Skaha Trip advice needed

[huffy]

Heading to Skaha next week with the family next week. We are staying at Wright's Beach on the north end of the lake. I would sure like to try my hand at some bass. I will have my kayak and wonder if there's any spots within decent paddling distance from the beach. I'm not adverse to trying deeper waters for rainbows,etc. if they are out there. Any advice would be appreciated.

[trigger7mm]

My uncle lives on Skaha, and I fish it whenever we go out to visit. mostly all smallmouth is what we catch. The south end of the lake at OK Falls is the best place to fish. There is an island out in Front of the main park that has a big sunken rock pile on the north side of it. An easy paddle from shore. Fish the deep edges with tube jigs or drop shot rigs and a dew worm. You can try along the tressle just west of there too, but I'd stay to the deep rocks. You should have no problem getting into some smallies. They are an awesome fish, and fight like crazy. Good luck, and let me know how you made out when you get home. Happy holidays.

[Red Bullets]

Last time I was there I managed a few nice rainbows and a few kokanee trolling from a boat. I think if you wanted bass the south end of the lake at Okanagan Falls Lions park would be better. Right where the river channels south toward Vaseaux lake is fishable for bass. There is walking access to the west shoreline of Skaha there too. Some fishable weedbed water there. And right around the old train trestle is good too.
Drive or paddle to Vaseaux lake and you can park right by the lake and paddle off from there. One of the better bass lakes in the area.

Good luck.

Note: Trigger took the words out of my mouth and posted quicker.

[huffy]

For the rainbows and kokanee, what depth were you fishing?
I do have the ability to go deep from the yak.

[Moefoe]

Was out there August long...buddy has a Bass boat and got to fish a couple of days. For the most part we fished the south-southeast end but on Monday, first thing in the morning we got on the water before it was light out and chucked top water Cranks in and around where the canal dumps into the lake at the north end and did very well! Lots of action but ended around 7:30 am!

[Red Bullets]

For the rainbows and kokanee, what depth were you fishing?
I do have the ability to go deep from the yak.

Was fishing from 60 to 90 feet down for the trout and kokanee.

[huffy]

One final note, from the regs it would appear a single hook is all that is allowed, no biggie there, but from what I can tell, barbed hooks would be allowed on Skaha..thoughts? Some of my gear is barbless, some not, just don't want to be illegal.

[Northern Yaker]

Can toss cranks with 3 trebles if you so desire in any lake unless specifically listed. Singles & barbless all flowing waters. & don't forget a angler in a boat alone can use 2 rods.

[walking buffalo]

Heading to Skaha next week with the family next week. We are staying at Wright's Beach on the north end of the lake. I would sure like to try my hand at some bass. I will have my kayak and wonder if there's any spots within decent paddling distance from the beach. I'm not adverse to trying deeper waters for rainbows,etc. if they are out there. Any advice would be appreciated.

I sure miss Skaha. I used to live on the beach on the NE corner of the lake. Fished there almost daily for years.

Limited to kayak distance from the beach,
Over by the Channel is a close location for bass. Or just head south.

Better bass spots are at the south end as mentioned or on the east side by the cliffs.

If you feel energetic, paddle down to Kaleden and try along the reeds to the north of town.

Mind the wind, you can easily be caught off guard.

As for Kokanee, there are some Big Kokanee in the lake, but they will take some skill to find and catch. They will be in the middle of the lake and DEEP, 125-150'.

Fishing for Rainbows can be easy if you are happy with fish under two pounds. Just troll a Doc Spratley size 10 (red was the best) very slowly about 10 feet down. The paddling motion is perfect for this presentation. Stroke.... wait until the boat almost stops, and stroke..... Fish right in front of the north beach a little ways outside of the swimming zone at first light or as the sun hits the west hills.

[Red Bullets]

Fishing for Rainbows can be easy if you are happy with fish under two pounds. Just troll a Doc Spratley size 10 (red was the best) very slowly about 10 feet down. The paddling motion is perfect for this presentation. Stroke.... wait until the boat almost stops, and stroke..... Fish right in front of the north beach a little ways outside of the swimming zone at first light or as the sun hits the west hills.

When I fished Skaha in 2011 the biggest rainbow I caught was 7 lbs. and several to 3 lbs.

[walking buffalo]

When I fished Skaha in 2011 the biggest rainbow I caught was 7 lbs. and several to 3 lbs.

There are lots of good sized Rainbows in there.... regularly caught them from 6-10. I would be disappointed to not catch at least one over 6 each attempt during the prime seasons, when targeting them. My advice was directed to catching the smaller bows from a kayak close to the beach. Slow trolling a wet fly on a sinking fly line from a canoe at sunset along the north beach Always produced a few 1-2 pound trout, all summer long....

At this time of the year, the bigger bows will be generally be deeper and tough to catch from a kayak.



Not many locals fish Skaha as it is consider polluted (effluent from Penticton) when compared to other lakes. For many years myself and "The Coach" (God rest his grumpy foul mouthed soul :) ) were the only ones out there. Limits of 5-6 pound Kokanee changed a few minds....

[marlin1]

I was catching bass by the where the canal dumps in at the north end off the rocks a few years ago . Get there at sun up

[huffy]

Some great advice, thanks everyone. My brothers will have his boat so going deep is no problem. Also, I have a downrigger for my kayak just haven't tried it yet