The exact leader length, weight, and dodger size for kokanee and chinook. Why 28-32 inches is a number, not a guess.
The dodger does two things
First, it transmits a side-to-side wobble to your spoon — which is why your spoon LOOKS alive on the troll. Second, it flashes light into the strike zone — which is how fish find your spoon from 6-12 feet away in stained or low-light water.
- Sling Blade (4" or 5.5"): wide kick, slower-speed troll (0.8-1.2 mph)
- Stinger UV dodger: tighter kick, mid-speed troll (1.0-1.4 mph) — our default for kokanee
- Pro-Troll EChip: built-in electronic attractor, premium tier, all speeds
Leader length is a math problem, not a feeling
A short leader (12-18") gives the spoon HARD action — fast wobbles, tight side-to-side. A long leader (28-36") gives the spoon SOFT action — slow rolls, more darting. Kokanee in calm water want hard action. Pressured kokanee, post-bite, or chinook want soft action.
- Kokanee, morning bite: 16-22" leader
- Kokanee, afternoon slow bite: 28-32" leader
- Chinook, structure: 36-48" leader
- Lake trout: 40-60" leader, soft action over rocky shoals
Leader weight matters more than you think
Fluorocarbon is nearly invisible in water — that's why we use it. But the diameter affects spoon action: heavier leader = stiffer, more side-to-side; lighter leader = more wobble. Match leader weight to fish size, not memory.
- Kokanee + small trout: 8-10lb fluorocarbon
- Big rainbow + small chinook: 12-15lb fluorocarbon
- Mature chinook + lake trout: 17-20lb fluorocarbon
The setup we use most
Stinger UV dodger (5") + 28" of 10lb fluorocarbon + Duskcraft spoon + size 10 ball-bearing snap. Trolled at 1.1-1.3 mph behind a downrigger ball set to thermocline depth. This is the default we run on every Western kokanee reservoir from Stampede to Wallowa to Tahoe.
Pend Oreille Smolt
Hand-painted glow spoon tested by Mark Halverson on Lake Pend Oreille, ID. Built for chinook, lake trout, kokanee.
