It is, however, a true member of the salmon family. It was set all the way back in 1988 but that fish was also caught at the flaming gorge reservoir. There is some debate as to whether the kokanee and its seagoing relative are separate species. Approximately 60,000 kokanee salmon were also stocked in the jordanelle in april. The odfw and kokanee power of oregon are collecting both kokanee and rainbow data for detroit lake. In recent years, weve made it a tradition to watch utahs kokanee salmon as they run up the rivers to lay their eggs. We have kokanee salmon here in utah, brought from the far reaches of the pacific northwest. They are most abundant in the thompsonokanagan, cariboo chilcotin coast and kootenay regions, and the present world record of 4.
The utah division of wildlife resources utah fishing planner is an interactive map designed to help hunters research fishing areas. Utah rivers will soon turn red as kokanee salmon begin their. This year, researchers counted over 10,000 fish within a mile of the reservoir. It is one of the most scenic and beautiful reservoirs in utah. Kokanee stock photos download 146 royalty free photos.
The event is free, and the viewing site is easy to get to. However, other than their size, kokanee have very similar identifying characteristics as sockeye. The kokanee salmon is actually a dwarf landlocked form of the sockeye salmon. Distribution the kokanee is found over most of the range of the sockeye salmon which extends in north america from the klamath river in california to point hope, alaska.
Kokanee salmon kokanee, a landlocked strain of sockeye salmon, are distributed throughout the province, often sharing the same lakes as rainbow trout. Once grown, the fish should provide more deep water fishing opportunities for anglers. Fish lake boasts a rich history of gigantic lake trout, and splake. How to catch kokanee salmon in strawberry reservoir utah.
If so, i would very much like to hear if anyone on this site has caught one and their opinion on it. Catching trophy fish visit ogden ogden, utah vacations. Slater says kokanee salmon help fill an underutilized niche in the reservoir. Pronunciation of kokanee salmon with 1 audio pronunciation, 11 translations and more for kokanee salmon.
Must know facts about how to catch kokanee 2017 edition. Where to go and what to use while ice fishing throughout utah. The kokanee salmon oncorhynchus nerka, also known as the kokanee trout, little redfish, silver trout, kikanning, kennerlys salmon, kennerlys trout, or walla, is the nonanadromous form of the sockeye salmon meaning that they do not migrate to the sea, instead living out their entire lives in freshwater. Kokanee are caught throughout the year, with june being the most productive month. For trout pursuits, use a fish finder to help locate the depth of the fish you are targeting. Kokanee can be one of the most difficult and elusive fish species to catch in utah, but are a beautiful fish to catch and are very tasty to eat.
Kokanee fish are native to the kootenay region of british columbia and are a nonmigrating form of sockeye salmon. Kokanee salmon were brought from washington into utah in 1923 and planted in bear lake and then into strawberry in 1937. Only one of the lake trout may be larger than 28 inches. Dec 27, 2012 december 24 i caught 80 kokanee salmon, and smoked them in three batches that evening and the 25th. Dude catches massive 57pound lake trout in utah, a new. Teaching fishing tips and techniques for kokanee, trout, and just information on how to be a better kokanee angler in this addictive fishery we all love. After plentiful field research on utah s lakes and streams, weve compiled the definitive guide to catching utah s five trophy fish.
The kokanee creek provincial park is one of the top spots to experience the spawning mayhem. Conquest expeditions world class sport fishing in utah on. Kokanee sockeye salmon oncorhynchus nerka utah fish. Porcupine reservoir spring survey 30inch brown trout. Five of utahs fishing records have been set at the flaming gorge reservoir rainbow trout, lake trout. Many utah and wyoming state records have been set on the reservoir. See kokanee salmon at utahs sheep creek outdoorhub. Sockeye salmon, red salmon, blueback salmon, kokanee, koke, and silver trout water temp.
The utah state record for a kept lake trout is 51 pounds 8 ounces. I was reading the dnr page for record size catch and types and it said the state record kokanee salmon was caught in the clinton river in oakland co. Both species have fin clipped fry released into the lake. May 02, 2017 kokanee salmon were presented experimentally in many lakes and reservoirs in broad numbers in north america during the 1940s.
