- Scofield: Kokanee Tour of Utah 2025
In 2025, my goal is to fish every body of water in the state of Utah that either has kokanee salmon, or has had them in the past. Kokanee salmon aren’t native to the state, and state officials have experimented with putting them in several locations. Scofield Reservoir is one of their failed experiments. Scofield… - Kokanee Tour of Utah 2025
I’ve seen several guys do a tour of the kokanee lakes in Utah that are easily fished from a boat. This leaves out several of the lakes and reservoirs where kokanee can be targeted, but anglers have to do it from the shore, or from a kayak. In total there are 15 lakes that have… - Best Kokanee Downrigger Rods
This article looks at the best rods for targeting kokanee while fishing with a downrigger. There are a number of different variables to consider, such as if you’re fishing from a big boat or a kayak, length, durability, cost, and just downright effectiveness. This guide should help you determine what to look for, along with… - Kokanee Salmon Snagging in New Mexico: Your Ultimate Guide
If you’re an angler looking for an exciting adventure this fall and winter, New Mexico has something special in store for you—kokanee snagging! This thrilling fishing season runs from October 1st to December 31st and offers the chance to catch kokanee salmon in some of the state’s most picturesque waters. In this blog post, we’ll… - Best Downrigger Release Clips for Kokanee
People have asked me about downrigger release clips for their kokanee fishing usually after having a day or a week of dragging kokanee around a lake without having any fish pull the line out of the clip. Kokanee are a different beast. This article looks at why people have these challenges, and the best clips… - Ice Fishing for Kokanee Salmon on Strawberry Reservoir, Utah
I pulled up to Strawberry Reservoir and it was -20 degrees. It was one of those mornings where you step outside, fill your nose with a breath, and then feel each individual nose hair freeze instantly. I was there for kokanee. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I was there on a…
Kokanee Salmon Fast Facts
Kokanee salmon are a landlocked sockeye salmon. They are non-anadromous, which means they do not migrate to the ocean and live their entire life in freshwater. This usually leads these fish to be smaller than your typical sockeye salmon. Kokanee sizes can vary depending on the quality of the water body, availability of food, and population numbers. These salmon normally range from 10-20″ long, and can weigh from less than a pound to more than 6 pounds.
Kokanee Spawning
In the fall, kokanee salmon turn red and return to their spawning grounds to reproduce and die. At this time, they look like a completely different fish. The male kokanee develop a humped back, and big aggressive teeth. The rest of the life cycle, it can be difficult to distinguish between the male and female landlocked salmon. These fish travel up streams, and along shorelines to spawn. These fish live the majority of their lives in deep water, so this can be one of the best opportunities to see these salmon from shore. Kokanee salmon have a salmon run like any other species of salmon. Because the fish are stocked in quite a few places, this gives many people an opportunity to see a salmon run without having to travel to a place like Alaska.
Kokanee Salmon Diet
Kokanee salmon primarily eat zooplankton, though they’re also known to eat small plants, insects, and fresh water shrimp. Because of this diet, anglers do not mimic their food source when targeting kokanee. Instead, the dodger and lure are designed to cause the kokanee to strike out of aggression.
Recipes:
Kokanee salmon is one of the most delicious freshwater game fish that you can catch. The meat on these fish is some of the best table fare you can pull from fresh water. It’s definitely better than trout. It’s also extremely healthy, a great source of omega-3s, and extremely low in mercury, making it a great dietary option for almost everyone.
How to Chase Kokanee:
The primary goal in targeting these fish is to get them to have an aggressive response. There are a few ways people fish for kokanee:
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