Now is a good time for kokanee salmon

The two best times of the year to catch a batch of kokanee salmon are last ice and the weeks surrounding Memorial Day. Last ice is gone, but from now until mid-June, local lakes will be serving up limits of tasty kokes.

While the traditional Cowbell-Wedding Ring trolling rigs will catch salmon, faster and by far more fun limits are found by jigging.

You can actually use the same Glo-hook off a Swedish Pimple set-up you used for catching kokes through the ice. Or try one of Zimmer Tackle’s Ready To Go set-ups.

For boat fishing, a 6-foot light action spinning rod with 6-pound test monofilament line works fine. Maggots and kernels of white shoepeg corn will attract kokanee. Maggots are far more expensive but stay on the hook longer — a plus during a biting frenzy.

Scouting with an electronic fish finder will help not only find schools of kokanee but also identify the proper depths. If you don’t have a fish finder, look for concentrations of boats.

Motoring in slowly and anchoring so all boats have plenty of fishing room will ensure a better fishing experience for everyone. Two anchors are the best idea — both for fishing and not getting dirty looks, especially when fishing close to other boats.

Proper care of fish really pays off on the dinner table. Never put kokanee on a stringer or in water in a live well. The best plan is to lay the fish in a cooler on a shelf over ice so the fish neither touch the ice or end up slopping around in an icy, bloody, slimy goop.

Area lakes that should be serving up kokanee include Little Bitterroot, Ashley, Middle Thompson, Glen, Lake Mary Ronan and Lake Five. Check the regs because limits vary between lakes.