By registering to the site you will have access to the message board topics, private communications with other members, fishing reports, uploading photos, and access to many other special kokanee fishing related features. A large, scenic slice of blue water calmly rests at the base of central utah s mytoge mountains. Theyve been stocked in several utah waters, including causey reservoir, porcupine reservoir, moon lake and strawberry reservoir, which currently boasts the state record, a 6pounder, caught in 1995. The catch record will be used to determine catch rates and the kokanee population health in our local lakes.
By most accounts, none have been caught in flathead lake since their total crash in the late 80s. September 9, 2011 september 17, 2011 sept 9, friday, day 1, home to klamath falls, or via i5, us97. Your guide, kyle edwards, brings years of experience in sport fishing. They were small, so i had to do a lot of processing per pound of fish, but they are quite tasty. Utah fishing records is extensive and changes multiple.
Even though their house is a museum, in honour of the newest animated the addams family, offered guests the chance to book a reallife replica of the iconic familys home. Conquest expeditions also offers scenic sight seeing tours of flaming gorge reservoir. An alluring trail system crisscrosses the aspenstudded basin at more than 8,800 feet. Sep, 2014 from the 1940s to the 1980s, kokanee salmon were the prominent sport fish targeted by anglers, tallying as many as 100,000 anglerdays spent annually fishing for them. All of the rules in the guidebook go into effect on jan. Kokanee are most common in well oxygenated, open waters with temperatures in the range of 1015c, normally large lakes and reservoirs. Causey reservoir fishing utah lakes and reservoirs utah. Strawberry reservoir is one of the premiere trout fisheries in the state of utah and has some of the best kokanee salmon fishing.
In 1934, ernest hemingway caught a record size468poundblue marlin. Meadow creek spawning channels are also very active and produce between 1015 million fry annually with mean eggtofry survival rate of 45%. Utah s strawberry reservoir, in the uinta national forest east of provo, was planted with kokanee. Kokanee salmon spawning at taylor creek, lake tahoe, ca. When they arrive, diverse and colorful landscapes greet them and then stick around for the entirety of flaming gorge reservoirs 91mile length. The lake in which i caught the kokanee has an overpopulation problem, so there is no limit on the number of kokanee you can catch or possess. Attempts to plant the smallmouth happened between 1912 and 1914. Kokanee salmon swim upstream from causey reservoir to spawn on thursday, sept. Kokanee primarily inhabit the pelagicopen water zone and prey on zooplankton, he. Because they never migrate out to the ocean to feed, kokanee are often much smaller than sockeye.
Kokanees have been a part of utah s fishery management program for many years now. Which is why the thought of a 10pluspound kokanee seemed so strange to denis. The management at strawberry reservoir also stocks the kokanee salmon annually to help keep their numbers growing. The kokanee salmon was brought to utah from washington in 1922 and introduced into bear lake. This program produces kokanee that are released in their home streams or the lake in the spring or fall. This brochure has filled a key outreach gap for our.
For more utah outdoor activities please like us on. Kokanee and sockeye salmon british columbia travel. Fishing at flaming gorge flaming gorge fishing in utah. Unlike their oceandwelling cousins, kokanees will spend their entire lives in fresh water, trading the unattainable ocean swells for a more placid existence in. The kokanee evolved in inland lakes and never make it to the open ocean in their lifecycle. Kokanee brochure a brochure was completed in 2009, under the leadership of a kwg member and her high schoolaged son as part of a community service project. People travel to flaming gorge national recreation area from around the globe to fish for record breaking trout and kokanee salmon. Licensed anglers are allowed a limit of six trout or kokanee salmon, but no more than three may be kokanee salmon, and no more than four may be lake troutmackinaw.
Kokanee fishing forums welcome to kokanee fishing forum. Its kokanee salmon population draws fishermen from across the country, and the rainbow trout and. In the future, even more kokanee about 250,000 each year will be stocked in the reservoir. Live simple, live free tinyhouse prepper recommended for you. Thanks to efforts of nonprofit groups kokanee power and project kokanee, the salmon that can grow in most impoundments to 2 pounds and slightly larger the state record is. New fish stocked at jordanelle park record park city, utah. It was restocked into strawberry after the 1990 treatment. Kokanee salmon, a landlocked type of sockeye salmon. Kokanee oncorhynchus nerka is a native species in some of the landlocked lakes and reservoirs in parts of north america.
