01-11-2011, 08:27 PM
[
] To all you veteran kokanee fishers you probably already know this, so this is mostly for those of you new to the sport of the "Blueback" or "Silver Salmon" or as we call them in this area "Kokanee".
Facts: The kokanee salmon is the smallest of the various salmon species. They live for three to four years and then spawn and die. They eat food about the size of a pin head (zoo plankton) which bewilders both biologist and fisherman alike when they hit a lure or bait. They along with the chinook salmon have the finest tasting flesh of all salmon. The world record size is around 7 1/2 lbs. while most in this area reach 1/4 to 1/2 lbs when they are caught. They travel in schools of several to thousands of kokanee in a school. Fried, smoked or baked they are excellent eating. Pink or silver lures do great for catching them usually tipped with corn or a wax worm. They are found in "open" water meaning aways out from shore but not necessarily way out in the middle of a reservoir. NOW SOME INFO ON WHERE TO FIND THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ririe Reservoir (several miles east of Idaho Falls, Idaho.) This res. is the most popular body of water for fishing for kokanee in eastern Idaho probably due to easy access and being near a major population center in Idaho. There is a daily parking fee of several dollars to access the res.
Most kokanee average 8-12 inches with a few to 16".
Fishing near the Juniper boat launch and off the face of the dam are the best places. The reservoir freezes later than other res. in the region (early to mid January).
Mackay Reservoir- Thirty to forty miles north of Arco, Idaho (travel from Blackfoot to Arco and then on from there). Mackay Reservoir is the next most popular place for Kokanee fishing. It freezes by mid to late December. Most of Mackay's kokanee are naturally spawned up in the springs above the res. Because of this the population can be greater than at Ririe res. where the fished are hatchery spawned and planted as fingerligs. Because of this natural spawning there are more mouths and the fish tend to average 8-10" with some to 12" some years and an occasional 14 to 16" on poor years (population wise).
Island Park Reservoir-About 80 miles north of Idaho Falls in the Island Park area. This res. has the largest kokanee in the area with some reaching 18 to 20" and weighing 2 to 3 lbs with the average about 16" and very fat. The population per acre is smaller and the fish pig out on plenty of feed. However, plentiful feed means more fish fat in the meat and particularly belly region and the flesh doesn't taste is only fair due to excessive fat.
Devil Creek Res. (just off Malad Pass) a few miles north of Malad, Idaho on I15. Kokanee planted here as fingerling don't survive well but the few that do average about 12" and are in good shape and excellent flavor.
They show up as one here and one there in a rainbow trout catch.
Palasaides Reservoir-Just north and west of Alpine, Wyoming and mostly on the Idaho side of the border. This res. freezes up very late, most years the latter part of January. The kokanee population is wild and very sparse due to limited spawning area (Big Elk Creek). They are nice fish in the 12 to 16" range. Fish the Big Elk Bay area for success. Good Luck.
[signature]
] To all you veteran kokanee fishers you probably already know this, so this is mostly for those of you new to the sport of the "Blueback" or "Silver Salmon" or as we call them in this area "Kokanee".Facts: The kokanee salmon is the smallest of the various salmon species. They live for three to four years and then spawn and die. They eat food about the size of a pin head (zoo plankton) which bewilders both biologist and fisherman alike when they hit a lure or bait. They along with the chinook salmon have the finest tasting flesh of all salmon. The world record size is around 7 1/2 lbs. while most in this area reach 1/4 to 1/2 lbs when they are caught. They travel in schools of several to thousands of kokanee in a school. Fried, smoked or baked they are excellent eating. Pink or silver lures do great for catching them usually tipped with corn or a wax worm. They are found in "open" water meaning aways out from shore but not necessarily way out in the middle of a reservoir. NOW SOME INFO ON WHERE TO FIND THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ririe Reservoir (several miles east of Idaho Falls, Idaho.) This res. is the most popular body of water for fishing for kokanee in eastern Idaho probably due to easy access and being near a major population center in Idaho. There is a daily parking fee of several dollars to access the res.
Most kokanee average 8-12 inches with a few to 16".
Fishing near the Juniper boat launch and off the face of the dam are the best places. The reservoir freezes later than other res. in the region (early to mid January).
Mackay Reservoir- Thirty to forty miles north of Arco, Idaho (travel from Blackfoot to Arco and then on from there). Mackay Reservoir is the next most popular place for Kokanee fishing. It freezes by mid to late December. Most of Mackay's kokanee are naturally spawned up in the springs above the res. Because of this the population can be greater than at Ririe res. where the fished are hatchery spawned and planted as fingerligs. Because of this natural spawning there are more mouths and the fish tend to average 8-10" with some to 12" some years and an occasional 14 to 16" on poor years (population wise).
Island Park Reservoir-About 80 miles north of Idaho Falls in the Island Park area. This res. has the largest kokanee in the area with some reaching 18 to 20" and weighing 2 to 3 lbs with the average about 16" and very fat. The population per acre is smaller and the fish pig out on plenty of feed. However, plentiful feed means more fish fat in the meat and particularly belly region and the flesh doesn't taste is only fair due to excessive fat.
Devil Creek Res. (just off Malad Pass) a few miles north of Malad, Idaho on I15. Kokanee planted here as fingerling don't survive well but the few that do average about 12" and are in good shape and excellent flavor.
They show up as one here and one there in a rainbow trout catch.
Palasaides Reservoir-Just north and west of Alpine, Wyoming and mostly on the Idaho side of the border. This res. freezes up very late, most years the latter part of January. The kokanee population is wild and very sparse due to limited spawning area (Big Elk Creek). They are nice fish in the 12 to 16" range. Fish the Big Elk Bay area for success. Good Luck.
[signature]