Kokanee
The landlocked, freshwater form of sockeye salmon, stocked in reservoirs across Washington, Montana, and Utah for its schooling habits and bright red spawning color.
- Scientific name
- Oncorhynchus nerka
- Family
- Salmonidae
- Adult size
- Typically 10–14 inches.
Identification
Silvery-blue with fine black speckling at sea-run size; spawning adults turn brilliant red with a green head and develop a hooked jaw.
Habitat
Cold, deep reservoirs and natural lakes; spends its entire life in freshwater, unlike sea-run sockeye.
Diet
Almost exclusively zooplankton, filtered through fine gill rakers.
Angling
Usually caught by trolling small lures or bait behind flashers at depth; a major fall spectacle when spawning runs turn red in tributary streams.
Where Kokanee is stocked
When Kokanee is stocked
Top Kokanee waters
Strawberry Reservoir
WASATCH County · 4 species · 4147 records
Last stocked June 2026
Canyon Ferry Lake
7 species · 2261 records
Last stocked September 2025
Fish Lake
SEVIER County · 9 species · 1940 records
Last stocked July 2026
Flaming Gorge Reservoir
DAGGETT County · 8 species · 1865 records
Last stocked July 2026
Fort Peck Lake
16 species · 1842 records
Last stocked July 2025
Missouri River
19 species · 1417 records
Last stocked October 2010
Lake Whatcom
Whatcom County · 4 species · 1226 records
Last stocked May 2026
Holter Reservoir
3 species · 1185 records
Last stocked September 2025
Flathead Lake
14 species · 1161 records
Last stocked October 1997
Hauser Reservoir
10 species · 897 records
Last stocked April 2026
Big Hole River
5 species · 893 records
Last stocked August 1993
Rockport Reservoir
SUMMIT County · 5 species · 751 records
Last stocked May 2026
Jordanelle Reservoir
WASATCH County · 8 species · 710 records
Last stocked July 2026
Beaver Creek
13 species · 697 records
Last stocked June 2014
Lake Mary Ronan
8 species · 685 records
Last stocked June 2026
Cooney Reservoir
7 species · 638 records
Last stocked May 2026
East Canyon Reservoir
MORGAN County · 6 species · 635 records
Last stocked April 2026
Spring Creek
6 species · 624 records
Last stocked July 2011
Deadmans Basin Reservoir
6 species · 547 records
Last stocked May 2026
Seeley Lake
7 species · 536 records
Last stocked May 2024
Issaquah Creek
King County · 4 species · 520 records
Last stocked May 2026
Judith River
5 species · 465 records
Last stocked June 2009
Willow Creek Reservoir
5 species · 460 records
Last stocked June 2026
Fish Lake
Chelan County · 4 species · 442 records
Last stocked June 2026
Frequently asked
Where is Kokanee stocked?
Kokanee is stocked in 232 waters across 3 states: Washington, Montana, Utah.
When is Kokanee stocked?
Kokanee is typically stocked in spring, most often in May, based on records across every state that stocks it.
How many Kokanee are stocked?
About 2,289,045,610,400,433,000,000,000,000 Kokanee have been stocked on record since 1931, across Montana, Utah, Washington.
What size Kokanee are stocked?
Stocked Kokanee average about 2.5 inches, based on sizes reported by Montana, Utah — not every state reports sizes.
What does a Kokanee look like?
Silvery-blue with fine black speckling at sea-run size; spawning adults turn brilliant red with a green head and develop a hooked jaw.