Most kokanee live in a lake for most of their lives, so you can usually see them spawning near the. Kokanee are extremely good to eat, and smoking these 12inch salmon is a treat. Where to catch kokanee salmon in utah outdoor troop. Kokanee salmon starting in 2016, you cant keep any kokanee in utah from sept. Kokanee were first introduced into montana in flathead lake in 1914 and are currently fairly widespread in the western half of the state on both sides of the divide. Kokanee salmon is simply the name for a pacific sockeye salmon when it is landlocked. Located just 30 minutes from logan, this water is easily accessible for residents of cache valley and provides trophy opportunities for brown trout and quality kokanee salmon fishing. Fishing rules approved for 2019 and 2020 salt lake city starting jan. Kokanee is technically a subspecies of the sockeye salmon but its landlocked behavior and development makes it enough of a unique organism to be treated independently. With the recent plantings of kokanee salmon and tiger trout, this lake will only get more exciting. Kokanee is a word from the okanagan language referring to landlocked lake populations of sockeye salmon oncorhynchus nerka. This species is a pacific salmon that is primarily red in hue during spawning.
But major food web changes in the big lake caused them to crash and disappear. The bass were planted in the weber river and utah lake. Bell ringer with and extra small cousin carl blade. Tucked within fishlake national forest, in the central utah plateaus, fish lake is considered to be the. Oct 05, 2015 thefree guidebook, which contains all of the fishing rules for utah for 2016, should be available online by late november. Each year in the beginning of september the strawberry river turns bright red with spawning kokanee salmon. The kokanee is the landlocked version of the sockeye salmon. A little over a week ago, i saw my first kokanee salmon run up little bear river just east of porcupine reservoir. Fishing montanas waters is enjoyed by many, but only a few anglers catch a record fish. Utah anglers can fish the wyoming side of the reservoir only after purchasing a reciprocal fishing stamp. The utah division of wildlife resources serves the people of utah by managing and protecting the states wildlife.
Each fall the fish turns a vivid pinkish red before broadcasting their eggs along the creek. Art and karen pearce, owners of kokanee creek tackle have been fishing in the rocky mountains for salmon, trout and other species since childhood. The water is often so clear that the fish look like they are suspended in air. These fish are right on par with flaming gorge kokanee salmon. Kokanee is an okanagan word used to refer to landlocked populations of sockeye salmon. Kokanee salmon underwater, closeup spawning salmon abstract. While utah is known for the greatest snow on earth, a lesser known fact is that it also boasts some of the greatest fishing in north america. Kokanee salmon oncorhynchus nerka utah fishing info. Sep 30, 2016 a big kokanee generally measures about 18 inches, although state recordholder lee cox managed to snag a 7pound, 5ounce kokanee measuring 27 inches at blue mesa in 2002. Must see nc state record broken 2 times in 24hrs duration. Sockeye and kokanee salmon introduction bass fishing gurus. Despite the wind, kokanee are busy biting and fighting.
Depending on the kokanee strain they can live between 4 to 7 years. Sep 10, 2015 diy brick rocket stove cooking without power duration. Adult kokanee pair returning to spawn in ebright creek. Kokanee can be one of the most difficult and elusive fish species to catch in utah, but are a. Largest kokanee on earth caught in castlegar destination. Kokanee salmon spawning in kootenay lake region nelson. The kokanee caught on june, 2010, at wallowa lake, oregon is the new igfa alltackle world record, 9 lb 10 oz. Female kokanee turn a lighter red in color and retain a body shape similar to a trout, while the male develops a large hooked snout with many irregular teeth, a hump back and a musky green head. To prevent loss of weight, do not clean or freeze the fish. Kokanee salmon causey reservoir utah spawning red youtube.
The utah fish planner also provides the legal fishing rules approved by the utah wildlife board. I need to get back to work as this fish has consumed most of my time since june. The pendleton angler, who took a 9pound 10ounce kokanee salmon at wallowa lake june , learned last week that his fish is now officially recognized by the international game fish association as. They are bluegreen on top, with generally silver sides.
