North Idaho Ice

[Bonaro70]

Is BNSF allowing you to park at the south end of Cocolalla now?  I heard they were ticketing folks using the crude old boat launch so have not been there in a few years.  Let me know  as I love the south end of Cocolalla for perch.

[aza10]

Went by and checked cavanaugh bay on my way home from bead. It’s somewhat capped but edges are open. Maybe next year.

[bullpine]

Yes we had same thing we kept about 10 or 15 but I also can deflate their bladder as well

I keep every perch as they over populate and next thing you know they are all ruts.  That's one of the reasons why the FnG put Tiger Muskies in the system,  to thin out the perch so they have size. Besides they make good tomatoes.

[Joe34]

Went by and checked cavanaugh bay on my way home from bead. It’s somewhat capped but edges are open. Maybe next year.

How'd you do at Bead? I've wanted to try it for Kokanee..

[aza10]

How'd you do at Bead? I've wanted to try it for Kokanee..

I was targeting lakers. Done ok the past few days, iced about 10. Also caught a 41.5 “ burbot.

[Vandal78]

I was targeting lakers. Done ok the past few days, iced about 10. Also caught a 41.5 “ burbot.

Whats your go to laker setup? Ive always used a drop shot setup with something that looks like a small fish. Through the ice.

[troutfool]

Is BNSF allowing you to park at the south end of Cocolalla now?  I heard they were ticketing folks using the crude old boat launch so have not been there in a few years.  Let me know  as I love the south end of Cocolalla for perch.

I drive by everyday, and I've been seeing a lot of people fishing the south end this year presumably by trespassing through the BNSF property.  I doubt that BNSF is allowing the access but their lack of enforcement is certainly emboldening the locals who don't know or don't care.

[Skookum1]

What were you guys using for trout in Coco? I dont like eating them but I'd love to get in to some thing that pulls harder than a tadpole. ( i.e. perch)

[hugeinchina]

I was targeting lakers. Done ok the past few days, iced about 10. Also caught a 41.5 “ burbot.

Oh that was you! Nice fish. I am also on that forum and was the one who provided the link to the Manitoba Master Angler stuff.

[aza10]

Oh that was you! Nice fish. I am also on that forum and was the one who provided the link to the Manitoba Master Angler stuff.

Thanks for the info! I think I’m going to get a replica made. With that big of a burbot and a near double digit laker morning is a day I need to remember.

[aza10]

Ok pickled fish experts I need help.  I rushed getting my fish in the first brine and forgot the pickling salt. Can I save this by adding some and letting it sit another few days or did I ruin all of it?

[TOMINATER]

How's the ice at Cocolalla? Any tips for fishing it?

[catskinner]

How's the ice at Cocolalla? Any tips for fishing it?

Ice was great 4"+clear 1-2" white on top. We were fishing small spoons tipped with maggots in 35' of water, rattle the bottom and pick up a couple inches and twitch. Good luck

[bullpine]

Ice was great 4"+clear 1-2" white on top. We were fishing small spoons tipped with maggots in 35' of water, rattle the bottom and pick up a couple inches and twitch. Good luck

My wife claims they bite best when the trains are passing by, so hang on then.   Otherwide 2X.

[catskinner]

My wife claims they bite best when the trains are passing by, so hang on then.   Otherwide 2X.

One of the guys I fished with other day said the same thing about the train. lol

[S.moyer0331]

Had a solid 100 perch day on Cocollala today.  Some pretty solid slabs in the bunch and a pretty good cat.  Your train theory isn't rumor, it's fact. Everytime the train went by the perch would stir up on the flasher. We fished the north end today and it was a zoo but by the looks of it most did well. Green was the ticket today, morning it was maggots, afternoon was perch eyes. Ice was a solid 6-8 inches of crystal clear.  And no, I don't ice fish in street shoes, the new guy forgot his boots 😂

[sihlms391]

Nice job. 

[BlueDuck]

I fished Cocolalla today.  Looked like a record turnout.  44 cars in the lot on the north end when I got there and 60+ when I left.  They were parking way down the street and around the corner.  Looked like most every one had at least some fish.  Some did very well.  I fished 3 hours and had 30 perch and 2 nice trout.   7" of good ice.   

[TOMINATER]

What am I doing wrong? Everytime I go ice fishing I get skunked! Was at Cocolalla with some friends today for about 2 hours and caught nothing!

[aza10]

A few decent north idaho perch for your viewing pleasure.

[Skookum1]

Fished with S.Moyer today (I did Not forget my boots) it was busy but good.

[jagmt]

What am I doing wrong? Everytime I go ice fishing I get skunked! Was at Cocolalla with some friends today for about 2 hours and caught nothing!

It can be frustrating. If you fishing for perch, find 25-35 feet of water. Electronics help but you don’t need them. Small jigs like ratsos, jigging spoons like Hali, Swedish pimple, etc...generally chartreuse or glow...tip with one to three maggots. Drop it to the bottom and real up one to one and a half turns. Rotate between short jigs and just bouncing it...let it rest a few seconds and try again...once again electronics really help figure out what presentation the perch want. Hope that helps.

[S.moyer0331]

It can be frustrating. If you fishing for perch, find 25-35 feet of water. Electronics help but you don’t need them. Small jigs like ratsos, jigging spoons like Hali, Swedish pimple, etc...generally chartreuse or glow...tip with one to three maggots. Drop it to the bottom and real up one to one and a half turns. Rotate between short jigs and just bouncing it...let it rest a few seconds and try again...once again electronics really help figure out what presentation the perch want. Hope that helps.

This is what worked for us, any green jig was the ticket today.  Free floating line blade really seemed to help, but our two buddies didn't have them and were doing well too. 

[bullpine]

How's the ice at Cocolalla? Any tips for fishing it?

Go early and go late for perch.  They feed on blood worms and do not waste energy when they are not available, which is early and late in the day.  I fish with someone on the South end years ago and they left skunked at 3 pm. About 4 pm it was lights out as you could barely get it down the hole.  On the North end just go out to the 35 feet of water and use a blue and silver 1/4 oz castmaster and pound the bottom a few time and then jig it above botton and the do nothing to give them a chance to bite.  Use perch eyeballs too as sometimes that makes the difference.  Well it 442am gotta go fishing.

[S.moyer0331]

There was a few die hards on cocollalla today.

Why do you say die hards? Ice bad or something? Planning on hitting up cocollala in the morning

[bullpine]

We should be good until the end of the month if it gets cold again this weekend.

[CMS]

Why do you say die hards? Ice bad or something? Planning on hitting up cocollala in the morning

There’s probably not many perch left after this weekend.

[BlueDuck]

Plenty of perch left in Cocolalla.  Only about 5% of the lake ever gets fished in the winter. 

[CMS]

That’s good news, I was trying to be sarcastic

[S.moyer0331]

There’s probably not many perch left after this weekend.

😂😂 Fair enough