Fishing kootney lake

bardfromedson · #1 02-27-2014, 10:07 PM

Heading to kootney lake at the end of April for the first time. Wondering if you guys can point me in the right direction. Looking for some info on fishing and accommodations. Wondering where we should be staying to be close to some good fishing areas. It's a quick guys trip and were just pulling out the boat so a cabin with moorage would be ideal but would consider other options if it puts us on a better part of the lake. Found cabins at pilot bay and Woodbury resort but not sure if these are good places to stay. Woodbury has a dolly derby the week before so not sure how that will effect the fishing when we go.

As far as tackle the boat is rigged up for salmon so we have all sorts of flashers,spoons, hootchies, plugs,apex's, but I'm not sure what to try out there. Also have a few plainer boards if they are hitting bucktails. We will be targeting Gerard's and Dolly's but I wouldn't mind picking up a few kokanees for the frying pan if the season is open.

Any tips, techniques, or good info like tackle shops we should hit up would be a huge help.

Speckle55 · #2 02-27-2014, 10:31 PM

Bard here is Kootenay lake post so look through them I have been in April and we did good both up top with the bucktails and down at 87 fow with plugs

I posted some pics of my buddy last year in Oct/Nov

also in my album on here is a couple of Gerrards and a Bull Trout

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/searc...rchid=12118727

2.2 to 2.7 mph and do some s turns out in the middle if its choppy then use the planners boards they come up in bad weather .. we were out front Balfour and Crawford bay in middle and on other side

Have fun

David

The Reel Deal · #3 02-28-2014, 08:04 AM

Check homeaway.com
I found a place on kootenay lake for the first week of July in the west arm.
I don't have any tips or spots, this will be my first trip and attempt at Kokanee, Gerard's and bulls

jspar · #4 02-28-2014, 12:30 PM

If you are on the east side of the lake, check out the Wynndel Store (gas station). The nice folks there helped us out with some gear that got us into fish.

buckman · #5 02-28-2014, 01:03 PM

I heard the Kokanee had a bad spawn due to a fungus in the spawning streams.My buddy just got back and thinks its affected the fishery big time as the big trout feed on the them.

Just what I heard

Fish face · #6 02-28-2014, 01:07 PM

I would check out the Balfour Beach Inn. Its right by the ferry landing and affordable. The old guy at the gas station has all the tackle you forgot or didnt know you need for Gerrard hunting. The photos to prove it are on the wall. Its more tackle shop than gas station and its 100 ft from the BBI. That also puts you sleeping at the mouth of the west arm , which is a good thing. Also a close boat commute to crawford bay, the only real bay on the lake, and its big and a little shallower than the 600ft average on the main lake. Being a 17 year area resident you dont see too many people fish the west arm but alot of focus on the mouth of it. That local also puts you super close to a pub, liquor store/grocery store and ainsworth hot springs. Hope that helps. Enjoy the fishing and the great people and views out there. Support your local kootenay business when you can they really appreciate it. Especially in the off season.

deschambault · #7 02-28-2014, 07:55 PM

The east side is more convenient, especially for Calgary as you don't need the ferry ride but the marinas are shallow and its hit an miss if they have water in them that time of year. Woodbury has 100 feet of water in their marina so it is more consistent. I have caught fish all over the lake that time of year, both on surface bucktails off side planers and also with plugs usually 40 feet down or less.

bardfromedson · #8 03-01-2014, 12:23 PM

Looks like it will be May 10th weekend instead now. Water should be a little warmer and the spawn should be on. Should I be fishing major river mouths this time of year or are they still pretty spread out? Anyone stay at pilot bay resort before? Wondering how shallow there marina is. Woodbury looks good too but it's a really short trip and the ferry crossing May cut time off of time on the water. Last years reports said it picked up a bit at the beginning of May with bug hatches and a little warmer water. Hope it's the same this yeAr. Thanks for the help so far. Please keep it coming

EZM · #9 03-01-2014, 12:31 PM

Randy, at the Gill and Gift, in Balfour will be able to hook you up with information and tackle. It's definitely worth a phone call. He has helped me quite a bit. Good guy.

Lornce · #10 03-01-2014, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EZM

Randy, at the Gill and Gift, in Balfour will be able to hook you up with information and tackle. It's definitely worth a phone call. He has helped me quite a bit. Good guy.

Has some great bucktail patterns also.

fish gunner · #11 03-02-2014, 06:39 AM

Shout out for barrens in kaslo another great source of gear and info on the big lake. Mid may is prime for bucktails if the moon cooperates (new is best). only concern is the debris lines , great to fish near. vigilance on lines is crucial every 20-30 min check lines for blues &royals. No point draging crap all day . Tune those flys, I cannot stress the importance of this key detail .
Good luck tight lines.

trouty · #12 03-02-2014, 10:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fish gunner

Shout out for barrens in kaslo another great source of gear and info on the big lake. Mid may is prime for bucktails if the moon cooperates (new is best). only concern is the debris lines , great to fish near. vigilance on lines is crucial every 20-30 min check lines for blues &royals. No point draging crap all day . Tune those flys, I cannot stress the importance of this key detail .
Good luck tight lines.

