Fly Fishing for Kokanee in Lakes and Reservoirs

The most common way to catch kokanee salmon is in a boat, trolling. Second is probably jigging for kokanee, either from a boat or through the ice. From there, there is really only snagging, or you can try fly fishing for kokanee in lakes, reservoirs, rivers, or streams.

Fly fishing for kokanee in lakes or reservoirs is different than river fly fishing for kokanee. Most traditional fly fishermen targeting kokanee are trying to catch kokanee during the spawn, when the fish are in rivers and streams, leaving the lakes and reservoirs to lay eggs at the end of their life cycle. The fish are the biggest at this stage, and they’re bigger than usual, are bright red, and just look like those salmon pictures you see from Alaska, if perhaps a little smaller.

When You Can Fly Fish for Kokanee in Lakes and Reservoirs

During ice off fishing, and even in the early spring season kokanee season in other areas, kokanee salmon come to the surface to feed on small plant and bugs on the surface of the water. This phenomenon has been reported as far south as North Carolina, which means it can happen just about anywhere there are kokanee if there is a surface food source for kokanee. Before kokanee return to those deeper depths, fly fishermen have a brief window to fly fish for kokanee in lakes or reservoirs.

In order to fly fish for kokanee at this time of year, it’ll be cold, and you’ll probably need to be in a float, or in a boat. Some might argue that if you’re in a boat, that’s not real fly fishing. That’s ridiculous, and you need to step out of your mountain stream every now and then. There are all sorts of fly fishing opportunities all around the world that are unique, and catching spring and ice off kokanee is a challenging and worth while adventure.

You can also catch kokanee In the fall, right before the spawn, in the shallows of some lakes or reservoirs. You can also catch them at the mouths of rivers or streams, just before they’re going to spawn. If its that time of year, you can usually do better by going up the river instead of trying to catch from the lake or reservoir, but there’s a window before they’re really traveling up river, and they start to congregate. You’ve got some good opportunities in this window.

About Kokanee Salmon

Kokanee salmon are sockeye salmon that are landlocked in fresh water. They primarily feed on Zoo plankton and are generally found in larger lakes that can maintain a cool temperature, or have enough depth to maintain a cool temperature. Kokanee are native to many lakes in the western United States and Canada including Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California and Idaho in the United States and British Columbia and Yukon in Canada. Populations of kokanee salmon are also found in Japan and Russia. 

Additionally, kokanee have been introduced to many other lakes in the United States including in those states mentioned above as well as in Montana, Wyoming, Nevada, Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico in the west, as well as in New England, New York and North Carolina in the east. Kokanee have also been introduced to lakes in southern Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada.

Technique When Fly Fishing for Kokanee

Kokanee like a slow and long retrieve when you’re fly fishing. When trolling, that speed is about 1.1-1.5 MPH, which is a bit slower than for most other fish. You can apply that same knowledge to fly fishing for these guys. Kokanee like it slow. Additionally, kokanee also like things that are pink, red, or orange, and things that are shiny. Egg pattern flies and nymph flies do really well for kokanee fly fishing.

San Juan Wet Nymphs Flies

The Bassdash Nymph fly kit has bright colors and flashy material. Additionally, this kit has some pinks, and pinks just seem to connect will with kokanee. Whether its dodgers, hoochies, lures, or flies: pink is just the magic color for kokanee. That doesn’t mean its always the color for kokanee, but I’ve certainly caught more kokanee with pink than with any other color.

Bassdash Nymph Fly Kit

Check Your Regulations Before Fly Fishing for Kokanee on Lakes or Reservoirs

Before you go out fly fishing for kokanee in lakes and reservoirs, you’ll want to check your regulations. Some places have regulations for kokanee seasons. Most of these regulations deal more with river kokanee fly fishing, not so much reservoirs or lakes. Utah would be one state as an example where you can’t possess any fish during the spawning season, but you could still fly fish for kokanee, as long as you don’t keep them. You could keep a limit of kokanee if you were fishing for ice off kokanee with a fly rod though if you so desired. Fly fishing for kokanee in Colorado is much less restrictive though. The point is, check your local regulations.

Other Ways People Use Flies for Kokanee Fishing

People will sometimes troll with a fly when fishing for salmon. Replacing the hoochie or lure with a fly, especially one with pinks or reds, can often entice a bite. Additionally, people will use ice flies when jigging ice fishing for kokanee, or just jigging from a boat. Flies can be incredibly versatile, and can help you land these delicious kokanee salmon.