Don Pedro is a great early morning fishery. “Every time we go over there, I catch limit early in the morning,” said the guide. “You can’t keep all the rods in the water, the bites come so fast.”

July is the best month to target kokanee. Begin around the Willow Tree Area and spend most of your time between Jenkins Hill and Middle Bay. For the most part, they can be found in 80 to 100 feet of water.

A Sep’s watermelon dodger and Uncle Larry’s pink tiger or a Sep’s gold starlight dodger and a pink Apex proved to be Smith’s top lures last season. Fish them on 10-pound Maxima Ultra Green, and you’ll be in business.

“July is the best month at Don Pedro,” Smith noted. “It’s tough to follow the fish in August because there are very few out there. When you only have a few boats fishing, it’s really tough to find them. I wish more guys would fish for them here.”

7. BERRYESSA
Lake Berryessa has been a stronghold for kokanee anglers for several years. Sep Hendrickson, the tackle manufacturer and executive director of the California Inland Fisheries Foundation, believes this year won’t disappoint. “Berryessa is a consistent fishery,” he noted. “There will be quality kokanee for anglers to enjoy again this year.”

Most believe Berryessa will yield some 17- to 18-inch kokanee that will likely come from the mouth of Markley Cove to the dam in 70 feet in July and down to 100 feet in August. The hot setups tend to be a Sep’s dodger and either an Apex or a Hoochie.

8. SHAVER LAKE
Central California isn’t void of prime kokanee fisheries. In fact, Shaver Lake is back on the upswing and positioned for a great 2007.

Even though boat traffic can be high in the summer, kokanee anglers will be able to find success from July through mid September.

“Shaver is in a big-time comeback mode,” said Gary Coe, president of Kokanee Power. He said there’s been a reduction in plants here, and Edison Power Company is doing a good job at maintaining the water level.

“Even in September, the lake will be within 5 feet of full,” said Coe. “Shaver has put out 18-inch fish for us the last couple of years. You had to have 17-inch fish the last two years to get on the money board in tournaments. It went through a cyclical thing where we had 15-inch fish there for about five years. But we’ve come out of that.”

In July you’ll likely be running lines down 70 to 90 feet and then 80 to 100 feet in August. There will be kokanee shallower, but those are likely to be two-year fish, rather than three-year mature fish that many expect will run 18 inches this year.

Coe said that his best setup last year was brass with either silver or green tape Vance’s dodger, or a 6-inch watermelon black diamond Sling Blade with an orange or pink Uncle Larry’s spinner or a hoochie.

9. TAHOE
For almost the last decade, Lake Tahoe has struggled to kick out quality kokanee. But last year’s action gives us hope this fishery could be on the rebound. Guide Mike Nielsen reported kokanee running 15 to 17 inches, and many believe this year will be at par.

“We saw a lot of immature fish last year, which leads me to believe 2007 will be a good season,” Nielsen said. “With 2006 being such a high-water and good-feed year, we should see a big increase in size in 2007. It’s always a guess, but I’m hoping to see some more 15- to 17-inch fish.”

Regardless, the size increase is much better than the 12- to 13-inch fish Tahoe has been accustomed to seeing since the turn of the century. In July, you’ll likely find kokanee 30 to 60 feet deep, while August and September will see those fish down between 60 and 90 feet.

In July and early August, trolling will likely be the mainstay as boats will drag Nielsen’s top rig, a fluorescent orange Vance’s Sockeye Slammer tipped with white or blue Fire Corn or a Mack’s Imperial Lure and a Jensen Dodger in front of Taylor Creek.