How do you tune a buck tail? Thanks

EZM · #13 03-02-2014, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trouty

How do you tune a buck tail? Thanks

Gunner can elaborate and add some more detail - he has lot's of time out on Kootenay ......

Really, what I do is watch my leader loop (knot) on the fly, comb the hair so the fly runs true when skipping along the chop.

Buckwheat · #14 03-02-2014, 11:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trouty

How do you tune a buck tail? Thanks

Keep messing with it till it runs perfectly straight up and down in the water. They won't touch it if its running on its side. Some good spots are Pilot Point, Wilson Creek, Irving Creek, Queens Bay, Trussel Bay, Coffee creek, under the power lines and all parts in between. Good Luck!

Pixel Shooter · #15 03-02-2014, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trouty

How do you tune a buck tail? Thanks

Bucktails should run straight up and down—not leaning to one side or the other. Pull the fly next to the boat at trolling speed to check if it runs true. To tune the fly, first make sure your leader knot is to the front of the eye. Second, the trailer hook on the fly can be turned or pulled to one side or the other gently to adjust the weight. Again, pull the fly next to the boat at trolling speed to check if it runs true.

That time of year is really going to be dependant on water temp/spring runoff, maybe a tad early but doesn't mean you cant catch fish. I personally would never fish Kootenay Lake without a planer board but that's me. Flies need to be pulled at faster speed 3-4mph depending on chop and tune your boards to the condition of the water. trolling at 2-2.5 as suggested more often than not is dolly speed. Use dark colors for dollies, plugs/flies/apex don't matter. Rainbows for me its flies. That lake when the chop comes up, comes alive, seems uglier it is, better fishing it is. Its a lake not to take lightly, can get real ugly really fast!

Plan on going for a week after May long weekend and probably again a couple weeks after that. If I could only pull one fly in that lake, it would be a grey ghost. Rainbows like bright patterns,pay attn. to water color and light and choose accordingly.

tacklerunner · #16 03-02-2014, 12:26 PM

I second Balfour Beach Inn simply because you are close to the best fishing.

As soon as you get out of the mouth of the river drop your lines and zig zag to Crawford bay and back. Stay in the middle third of the lake.

Too early to say what will be working then. All depends on the speed you will need to go which will be determined by water temps.

fish gunner · #17 03-02-2014, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pixel Shooter

Bucktails should run straight up and down—not leaning to one side or the other. Pull the fly next to the boat at trolling speed to check if it runs true. To tune the fly, first make sure your leader knot is to the front of the eye. Second, the trailer hook on the fly can be turned or pulled to one side or the other gently to adjust the weight. Again, pull the fly next to the boat at trolling speed to check if it runs true.

That time of year is really going to be dependant on water temp/spring runoff, maybe a tad early but doesn't mean you cant catch fish. I personally would never fish Kootenay Lake without a planer board but that's me. Flies need to be pulled at faster speed 3-4mph depending on chop and tune your boards to the condition of the water. trolling at 2-2.5 as suggested more often than not is dolly speed. Use dark colors for dollies, plugs/flies/apex don't matter. Rainbows for me its flies. That lake when the chop comes up, comes alive, seems uglier it is, better fishing it is. Its a lake not to take lightly, can get real ugly really fast!

Plan on going for a week after May long weekend and probably again a couple weeks after that. If I could only pull one fly in that lake, it would be a grey ghost. Rainbows like bright patterns,pay attn. to water color and light and choose accordingly.

Great info oh great and powerful shooter , I would add when tuning a fly ensure you drag the rod tip quickly forward to get fly speed above boat speed , as boards in perfect conditins can achive twice boat speed or faster on a out side turn . A fly must run true this can take ten +min . Two reasons this is important , line twist which on the big lake can ruin 100 mters of line in 30odd min .profile the bows attacking from beside or below wont "see" the correct progile from a spinning fly .
One new to the big lake must stay on top of weather and sea state keep your head up look up and down full length of the lake often .a black line means fishing is improving (swells) a white line for a newb or smaller craft 20' or less should get off now (white caps) take the closest safe harbour some times the far shore will sufice other times you are going to need a ride back to camp , wood bury south to queens bay is not friendly in rough seas . Be very aware of the ferry wake if you spend time in the central regions of the lake .
Tight lines.

bardfromedson · #18 03-06-2014, 01:18 PM

Booked a cabin at Woodbury. Be nice having the boat stay on the water. What's the rules on number of lines. I see bc is 1 per a person if there is more than one in the boat. Is there an exception for this lake? Also, where do most people fish in this area? Not looking for someone's honey hole but looking for places to start. I have heard further offshore and deep for bulls and closer to creek mouths and points for rainbows. Down to 50 ft on the riggers and buck tailing. Is this on the ballpark? I think I have the canadian lakes navionics chip in my other boat so I'm hoping it has this lake.

I have a set of planer boards but they are the offshore yellow ones used more for walleye. I'm hoping to be able to set them up with little tension on the releases or with elastic bands holding the line to the release so they will break away with a good hit. I don't imagine you would want a planer flipping around with a big fish on the end of the line. I have only used this style for lazy walleye with cranks and they would just stay attached to the line and would pull them off when they get reeled to the boat. Has anyone rigged this style to work or should I bite the bullet and look for other styles.