Shuswap fishing. Rainbows or Kokanee

[guru fisher]

Just wondering if anyone can pass some helpful information on light lining tactics on the Shuswaps? Not a series trip going with the family but probably troll an hour here and there. Be near the narrows in Eagle Bay. Thanks

[raw outdoors]

I haven’t fished that lake but I did some Kokanee fishing last couple years. There is a good video on you tube called Kokanee seminar. It covers lots of stuff.
Get some lake trolls and wedding rings add gulp grubs and some 1oz and 2oz in-line trilling weights. Long line you lured out behind the boat but count you setbacks so one you get into the speed and distance you can replicate it again.

[Joe Black]

you should be able to manage some smaller rainbows on the surface with small spoons, flatfish, small plugs, spinners, small apex, even fly's.

best to get down at least 10-20 feet with a slip weight or something. the lake troller will get you there but heavy on the line. they do not spend a lot of time right on the surface in dead of summer.

ps. bait ban.

[Talking moose]

These are Gerrard rainbows yes?

[Joe Black]

rainbows up to 12lb's, not sure if Gerard.

bit more involved in getting those than a troll with small surface lures(usually).

a bucktail at 10-20 feet may work.

[guru fisher]

Right on some good ideas there. Just for fun. I think its all catch and release there anyways !!!?? thanks guys

[Kurt505]

Go talk to the guy who owns the floating store, he fishes the lake a lot and has the lures right there at his store.

[Red Bullets]

A 2 or 3 oz. gibbs in line weight clipped on the line 6 feet above a willowleaf gang troll with a K7 silver kwikfish flatfish three feet behind the gangtroll. I've picked up some great trout on parts of the Shushaps. Watch your rod tip. When you are trolling at the right speed your rod tip will 'thrumb' or twitch with a rhythm.

[raw outdoors]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

A 2 or 3 oz. gibbs in line weight clipped on the line 6 feet above a willowleaf gang troll with a K7 silver kwikfish flatfish three feet behind the gangtroll. I've picked up some great trout on parts of the Shushaps. Watch your rod tip. When you are trolling at the right speed your rod tip will 'thrumb' or twitch with a rhythm.

How do do you find the best way is to clip the Weights to the line? I usually tie them right in? I got a couple Gibbs weights but can’t figure out how to clip them on.

[guru fisher]

Thanks for the info about the store. Was gonna be one of my first stops !!

[MLayden]

Although not sushwap, I fish Mara Lake a week every summer. I have always found that early morning (5-7am) the rainbows and kokanee are feeding at the surface on bait balls....short lived event, but I liken it to tarpon fishing for rainbows.

[guru fisher]

Ya early early or right before dusk those rainbows should be feeding. Probably fish them before dark 5 am to early on holidays. Lol 😝

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by raw outdoors

How do do you find the best way is to clip the Weights to the line? I usually tie them right in? I got a couple Gibbs weights but can’t figure out how to clip them on.

I attached a pic of a gibbs weight... I drew in the fishing line to show how it goes. The end of the weight with the coiled wire is where you slip your line into the coil to hold the weight in one place. You just pull out the line from the coil to release the weight.

[raw outdoors]

Originally Posted by Red Bullets

I attached a pic of a gibbs weight... I drew in the fishing line to show how it goes. The end of the weight with the coiled wire is where you slip your line into the coil to hold the weight in one place. You just pull out the line from the coil to release the weight.

I am going to give that a try thanks

[Red Bullets]

Years ago I was at the Shuswaps and tried fishing from shore at the west end where it narrows down to the river between the little and big Shuswap lakes. A good old "0" red devil spoon worked great for trout from shore. I imagine a bigger spinner or 4 inch rapala would be just as good.

[Smoky buck]

Another option is the banana or keel style trolling weights with swivels on either end. I run a braided mainline to a snap swivel to the weight another snap swivel to a mono leader. Its nice for swapping weights or breaking it down at the end of the day keeping things neat till I need the set up next. Just my preference over the style red bullets suggested but both catch fish just the same

Kwikfish as already suggested add blue/silver combo, rainbow pattern,white and pink. Blue fox spinners 4#\5# in pink, green, and orange can be good as well. Small J plugs in similar colour combos

This is for rainbows and it’s been a long time since I fished there. No clue with Kokanee I don’t fish them

[guru fisher]

Any kokanee around ?

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by guru fisher

Any kokanee around ?

There are. This is a good read if you want to target kokanee.

https://www.bcfishn.com/understandin...ng-techniques/

[guru fisher]

Sound tough to catch. Scratch that off the bucket list. Lol

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by guru fisher

Sound tough to catch. Scratch that off the bucket list. Lol

They are just like any other fish target them correctly you will catch them. My brother targets them successfully with flashers and a wedding band tipped with krill, corn, or worms in a few other lakes in BC. My daughter has caught them on a number of small lures she randomly drags behind the boat well I target lake trout in a few different lakes. A pink and black rooter tail has done her well some days

I would not say Kokanee are hard to catch I just prefer to target bigger fish. If you want to catch them try odds are you will succeed

[Dweb]

Dick nite spoons any size or colour will catch you rainbow and Kokanee

[ward]

Originally Posted by Talking moose

These are Gerrard rainbows yes?

I believe they are the Kamloops variety.

[guru fisher]

Is it all catch and release in Shuswap ?

[Smoky buck]

Originally Posted by guru fisher

Is it all catch and release in Shuswap ?

No it’s not and I recommend reading the regs close because it has all kinds of rules

[guru fisher]

I ended up doing really well on the rainbows. Trout killer apex weighted down. Yes guy at the store ended up tipping me off well !!! Anesty arm is hot !!!

[Kurt505]

Originally Posted by guru fisher

I ended up doing really well on the rainbows. Trout killer apex weighted down. Yes guy at the store ended up tipping me off well !!! Anesty arm is hot !!!

I told you he’s the guy to talk to. I don’t buy any tackle until I get there and ask him what’s hot at the time.

Good to hear you did well!

[Pixel Shooter]

a rubber snubber is a must for kokanee. small willow leaf, maggots work great. Kamloops trout as mentioned small apex's work great, keep colors bright on sun days and dark on cloudy days. dragging a polar bear fly on a planer board especially in any chop will out perform hardware. Lyman plugs work awesome as well. key with the trout is pick up your trolling speed ie 3-3.5 mph. as well run longer line when trolling trout

[guru fisher]

Gotta get dialed in !!!!!!!