Preview: Early Spring Kootenay Gerrards

by W.P. Williamson
Percy with Kootenay Lake Rainbow Chinook in 2006
Percy with Kootenay Lake Rainbow Chinook in 2006

The barely audible snap of the fishing line being pulled from the quick release clip on the planer board line was instantly replaced by the piercing zing of line being ripped off the reel. “Screamer on,” I called to my father at the helm of his Thunder Jet. I made a quick dash to grab the pounding rod that was now hammering the holder. Not without effort, I managed to release the rod and set the hook once and then again, for good measure.  A solid hook-set is vital as Kootenay Gerrards have thick, heavy jaw bones, the likes of which are generally only found in the Chinook of the West Coast.

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The Hooks

The polar bear hair bucktail mentioned previously is one of three hooks of choice in the pursuit of the huge Gerrard rainbow…(continued in Jan/Feb issue feature article).

All three staples of Kootenay Lake fishing
All three staples of Kootenay Lake fishing

The Planer Board

The planer board is an integral part of our early Gerrard fishing tactics…(continued in Jan/Feb issue feature article).

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Planner board
Planner board

Trolling Speed and Water Temperature

Trolling speeds should be about three to 3.2 miles per hour in this cooler water. As spring progresses, the lake warms and at water temperatures around 53 to 56 degrees trolling speeds increase to the range of…(continued in Jan/Feb issue feature article)

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Where to Fish

The Gerrard rainbow trout are spring spawners and therefore angling efforts should be concentrated at the mouths of known spawning streams and the associated bays around creek mouths…(continued in Jan/Feb issue feature article).

Electronics and Finding Fish

It is also beneficial to have and to utilize an electronic fish finder. This piece of your equipment arsenal can provide a great deal of valuable information…(continued in Jan/Feb issue feature article).

Keeping Warm in Cold Weather Fishing Conditions

Fishing a large body of water like Kootenay Lake in the early spring can be a chilly endeavor to say the least…(continued in Jan/Feb issue feature article).

As I write this, my boat is hooked up to my truck and the truck is packed with all my camping and fishing paraphernalia as I plan for a 5:00 am departure to the last fishing derby of the year on Kootenay Lake. It’s a cold fishing trip not unlike early season Gerrard spring fishing and with a $4000 prize on the biggest fish, you know I will be working overtime to hook up with a giant Gerrard.