Kokanee landlocked sockeye salmon are the only salmon species found in utah, and are found in deep water reservoirs such as flaming gorge, strawberry. Oct 07, 2008 a little over a week ago, i saw my first kokanee salmon run up little bear river just east of porcupine reservoir. Flaming gorge and strawberry are our major kokanee waters but the fish are also found in several smaller reservoirs including causey, porcupine and moon lake. Each fall, wild kokanee salmon make their way up a few utah rivers to spawn. Some of these fish will be taken to the issaquah salmon hatchery as part of a program initiated in 2007 by the lake sammamish kokanee work group. Kokanees have been a part of utahs fishery management program for many years now. Kokanee are landlocked relatives of the sockeye salmon of the pacific coast, and they are just as exciting to catch as their saltwater kin. Kokanee at times will also feed on other forage such as small insects, larvae, plants and sometimes shrimp. Porcupine reservoir, moon lake and strawberry reservoir, which currently boasts the state record. With kokanee, however, its less about the size of the fish in the fight than the size of the fight in the fish, particularly in the fall.
Sockeye salmon oncorhynchus nerka, also called red salmon, kokanee salmon, or blueback salmon, is an anadromous species of salmon found in the northern pacific ocean and rivers discharging into it. Largemouth bass came into utah in 1890, along with a mixed load of perch, crappie and sunfish. Kokanee fishing has been a highlight this spring, and the rainy weather only increased angler success. Welcome to kokanee fishing forum the ultimate kokanee fishing community. Causey reservoir is an intermediatesized reservoir on the south fork of the ogden river above huntsville. Viewing opportunities are available at the strawberry visitors center via the. Records on sebago salmon are rare, but it is believed they were planted in strawberry reservoir, scofield reservoir and fish lake. You can also keep more lake trout at flaming gorge reservoir, enjoy a twoday possession limit statewide, and have a better chance at catching big channel catfish at cutler reservoir.
Jun 19, 2010 the kokanee caught on june, 2010, at wallowa lake, oregon is the new igfa alltackle world record, 9 lb 10 oz. Kokanee salmon are a landlocked variety of sockeye salmon. It is also a worldclass fishery for bear lake cutthroat trout and sterile rainbow trout. As the day gets brighter they will go deeper and the kokanee will follow. Kokanee salmon spawn strawberry river utah youtube. Conquest expeditions is the authority on consistently catching lake trout and kokanee salmon at flaming gorge. Although i am a rookie when it comes to targeting kokanee salmon, i was fortunate enough to be invited on a fishing trip by shawn lindsey who is an experienced pro and we had great day out on the water catching these beautiful fish. If you are searching for a fun family outdoor activity head on up to the strawberry visitors center and check out the beautiful red kokonee salmon as they migrate up the strawberry river.
After moving to utah, their fishing has expanded to include wyoming and colorado. The kokanee occurs naturally in japan, ussr, alaska, yukon territory, british columbia, washington, idaho and oregon but they are more widely found and abundant in british. Growing up in montana allowed them the opportunity to fish idaho, washington, oregon and california. Since then it has been a huge success that soon developed into a glorious sport for many anglers in west as well as eastern waters. The kokanee salmon oncorhynchus nerka, also known as the kokanee trout, little redfish.
This closure will be in effect at all of the salmon waters in the state. Full text of wildlife in north carolina internet archive. The utah record kokanee went six pounds, zero ounces and was caught in strawberry in 1995. Flaming gorge reservoir produces kokanee salmon, giant lake trout mackinaw, brown trout, rainbow trout, smallmouth bass, and many other game fish. They can grow up to 84 cm 2 ft 9 in in length and weigh 2. Oct 09, 2017 we have kokanee salmon here in utah, brought from the far reaches of the pacific northwest. Kokanee can achieve sizes of 3 to 5 pounds but 1pounders are most common. The biggest known kokanee salmon to be caught in utah was caught at strawberry reservoir in 1995 and has become a state record.
Sockeye and kokanee salmon introduction the average size wild sockeye salmon you can expect to catch is 4 to 8 lbs1. Porcupine reservoir is known for big brown trout and kokanee salmon, and during our most recent gillnet survey, it did not disappoint. Kokanee range, a subrange of the selkirk mountains in british columbia, canada. Those changes are among several fishing changes the utah wildlife boarda. Kokanee creek provincial park, british columbia, canada. Piute reservoir sits just miles south of the city of marysvale. Viewing opportunities are available at the strawberry visitors center via the discovery trail a long boardwalk that follows the river. This is one of the most popular lakes in utah, and for good reason. Use corn for bait utah fishing news utah fishing info.
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