he said.

Kokanee spawners in Meadow Creek fell from roughly 760,000 in 2012, to 200,000, in 2013, but numbers rose in Redfish and Kokanee Creeks from 4,000 to 19,000 and 13,000 to 20,000 respectively.

Gerrard spawners, on the other hand, were above normal in 2013 at roughly 2,300 fish.

The trout are potentially at risk, Burrows said. “We don’t know if any are infected, but we plan to test them this spring, when the spawners are at Gerrard. We will capture some to collect ovarian fluid samples for testing.

“And the fact remains, the virus can kill immune system depressed fish, but may not actually be killing fish. For example, the Meadow Kokanee spawners spawned quite successfully before dying, which they do anyways after spawning, sick or not.”

At this point there is no explanation as to why the virus showed up at Meadow Creek. It is believed to be recently introduced since it has not shown up before, Burrows said.

FLNRO is taking immediate steps to prevent the spread of the virus. This calls for draining the channels as drying kills the virus, flushing the channels with more water to clean the gravel, and removing any carcasses, Burrows said.

The virus does not affect humans or other mammals feeding on the fish

[BPman]

It has been quite a few years since I went out with Capt. Mike at Split Shot but he was very good and I got my PB rainbow - 18 lb and the 4 of us all caught some nice ones. That was early March.

[man of steel]

I live near Kootenay Lake and fish it a lot. Fishing is very poor. The rainbows are starving. Any fish being caught are snakes. If anyone tries to tell you differently they are just trying to take your money for a charter. The locals are starting to fish other local lakes as they seem to have crashed a few years ago and are now on the road to recovery.

[ganderblaster]

Just finished a trip with Mike (Split Shot) limited on kokanees and caught 5 bulls (dolly varden)and a couple rainbows. Had a good time. Fishing was fast for the first two hours in the morning and then died off but had action all day.

[livinthedream]

Just finished a trip with Mike (Split Shot) limited on kokanees and caught 5 bulls (dolly varden)and a couple rainbows. Had a good time. Fishing was fast for the first two hours in the morning and then died off but had action all day.

The char in Kootenay Lake are Bull "Trout". You will find Dolly Varden in coastal regions. That said, please share some photos of the Bulls and Rainbows you caught. Used to fish Kootenay back in the 70's and enjoy seeing pictures of those incredible trout and char from that lake! Thanks.

[deanna]

Mike told me we just cast & jig for the bulls by a rock pile is that what u did I have him booked for June 15. Happy to hear u had a good day

[ganderblaster]

He pointed out the rock pile in Sunshine bay but we never fished there. I don't post pics on the forum ,sorry, my skin just isn't that thick yet. I'm sure my fish handling skills could use some criticism though lol. It was our first time out that way it's a beautiful area.

[fish99]

I fished with mike on the Columbia river south of trail for sturgeon , 2 of us caught 17 , my biggest was 280 lbs . good guild , very knowledgeable as he grew up there. well worth the money spent

[FireTiger]

Been going out to Kaslo for ~ 25 years now (from Calgary) - took us awhile to get used to the local fishermen referring to the Bull trout
as 'Dolly's' (they even have an annual 'Dolly' tournament).

Sorry to hear about the Kokanee decline - they had just recently made a big comeback from another decline several years ago.

Caught and released many 20 lb + Bull's over the years on the 'good old' downrigger/flasher/green hoochie setup, but also landed many on
silver/blue plugs and Bucktail flies (when trying for the big Gerrard's).

Haven't been out for a few years now - I remember when taking 'new guys' out with us they always asked why we were using heavy duty Salmon gear – when it was their turn to bring in a fish and it was 20 lb + Gerrard Rainbow peeling off 100 yards of line in a few seconds, guys shouting and
jumping around the boat – they finally understood - sure miss those days !


Cheers