Blue Mesa Fishing Report: Kokanee Explosion!

Water Temp 54-60
Inflow (cfs) 1212
Outflow (cfs) 1195
Lake Elevation 7483
Boat Ramp Hours 6:00 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Marinas Elk Creek Open 7-5, Lake Fork- Open Soon!

The kokanee fishing really took off this weekend!  The east end of the lake has warmer water temperatures that are triggering the salmon to feed and be aggressive.  We are also seeing a mix of rainbow trout, brown trout, and lake trout each trip.  The bite is hot, but you still have to have the right lures on!  And once you figure out what they want the hooking to landing ratio has been 50% at best.  The fish are fiesty and the arial shows, intense drag rips on light tackle, and moments of five fish on at once have made for some very exciting fishing trips!

Trout- Rainbows are showing up from the surface down to 27′.  We are mostly catching these fish on kokanee tackle while fishing for salmon.  Browns can be found most consistently in 5-35 feet of water along rip rap shorelines and off of the points.  Crankbaits, jerkbaits, and maribou jigs have been consistent producers as well as kastmasters, krocodiles, and blue fox spinners.  Casting, trolling, and jigging have all been producing.

Lake Trout– Mackinaw are running 30-80 deep right now.  These fish are roaming several different types of structure right now, but the edges of flats in 40-60 are holding the best numbers of fish.  Trolling some type of rainbow or salmon imitation or jigging a tube jig or Berkley gulp! minnow has been most effective.

Kokanee Salmon– Every day has been a little bit different, but these fish are hanging out in 1-45′ of water with lots of action from 15-30′.  Change depths frequently until you find results.  These fish move up and down a lot depending on the conditions so don’t lock yourself in to a certain depth.  All colors have been producing depending on the day and some days we have six different colors on six different rods.  Rocky Mountain Tackle squids and spinners and our Lazer hooks from Eagle Claw have been hot!  Tip these with white shoe peg corn and run them behind a Rocky Mountain Tackle dodger.

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