1st Annual Berryessa Salmon Slam Apr. 2, 2011...IT'S ON!

I am def in, and will make a bunch of pink hoochies to hand out if guys want them. You have to have your own dodger though, them cost money! Koke fishing is simple, mark the depth of the thermocline, and the fish, drop your gear at that depth and troll it slow, dead slow. .9-1.2 mph. You can jig them with a small little cleo or cast master tipped with cured shoe peg corn. Use a very light rod, they ahve very soft mouths and the hooks will tear right out if you put too much pressure on them. (kokes) Kings are all out fighters, and I usually get them trolling spoons or hoochies. Pink is usually the hot color for kokes, and watermelon is usually hot for kings and trout. Some people use dipsy divers, I hate them. They are hard to dial in to a specific depth. At this lake that time of year, they will most likely hang between 20-50 feet depth.  What I do in place of a down rigger, is take nylon cord, like mason's string, and tie a knot every five feet. I tie a one pound ball sinker to the end, and use a basic down rigger clip to connect the fishing line to the stringline. I can adjust the depth quick and easy with a slip knot to a caribener. I usually stack two rods off one line, at dif depths and different lengths off the line-less tangels.  I tried two "down lines and they got tangled all the time. Or, topline a rapala or spoon for kings off one side, and fish kokes off the other. That is probably how I will fish being it is a double entry tourney!  I will help the day of the show if guys need to see my set ups.

Not bad rich, but theres a lil more to it. For the most part rich is right. Kokes and small kings do have soft mouths so having an Ultralight rod is a must. If you dont have one yet, then go get one. if you cant afford one, then go get some rubber snubbers you'll need them. As for tackle, most kokanee tackle/rigs that are avail. on the market will do right out of the package, for both kokes and kings here! And yes pink is a solid stanby color, but different colors and contrast will work better than one another on certain days. Most of the fish here at berry in apr. will be in the upper 35ft of water. Bringing or buying more than 3 dodgers wont really be necessary. But i do suggest you keep them smaller than a seps 3/0 dodger. I personally use seps and rocky moutain tackle dodgers. Gold prism, watermelon, and copper/pink prism patterens work well. your main line shouldnt be any bigger than 8lb. and 6lb. flouro for leaders is ideal. Stay away from leadcore line and flashers. trust me, its a recipe for disaster! U want to use a dodger anyways because it gives your lure the action/wobble it needs to get kokes to bite. Shoepeg corn or berkley maggots smothered in some procure sauce is a must! Ill post up more tips later on as the tourny nears and will post some major pre-tourny hookups.

Do you recommend getting a Kokanee rod, or will a 7' L 6-12lb bass rod work?

Should work well Al, I use an ugly stick ultra light, and take a fly rod and put a spinning reel on it too. This year I will have two ultra lights, so I am tooled up!

Should be fun - if I can talk the GF into it we'll probably camp at Solano - too bad houseboats don't start running til May...

Never fished for either of these, so I am looking forward to the strategy discussions - I have LOTS of trout gear, so I shouldn't need too much to get ready.

Do you recommend getting a Kokanee rod, or will a 7' L 6-12lb bass rod work?

Uuuummm, i wouldnt recommend it. I have a 7ft shimano clarus UL spinning rod that i use for drop shotting and flinging small jigs with, but sometimes use it for kokes and it does work, but the flimnsy the rod, the better. Most UL rods will do even if there only 5ft, just make sure they are flimnsy! Okuma gots a really nice kokanee special rod for like $40 and i think shakesphere still has there series of kokanee rods for cheaper.

Okuma gots a really nice kokanee special rod for like $40 and i think shakesphere still has there series of kokanee rods for cheaper.

Yeah, you can get a Koke rod for $30 or even less if on sale.  I know that I picked up 2 Shakespeare Agility rods last year at Mel Cottons' fishing expo last year when they were on sale.  Some people have had them break but I don't have any complaints.

I'd like to participate. Never fished this lake or for these species in a lake so this will be interesting.

I'd also like to donate a rod made by myself. Spinning rod, 7', fast action. Most likely will be a good rod for trout and light bass. Is there a color theme for this event like the logo that was posted in this thread?

Lets see , my home lake , kokanee and we ( son and I ) bought our first kayaks at the Expo Saturday - count us in !  Could be entertaining  , rookies fishing in (on ) kayaks - although we have 2 months to get somewhat educated .

Rookie yakers that is , in freshwater 99% of our fishing is on DR for kokanee / trout . Looks like a new game plan as there will not be any DRs on our kayaks .

Lets see , my home lake , kokanee and we ( son and I ) bought our first kayaks at the Expo Saturday - count us in !  Could be entertaining  , rookies fishing in (on ) kayaks - although we have 2 months to get somewhat educated .

Rookie yakers that is , in freshwater 99% of our fishing is on DR for kokanee / trout . Looks like a new game plan as there will not be any DRs on our kayaks .

Hey, a lot can be done to a yak in "two months"    Congrads on the yak purchase Dan! 

Please reply on the Berryessa roll call Post if you guys are going. Thanks ricci

For those that don't have the proper gear.....and have the money to spend, please hold off and start looking for our list of partners that have committed to donating gear. I'll try to get some discount codes that can save you some money in the process.

Our list is growing, and links will be posted soon

www.Kokaneemart.com have joined us as a partner and they have great prices online. So if you order from them, make sure you mention you are a member of NCKA.


My 2 cents - don't forget to tip with a small piece of worm! 

Huh...ya think they will work. Need to whip up some more. Can't really see in the pic but there is a spinner blade in front of the hoochie

Eric those look good and your on the right path. But to make those a little more productive i would make a double snell hook rig, then the hoochi, and put a colorado blade on one of those tiny U-things that are on most spinners. Having a double snell hook rig will increase your catch rate tremendously and having the blade on one of those U-things will give your blade a wider and truer rotation and in return gives your rig a much better and easier presentation that kokes and kings can find.

So, i've heard there is a secret technique to putting the corn on the hook, is that true?  If so, what is it    

Love the look of your hoochies EWB, very inspiring! Really like the green bead contrast to the orange hoochie.  Maybe some glo-beads?  What line are you using?  Seems like the wedding rings and uncle larrys use a pretty stiff line, or is that me?   Damint, now i'm going to have to try making some!!!    Got PLENTY of practice doing the double snell hook rigs for WSB fishing 

For those that don't have the proper gear.....and have the money to spend, please hold off and start looking for our list of partners that have committed to donating gear. I'll try to get some discount codes that can save you some money in the process.

Our list is growing, and links will be posted soon

Kokaneemart.com have joined us as a partner and they have great prices online. So if you order from them, make sure you mention you are a member of NCKA.


My 2 cents - don't forget to tip with a small piece of worm!

WELL Said    Going to check out their site now!  Thanks!