Gerards rainbows in Okanagan lake?

[Fisher_dude]

I've lived in kelowna my entire life and I've never heard of gerards in OK lake. Just big normal rainbows. Is this true?

 

[Bassblaster]

The Big Rainbows in OK lake are actually called Kamloops Rainbows. They are one of several sub species of rainbow trout that the province breeds in the hatcheries and releases. They can get pretty big, but Gerards are a different strain that is stocked mostly in the Kootenays. The Gerards can get to be enormous by trout standards, 25-30+ pounds but most of these monsters are swimming in Kootenay Lake or in the fountain pool in front of the Kootenay Trout hatchery. We took a charter one day and managed a mere 10 pounder, a baby by Gerard standards, but we were out during the summer, a slow time of year for them. Late fall through about March is best with some of the biggest fish being caught in December and January. Here's a link to a guide site to give you perspective.

http://www.reeladventuresfishing.com/

Have a good one.

 

[Fisher_dude]

So, is that a no to gerards in okanagan?

 

[tubber]

There are two types of rainbows in the lake. The lake is not stocked(except by accident) to my knowledge. Mission Creek rainbows grow big and eat kokanee once they reach about 15 inches. I got one last week that was only 22" long, but had three 6" kokanee in it. Pennask rainbows eat insects. The Penask fish are decended from stocked lakes that blow out in the spring occasionally. Gerards have been transplanted, but not in Ok. Lake.
This pic is of a 25.5lb Mission Creek rainbow caught this spring by one of the guys willing to troll long hours for a fish or two.

 

[Fisher_dude]

Yea. I've seen that pic. That's a bruiser for sure but I think it should have been let go. But that's just me. I caught a pretty decent rainbow the other week. I'm in the hunt for a 10+ though. Double the size of my last one.

 

[Big Green Machine]

That's Jim Sutherland and he releases most of the fish he catches on the lake. That one was hooked deep and bleeding so he kept it.

 

[Fisher_dude]

I figured there would have been a reason behind it.

 

[Capt.T]

Might be a stupid question but, What about the big ones in Quesnell and Horsefly lake in the caribou? I thought they were kamloops rainbows but, when I was up there this summer a local told me they were Gerards. Is this true. If so, they would have direct access to the Fraser system. didn't seem right to me. but I know very little about gerards. so, is there some gerards that got stocked up that way, or are they kootney/Columbia only.

 

[Jencourt]

I just caught this thread now.
To my Knowledge.No Gerards in OK lake for sure. As you can see by the pic shown, the trout that are there do get big.

Wen I lived there we used to be good for a dozen or so in the 10-20 lb range every spring. This was in the late 80's through to 2004. Will say the last 3-4 of those years it got pretty tough and I would say we were far below a dozen in that size range.Still lots in the 5-10 size back then. Very fun fishery from April to about May Long weekend. We would launch at Westbank(5 minutes from the house) and lines would be wet in about 2 minutes.We would get most on a buck tail right on top. The best bucktails ever tied for that lake were by Clem's sports.( I think he tied them himself ??) Not sure if that is still an option as he sold out years ago and would think he has long since retired?
Ok that turned into a stroll down memory lane.

Cheers:Ray

I've lived in kelowna my entire life and I've never heard of gerards in OK lake. Just big normal rainbows. Is this true?