Okanagan Lake - All in a Days Work
Sitting there waiting for my clients to arrive, I thought back over the past year. It had been a typically warm spring and hot summer in the Okanagan, and the fishing had proven to be good.by Rod Hennig
Five a.m. couldn’t come soon enough for me. The moment the alarm sounded I jumped out of bed, made coffee, and packed a lunch: I was ready to head to my unofficial ‘office’ - the one with the amazing view, where rods and reels take the place of photo-copiers and fax machines. Okanagan Lake is my office, the place I spend more than one hundred days a year, and today was going to be one of those fine days where fishing with two easy-going, regular clients was going to be a blast.
The three of us agreed to meet at the West Kelowna Yacht Club at 7:30 am. By 6:30 I had the truck parked, the boat (Slay-Ride) launched, and was rigging rods and gear for the day – complete with a steaming cup of coffee in-hand. I fired up the diesel heater, relishing the warmth as it circulated through the cabin. The heat felt good: it was early November - prime fishing on Okanagan Lake, and the air was crisp and cool.
Sitting there waiting for my clients to arrive, I thought back over the past year. It had been a typically warm spring and hot summer in the Okanagan, and the fishing had proven to be good. Kokanee numbers were up again, and the season had opened with a bang for these tasty, land-locked Sockeye Salmon. We caught a few of these fish in months passed, with our largest weighing in at just under 6lbs. The Rainbows were also benefiting from the Kokanee's return, as there was more food available for them. In fact, earlier in the year, an angler landed an awesome 25.5lb Rainbow!
When people think of the Okanagan Valley, they typically think of wineries, golf, and water sports in the summer; skiing, snowmobiling and snow-boarding during the winter. If only they realized the great, year-round fishery we’ve got on our doorstep. In fact, the world-record for Kokanee was held by an Okanagan angler from Vernon until just recently.
With 'Slay Ride' ready to go and the equipment waiting, who knew what my guests would pull out of the water today! Just then, my clients pulled into the parking lot, grabbed their lunch and gear for the day, jumped on board and started asking, “How’s the fishing?” As we left the launch, we discussed our strategy for the day and where we’d be fishing. After a short ride, I pulled back on the throttle and the boat came to a standstill. We were near Cedar Creek Winery, and in the last few days this area had fished well. With the trolling motor churning along, we set up the gear. A Gibbs 'Hockey Stick' and a Lyman Lure on top and another Lyman down deep, and we were ready. Alas, a couple of hours and a few lure changes later and we still weren’t into fish. My guests seemed to have more patience than I did. They weren’t worried, but I was. I wanted them to catch!
Anxious, I began to wonder if the fish had moved. Or maybe the problem was that we were fishing too high. Was I using the right colour lure? As these thoughts were running though my mind one of the high lines started to jump. After a short, rigorous fight we brought to the boat a nice 3lb Rainbow. After admiring the colours on our small catch, I pulled the barbless hook from the corner of its jaw and watched as it swam away in the clear, blue waters of Okanagan Lake. It’s 11:30 am and all is quiet again. Within moments I make the decision to move. Right or wrong, I’ve lost my confidence fishing this area.
We pull in the gear, fire up the big 250 Yamaha and we’re off - speeding towards the floating bridge and heading to our destination: Lake Okanagan Resort, located on the west side of the lake, approximately 15 km north of Kelowna. By the time 12:45 rolls around, the lines are set at our new location. I begin to question myself: Did I make the right move? Okanagan Lake stretches from Vernon in the North, to Penticton in the south, and is approximately 135 km long...Should I have gone south towards Penticton?
Suddenly, one of my top lines starts to zing and the spool spins out of control...We’ve got a good one on! Fifteen minutes later we landed a beauty - a 10 lb Rainbow. High-fives are exchanged all around! My guests are pumped! They take a closer look at their catch and decide that this one is definitely dinner material and lay it in the fish locker. Our lines re-set, its time for the obligatory 'glory shot' – its picture time! The client who landed this stunner gently lifts his trophy fish from the locker and sits down on the back of the boat. I grab the camera for the shot, but pause when, out of the corner of my eye, I see movement. Before I even have time to yell, we have another fish on. Line is peeling from the reel and we are in a mad panic. With a camera in one hand and a fish in the other, I get caught up in the excitement. One guest is yelling, “It’s jumping! And it’s bigger than the first!”, while the other grabs for the rod. They take turns bringing this one in, and after a great battle they land another beauty - an Okanagan Rainbow weighing in at just over 12lbs. We finish off the day with two more respectable 5-pounders, both of which we gently released so they might fight another day.
Our day ends and we cruise back towards the Yacht Club, each of us quiet - taking a moment to appreciate the rolling hills, the crystal clear waters, the setting sun. We all realize how blessed we are to live in this valley. Through the years I've spent guiding I’ve had many guests, and inevitably each one comments on the beauty of the area and that I'm lucky to have so many lakes to fish. As for me, I love to fish; it’s in my blood. When I’m asked, “What do you do when you’re not guiding?”, there’s only one answer I give... “I live in the Okanagan! I’m going fishing!”
Rodney Hennig owns and operates Rodney’s REEL Outdoors Sport Fishing Guide Service in the Kelowna area. Check him out today at www.kelownafishing.com