Kokanee - Pardee or Berryessa

Been itchin to catch some kokes. What's my best bet, Pardee or Berry. Any insight appreciated.

My dad lives in Ione, that puts him 15 mins from Pardee gates. I get an almost daily report from there. I just texted my dad for the details on what has been working and will update with anything I hear back

 If you want a real good chance at a limit, Pardee would be my choice. Not big fish, but lots of them at the river mouth.

Berry would likely get you bigger grade of Kokanee, but would possibly be a tougher bite with a lot more paddling to locate the fish. I don’t have any good intel for Berry, but the Inland Salmon and Kokanee group on Facebook lively has some recent intel on Berry. You’ll probably launch from Oak Shores and head for Big Island/Skiers cove, which can be long paddle in that heat.

 

I'm heading to Bullards,  Kokes are small but plentiful.  It will be a lot cooler too.

Berryessa was slammed packed last weekend if that matters to you

I'm heading to Bullards,  Kokes are small but plentiful.  It will be a lot cooler too.

+1

I got bored at around 10 am Father’s Day, wasn’t planning on fishing, but I pulled off a hastily planned Kokanee run to Berry.

Short story = thorough skunking, not even a bite.

But I learned a few things which is why I’m posting those results...
1. I now know where skiers cove is. It is often referenced on PB reports. “Ranch house to skiers cove” “Big Island to Skiers Cove”, etc...

I’ve left from Oak Shores and accesses the big island area, but skiers cove is too far south for that launch.

Sunday, I left from Steel Canyon ($15 launch fee it was predictably very busy). Paddled out to the main lake going under the power lines And staying on the southern shoreline as I worked my way East. Skiers cove is the very large deep ravine positioned just West of the mouth of the Narrows. It appears to be about 60-90’ deep back there, it was holding fish around 40-50 feet down.

I worked the cove, Narrows mouth, and out in front of ranch house. It gets as deep as 150’ out in front of the narrows/skiers cove.

I think I was just too late. The noise from the skiers and jet skis probably scattered the fish. I logged about 12 miles on the trip and was off of the water by 3. Will definitely launch from Steel again to access the area, though it looks like Spanish Flat would be about the same distance.

Map key:
Yellow dot is steel canyon launch
Green circle is Skiers cove
Red circle is the mouth of the Narrows
Blue circle is the Ranch House
Black line represents my path of travel

Thanks for sharing the report.  Been thinking of a trip to Berryessa for some Kokes.  Last time I was there, launched at Putah Canyon.

Thanks for the report ML.

Was out there Saturday. Caught a trout and a hand full of bass. Launched out of Oak. Caught the trout passing through goat island 6 colors on lead core. Fished the east side of big island with the DR and LC for no kokes. Lot of boats fishing between big island and the ranch. Didn't see any nets or hookups.