FISHING
Become A Kokanee Catcher Our multi-part series on angling for landlocked sockeye kicks off with an introduction to the fishery; in the coming issues: deep dives on rods and dodgers. By Tom Schnell
K
okanee are becoming a favorite fishery in the Northwest, and no wonder: They are fun to catch, delicious to eat and found in lakes and reservoirs throughout the region. When runs of ocean-returning salmon decline, anglers turn more and more to the landlocked version. A kokanee is a sockeye salmon, but unlike its relative, which travels to and from the Pacific, kokanee live their entire lives in freshwater. While most kokanee average between 10 and 15 inches, they can get larger. The IGFA-record 9-pound 10-ounce kokanee was caught in Oregon’s Wallowa Lake in 2010. Kokanee filter feed on tiny plankton and zooplankton in lakes and reservoirs. That said, they are known to consume small larva that are present in the water. During a hatch they may prefer a certain color that closely resembles the larva that they are feeding on. They may also be feeding on freshwater shrimp known as mysis shrimp if the lake has been stocked with the crustaceans. What is interesting is that most of the time kokanee are not hitting a lure because
Kokanee are not as big as their sea-going sockeye salmon cousins, but they make up for that with plentiful numbers, wide availability at lakes and reservoirs across the Northwest, and they’re fun to catch on light tackle, as author and kokanee expert Tom Schnell will attest. (TOM SCHNELL)
nwsportsmanmag.com | FEBRUARY 2023
Northwest Sportsman 99