KSL Outdoors Show: Where to view Utah’s kokanee salmon this fall

SALT LAKE CITY — Salmon in Utah? That’s right! Some people don’t know Utah has a type of salmon called kokanee salmon swimming in the state’s streams and bodies of water.

Want to see the fish for yourself? During the latest KSL Outdoors Show, show host Tim Hughes spoke with Faith Jolley from the Division of Wildlife Resources about where and when to best view the salmon.

“We stock [the salmon] around the state, they’re in a bunch of different water bodies, and it’s super super cool to see them this time of year while they’re spawning,” Jolley said. “They turn that bright red color so they’re really easy to see in the streams and some of our water bodies.”

Usually a silver color, Jolley said the salmon turn that bright red color because of the salmon’s life cycle. 

Where to view kokanee salmon

• Strawberry Reservoir

 Jolley said Strawberry Reservoir is a well-known location for viewing salmon. She said it’s also a good spot because of the healthy population in the reservoir and because a U.S. Forest Service visitor center is located there.

People are able see the salmon up close in the facility and in the river right along the visiting center. 

According to Jolley, there’s a fish trap area at the reservoir where DWR extracts salmon eggs to create more salmon and raise them in DWR hatcheries.

Jolley said people can learn more about the salmon at Strawberry Reservoir on Sept. 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. On this day, DWR is holding an event where biologists will explain what people are seeing in the water, and people can learn about the life cycle of the salmon.

• Fish Lake 

Another opportunity to learn about the salmon will happen at Fish Lake.

“We do not have a date picked out yet,” Jolley said. “That spawning timeframe for the kokanee in [Fish Lake] is a little bit more unpredictable. It’s usually late September, early October.”

Jolley said people who are interested in learning about the salmon at the event can visit the DWR website and social media for updates.

• Other locations

According to the DWR website, Causey Reservoir, Smith and More House Reservoir, Stateline Reservoir, Electric Lake, Sheep Creek, the Jordanelle Reservoir and Provo River have a kokanee salmon population.

Jolley said people can also view the salmon from home on cameras that are placed in the water. She said that video feed will be available on the DWR website.

Fishing for kokanee salmon

From Sept. 10 to Nov. 30 people are only allowed to catch and release the salmon due to their spawning season.

“Typically, the females will die roughly three to five days after the spawning period, and then the male kokanee will die 10 weeks to two weeks after,” Jolley said. “Unfortunately, they do die and part of that we do close catching and keeping kokanee during the spawning season.”

While an exciting thing to view, Jolley said it is illegal for people to disturb the salmon during their spawning season.

“It is exciting but make sure you’re not wading in the water trying to catch them or pick them up,” Jolley said. “Don’t let your dog’s chase them, things like that.”

Jolley advises people to view the salmon from a distance.

Listen to the KSL Outdoors Show here.

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