Don't fish it, don't care.
Lake Dillon Kokanee
I know this horse has been beaten to death but after reading through much of Jon Ewert's Thread I'm curious about something. How many fisherman on this site really care about the kokanee population in Lake Dillon and why?
1 - 20 of 37 Posts
Very few if any, they are the tiniest in the state but are naturally reproduced, one of the latest development at Dillon is after not stocking them for 20 years, the last 3 years Ewert has been stocking hundreds of thousands of Rainbow fingerlings with the goal of feeding and bringing back some trophy Browns.
Has anyone heard of any decent browns being caught in the lake recently. I'm to young to remember, but my dad said in the 70's and early 80's 10lbs plus fish were common in dillon. I've only ice fished it (once or twice a year for the last 10 years) and sure I've caught a ton of 8-10" jokes and a few little rainbow but never a brown or anything of any size.
If Kokes can sustain in Lake Dillon we ought be able to figure out how to do it elsewhere. Maybe we can even figure out how to get them a little bigger!
It's a great spot to go for early ice. :thumb:
It's a great spot to go for early ice. :thumb:
My understanding is they self sustain in Cheesman Lake also..
There are still some decent browns there. Not as many as there were in years past, but they are there. Dillon is a big lake and the few popular spots that get fished are just the tip of the iceburg. There is some decent fishing if you're willing to put in the time and explore. I think many of us would like to see it stocked with mackinaw, but unfortunately CPW is only focused on the "joke" fishery.
I would support genetic engineering for those suckers. I can't find enough motivation to chase 12" to 14" fish, unless we are talking crappies for the table.Maybe we can even figure out how to get them a little bigger!
Yep, what fishhunterdan said, the lake has some killer spots to fish, and has a few really big browns but the access in the winter is horrible. If you really want to get into the good fishing at Dillon, you have to hike and walk alot. This year was especially challenging because of the deeper snow and weather. Lake ice conditions are perfect at the moment.There are still some decent browns there. Not as many as there were in years past, but they are there. Dillon is a big lake and the few popular spots that get fished are just the tip of the iceburg. There is some decent fishing if you're willing to put in the time and explore. I think many of us would like to see it stocked with mackinaw, but unfortunately CPW is only focused on the "joke" fishery.
Dillon has been stocked with hundreds of thousands of rainbow fingerlings in hopes to feed the big brows. In my opinion, the problem is, there are not enough big browns to take out hundreds and hundreds of thousands of fingerlings. So the question i ask is: Are all those fingerlings competing with the kokanne, fingerling browns, and fingerling char for the limited amount of daphnia zoo plankton in the reservoir?".
As far as the kokanne, there are alot of people who really enjoy catching the spawners through the ice right after it ices up at the snake. There are very select few who get into the silver ones through the ice out on the main lake. And even fewer that target them with high success during the summer....I'm looking out the window right now, and there is a hut set up right now over the kokanne. It is the same guys i have seen all winter, they are the only other guys i have met out there that know how to get to the silver ones. Not they are the only guys that do it. They are just the only ones i personally have seen.
To those who like to fish the snake in the fall, the news is good. The 3 year old silver ones we have seen this season are relatively good size, a few inches bigger than what we have been seeing in the past.
So the answer I have for your question is Yes, for two or three months out of the year, the kokanne fishing is fun and alot of people enjoy it, Beyond the snake spawners, and during the bulk of the year the answer is No, very few people have success with them and they are the pretty much the smallest and hardest to catch kokes around.
Yes, a couple over 21" this winter, every fall tourists get hogs off the docs chucking metal, or on power bait at either one of the two marinas. I have been advocating a slot on browns and it sounds like Ewert thinks it a really good idea. So soon we may see protection of trophy browns and rainbows at Dillon.Has anyone heard of any decent browns being caught in the lake recently. I'm to young to remember, but my dad said in the 70's and early 80's 10lbs plus fish were common in dillon. I've only ice fished it (once or twice a year for the last 10 years) and sure I've caught a ton of 8-10" jokes and a few little rainbow but never a brown or anything of any size.
I also find it hard to target them for that reason. At one point they had a Coho salmon run at Willies and it produced the Colorado state record that is in the 12 pound range. Coho salmon for Dillon would be my vote.I would support genetic engineering for those suckers. I can't find enough motivation to chase 12" to 14" fish, unless we are talking crappies for the table.
For the Snake run alone, I'd say its important.
But I still say dump Macs in there.....
But I still say dump Macs in there.....
10 yes votes for 12" kokes....
Wow just wow
Wow just wow
Guess I am getting old, but I remember when the thing to do was night fish at Dillon for big browns in the fall. Go to an inlet and throw big rapalas and hold on. Not sure if anyone does that anymore - was pretty cool.
Really?? A protection for trophy fish in a 3200 acre lake that gets very little pressure and has not produced a trophy size fish since the suckers took over the lake over 25 years ago, yet they proposed to take away trophy protection on the last lake in the area with any real protection on Lake Trout in a lake like Grand lake that does produce some every year and has with a protection slot existing there for over 30 years and don't even want to talk about a protection or even special limit on trophy fish at a lake such as Green mtn. that can produce a few? Sounds to me like just another hand of good fish/bad fishSo soon we may see protection of trophy browns and rainbows at Dillon.
Hence the reason dillon gets an unprecedented amount of fingerling rainbows to feed an extremely small amount of trophy browns(good fish) that are pursued by very few anglers. and Granby has a good # of trophy macs( bad fish) pursued by many anglers yet it gets shorted big time on rainbows. Its all a cumulative result of the anti lake trout/anti predetor school of thought brought about in the mid nineties by Brett Johnson, head aquatics researcher at CSU, and Pat Martinez the former head fisheries biologist for the State. Since then guys like Dan Brau and Jon Ewert have been thought byReally?? A protection for trophy fish in a 3200 acre lake that gets very little pressure and has not produced a trophy size fish since the suckers took over the lake over 25 years ago, yet they proposed to take away trophy protection in a lake like Grand lake that does produce some every year and has with a protection slot existing there for over 30 years and don't even want to talk about a protection or even special limit on large fish at a lake such as Green mtn. that can produce a few? Sounds to me like just another hand of good fish/bad fish
there bosses and a trend of misunderstanding of lake trout predation and the value of lake trout to fisherman has been perpetuated.
Kill all the Lakers and stock 50,000,000 kokanee in all Colorado waters... Its the only way to create good fisheries. Can't you idiots figure that out? What the hell is the matter with you people? Just shut up and trust that the people in charge know better than you do.
I voted yes, I want as many self sustaining forage bases as possible in our fisheries to fuel top end predators...you cant have one without the other and I would just as soon it be self sustaining rather than grown and paid for by tax dollars in our hatcheries although nirvana is probably a combination of the two...the key word here is balance...
1 - 20 of 37 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Colorado Fisherman Forum
A forum community dedicated to fishers, anglers, and enthusiasts in the Colorado area. Come join the discussion about safety, gear, tackle, tips, tricks, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!
Full Forum Listing
Recommended Communities
