When do kokanee salmon run in colorado

They have a similar reproductive process that includes migrating upstream into moving water to spawn. This migration gives Colorado fly fishermen a chance to catch these hard fighting fish in many of their home rivers. After spending three to five years living in deep, cold Colorado reservoirs, Kokanee salmon move out of the lakes. In an attempt to spawn in feeder streams much like their ocean-dwelling relatives. As they start their journey to the inlets and up the tributaries of these larger reservoirs, they change dramatically in appearance.

Their bright silver color gives way to a deep red or crimson throughout their body, while their heads remain dark green. The males develop a large hook at the tip of their lower jaw.

Their teeth become larger and more exposed. This process usually occurs between late August and through October in Colorado. Successfully fly fishing for Kokanee means anglers must accurately time the spawning run which can vary widely from one reservoir to the next.

Starting mid fall, Kokanee swim upstream out of Blue Mesa, Elevenmile, Antero, and Green Mountain Reservoirs to the rivers and tributaries where they were first stocked or hatched to begin their spawning process. Therefore the point of snagging this kind of salmon, is to catch it while the fish is still fresh, thus eliminating the possibility of this waste in our streams and rivers.

According to Examiner. These are signs that the fish is in the more advanced stages of its death and has actually already begun to rot. High and dry. For a large chunk of the fishing world, that could be considered a problem.

There are plenty of fish in the sea, as they say, and the opportunity to chase a wide variety of them is what drives many an angler to wet a line. But in the network of rivers and lakes draining from the mountainous spine of the nation to oceans east and west, well, the species selection falls a bit short by comparison.

The optimists among us tend to look beyond problems by focusing on solutions. And who can be considered more optimistic than a fisherman? After all, standing alongside a lake or stream with a hook and a string in the hopes of attracting a fish to bite is nothing short of an act of faith. Doing it in the hopes of catching a salmon — more than a mile above sea level and a solid 1, miles from the Pacific Ocean, no less — now that demands some bona fide conviction.

It has been more than 50 years since resident aquatic biologists introduced the solution for Colorado anglers seeking the spirited sport fish that typically spend the majority of their lives at sea. Sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka are an anadromous species of salmon found in the northern Pacific Ocean and many of the rivers flowing into it.

A smaller, but no less feisty, variation of the sockeye — the ones we call kokanee — live their entire lives in freshwater and have thrived in the lakes and rivers of Colorado since fish stocking began in Blue Mesa Reservoir on the upper Gunnison River in Since then, those fish known for going against the flow have established populations in more than 25 locations across the state, offering anglers interested in an extraordinary fishing experience an alternative to the typical trout.

For Blue Mesa kokanee, that rearing unit is the Roaring Judy Hatchery along the banks of the East River just above its confluence with the Taylor River where it takes the name Gunnison near the tiny town of Almont.

Since kokanee are not a native species in Colorado, their management is somewhat complicated. Blue Mesa Reservoir serves as home to fish responsible for about 60 percent of the eggs needed for stocking kokanee at 26 lakes and reservoirs around the state. Before those eggs can be gathered, however, the fish have to run the mile gauntlet upstream along the Gunnison, a moveable feast that must dodge eagles, anglers and a host of other perils along the way to the Roaring Judy Hatchery. Salmon that wash over the reservoir spillway will pool at the base of dams, unable to move any farther upstream.

Fishermen are forbidden from removing fish from the river between August 1 and October 31, but the opportunity for catch-and-release kokanee fishing remains, and should not be overlooked. Since almost all kokanee reproduction occurs in the hatchery, fishing for spawning salmon in the river is considered fair game. Come fall, there may be no better way to reenergize a Colorado fisherman than by sinking a hook into the calcified jawbone of a hormonally crazed kokanee salmon putting up the final fight of its life like their seagoing cousins, the fish are semelparous, dying after they spawn.

Along the Gunnison, the action is enough to keep anglers entertained for miles. So they fight really hard. Life is no less challenging for the kokanee living in Blue Mesa Reservoir, where they are largely responsible for growing and sustaining a trophy lake trout population.

Predatory lake trout also introduced to the impoundment as sport fish are dependent on a healthy kokanee population for nourishment, and their insatiable appetite has had a significant impact on the freshwater salmon through the years. Releasing kokanee quickly ensures their successful return to reproduce. Short of traveling to Alaska, there are not many places where anglers can experience a salmon run.

In addition to accessibility, the impressive nature of these beautiful fish makes them a species worth the chase. Whether an angling novice or a seasoned veteran, fishing for kokanee salmon is an excellent way to enjoy a fall trip to Gunnison. Visit our fishing page to learn more about fishing in the Gunnison Valley.

Visit Live Stewardship. Technique and Tips for Fly Fishing for Kokanee Salmon The details of rigging and fishing for kokanee salmon are simple. Patrick is a fly-fishing guide and fly shop operator in Almont, CO.

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