Do Kokanee Die Too?

FishingFool · Post by **FishingFool** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 5:30 pm

when they start changing into the spawn stage or whatever. When they start to get pointy mouths and the redish color sides.

Caught a bunch today, all catch and release. Some people asked if they could keep my fish, but I told them I catch and release only.

Was thinking, if they are going to die, might as well give them away?:-"

crankbait42 · Post by **crankbait42** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 5:47 pm

yes im pretty sure they die. just like a sockeye but if there is no creek flowing into the lake i dont know if they die or not

Post by **Amx** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:00 pm

http://wildlife.utah.gov/news/07-09/kokanee.php

http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=Kokane ... =yfp-t-701

quote;

Kokanee, a land-locked subspecies of the sockeye salmon, follow a similar life cycle. But instead of migrating downstream to the Pacific Ocean, they migrate to a fresh water lake. Kokanee are much smaller than their Pacific cousins. They probably don't create quite the dramatic pictures seen on TV, but the fish do turn red and fight their way upstream to breed and die.

Life cycle

A kokanee salmon is found in a stream for only two short periods — just after birth and just before it dies.

sellis_414 · Post by **sellis_414** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:17 pm

AMX... Very well stated! I have fished for them a bit up the Stehekin River which flows into Lake Chelan. Everything you stated was correct.

gpc · Post by **gpc** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:18 pm

huh, I didnt know that. It makes sense though. Learn something new everyday

FishingFool · Post by **FishingFool** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:27 pm

There is a creek of some sorts that flow either into or out of the lake. But I'm pretty sure these koks are planted. Or maybe they are offsprings? :batman:

They are small, roughly 10-11" if that.

PS, I do find it rude someone would ask to keep your fish when you're obviously throwing them back. I hate talking to people when I fish. :batman:

Post by **Amx** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 7:35 pm

One day this past Sept. I had an old guy on a pontoon boat ask me why I was throwing back the small bass, they were about 10" to 12" long. I told him most all bass fishermen release them.

I think it is illegal to give fish away unless you document who you give them to, ect.

Post by **G-Man** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 10:07 am

Kokanee go through the exact same changes and spawning cycle as do their anadromous brethren. During their 4th year they will start to change in appearance towards the end of Summer and prepare to migrate to whatever stream, river or brook from whence they came. If none of these are available, they will spawn in the lake itself looking for underwater springs and other suitable areas. Whether they successfully spawn or not, they will eventually die that year. I know there are some experiments going on in the Great Lakes and in Lake Chelan with sterile salmon. The idea is that they will never progress to the spawning stage and will continue to grow until they die of natural causes or are harvested by man or beast. The rub is that salmon put on a massive amount of weight in their final year in preparation to spawn. Without this drive, the fish may not grow at an acceptable rate, hence the experiments taking place now. Perhaps in the future we will have sterile kokes planted in lakes for a trophy fishery. For now, fish for them hard during the Summer months while they are trying to put on weight for the spawn as once they change all they are good for are some cool pictures.

PS - FF, in what body of water were you catching the spawners?

FishingFool · Post by **FishingFool** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:06 pm

Lake Meridian

bionic_one · Post by **bionic_one** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 9:50 am

At the end of September my GF and I stayed out at 25 Mile Creek state park on Lake Chelan. We camped right beside the creek, and the Kokanee were all over the place in there, bright red with green heads. Really pretty. I got some pictures and I can post them later if I remember.

They have signs up saying "stay off the redds" and explain what a redd is and how the salmon need it, etc. etc. I thought to myself "man there is no way something is spawning in this creek with people camping literally on the creek. Man was I wrong.

goin_postal · Post by **goin_postal** » Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:17 pm

maybe you should be a little more open minded about talking with ppl while fishing and there are others less fortunate ppl that cant catch a thing witch might be why they were asking

Post by **G-Man** » Mon Nov 02, 2009 3:35 pm

GP, if you are going to be giving fish to folks understand that those fish count to your daily limit! Further, per WDFW regulations you may not: "possess another person’s game fish unless it is accompanied by a statement showing the name,
address, license number, date, county, and area where it was taken, and the signature of the angler who harvested it/them".

So, a person who catches 5 trout or kokes in an hour and gives them all away would be done fishing for the day.

goin_postal · Post by **goin_postal** » Tue Nov 03, 2009 5:18 pm

dont get me wrong i fully understand the rules.i have fished my hole life and it always seems like a problem to give fish away to ppl.if im at a lake and catch my limit in an hour and a guy has been there all day i will give him my limit along with my statement.i catch and release all the time but if there is a less fortunate person i would love to help them out.and im the biggest person on rules and have followed them all my life

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Do Kokanee Die Too?

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