I have fished them in both Washington st. and Colorado. Found them both hard and easy to catch at times. PowderRiver is right on the money with what he posted!!!
Sounds like he knows his Kokes! 8)
Jake, these landlocked sockeyes look stunning in thier spawning colors once they migrate upstream, (just like our reds, but 1/4th the size.)
I would follow PowderRivers directions on catching these fish, but here is some additional ammo if needed. I have found that Kokes are easier to catch if you micro-size your gear. Small lines, smaller baits, and sensitive rods like noodle rods are good insurance. I had used olive beadhead fly patterns tipped with a single maggot. 2# test, a couple fly split shot, and the smallest Thill slip bobber due to the depth at which the fish were generally found, (5-45 ft. of water.) I have also used a single red gamagatsu egg hook baited with two maggots or one egg.
I must admit that Kokes were a lot easier to catch while trolling in soft water! I have some killer rigs for these guys, but this is a hardwater forum and I won't go there.
One more thing. "IF" it's legal to chum your favorite lake DO IT!!! Some Kokes like chum and can be kept around your hole for a fair amount of time.
Recipe for Koke chum:
3 cups of crushed oats
2 lbs. of salmon eggs (half of them crushed)
as many crushed egg shells as you can get
2 oz. bait scent of various tastes (I like sand shrimp flavor and or baitfish flavor)
1 can fishermen's blend cat food
Try to avoid the use of corn due to it's digestability, oats are o.k. and digest well, (cleans them out and helps the ol' salmon colon flowing.)
Chumming is not for everyone, but it can produce numbers in lakes that are lower in population density. Since Kokes are more of a zooplankton feeders, they can be a bigger challenge to catch than rainbows. Then again, they can be caught by the dozens.
Good luck! -Barleydog