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Time to gear up for Kokanee fishing |
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May 19, 2016 |
By Martin Koenig
Idaho Department of Fish and Game
 The
warm weather may finally be here to stay, and
for many anglers across the state, warm spring
weather means kokanee fishing.
With kokanee fisheries scattered across the
state, opportunities abound for anyone to
experience these exciting and delicious game
fish. Before we talk about catching kokanee,
let’s review the basics of kokanee biology.
Kokanee are land-locked sockeye salmon and are
found in many lakes and reservoirs across Idaho.
Their native range spans from the Columbia River
basin to Alaska and includes Idaho. They are
also one of the state’s most colorful game fish.
During spring and summer, kokanee have bright
silvery sides, blue-green shiny backs and lack
spots entirely. In the fall, mature kokanee
prepare to spawn and turn bright red with green
heads. Males develop a humped back and a long
snout with prominent teeth.
Kokanee often migrate into rivers and streams to
spawn, but some populations build their nests on
gravelly lake shorelines. They prefer cold,
clear lakes with water temperatures from 50 to
60 degrees.
They can be found near the surface early in the
summer, but they tend to move into deeper waters
as temperatures rise. Kokanee feed almost
exclusively on zooplankton, which are
microscopic invertebrates that drift in the
water column. In mid to late summer, kokanee are
often found at 30 to 60 feet or more in their
search for cold water and the best supply of
zooplankton.
Fish and Game stocks kokanee annually in several
lakes and reservoirs that do not produce kokanee
naturally, or in places where natural spawning
may not produce enough fish to sustain sport
fishing demands.
Yet managing kokanee fisheries is tricky.
Kokanee size and catch rates in each lake must
be monitored. If numbers are too low, kokanee
size may be great, but catch rates will suffer
and fishing will be slow. High kokanee numbers
can result in competition for food supplies,
meaning kokanee don’t grow well. In this case,
average size declines, but catch rates can be
high. A balance between too few and too many
kokanee is needed to maintain a quality fishery.
Kokanee are typically stocked as 4-inch
fingerlings and often grow rapidly. For example,
in Lucky Peak Reservoir near Boise, kokanee
reach 10 to 13 inches after just one year and 14
to 17 inches after two years, at which point
they typically spawn. A small percentage of the
population will live a third year and reach 18
to 20 inches.
Near Idaho Falls, kokanee in Ririe Reservoir
grow more slowly and typically reach 12 to 14
inches after two years. They often live to three
years before spawning.
Kokanee fishing starts to turn on in the weeks
approaching spring and continues to be good
through mid-summer. Kokanee are caught mainly
from boats while slowly trolling lures. Finding
the fish often requires a depth finder to locate
schooling kokanee. Look for kokanee around large
points, across the face of dams and off the
mouth of any major spawning tributary.
Typical kokanee lures include a variety of
spinners, spoons and soft plastic tube jigs
called “hoochies”. Colors vary from reds and
pinks, to fluorescent orange and green and
others. Visit your local tackle shop for
recommendations on the best lures for the water
you plan to visit.
Two of the most important aspects of trolling
for kokanee are depth and speed. Getting your
lure to the depth of the fish is best done with
the aid of a downrigger. Don’t worry if you
don’t have downriggers. In the spring, kokanee
are much shallower, so downriggers are less
important early in the season. You can still get
your lures down to the fish using colored
lead-core trolling lines or varying amounts of
rubber-core sinkers in front of your terminal
tackle. Adjust the weights for the given
trolling speed until you get the right depth.
Experiment to get the right speed depending on
your lure and line setup – 1.5 mph is a good
place to start.
Most folks like to troll their lure with some
flashy pop gear or a dodger to attract fish and
increase strike potential. Adding some scent or
bait to your lure – white shoepeg corn is a
favorite – may also increase your odds of
hooking a fish. Later in the summer, kokanee
form tight schools in preparation for their
spawning run, and vertically jigging spoons can
be productive if you can locate a big school.
Kokanee are prized for their hard fight and
because they make excellent table fare. A fresh
kokanee fillet off the grill or from your smoker
is a summer highlight. Once you’ve caught your
first kokanee, you’ll know why they are so
popular with anglers!
To find a place to fish for kokanee near you, go
to the Fish and Game website and click the blue
Fishing Planner logo. Click on “view recommended
waters,” then under the “recommended game fish”
section, check the kokanee box. You can filter
results to waters in your Region and see maps,
recent and historic stocking reports, fishing
rules, and the facilities available when you get
there. |
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