Local sockeye, kokanee salmon in the Seeley area

Have you ever been driving Highway 83 and noticed the surface of Salmon Lake rippling with rising fish? It's likely what you were seeing weren't trout, but rather the landlocked version of sockeye salmon called kokanee. These mini salmon have been stocked in the Clearwater chain of lakes for over half a century by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to provide recreational fishing opportunities. The story of the Clearwater kokanee is interesting and involves biology, laboratory science and most importantly, fishing.

Let's start with biology. Kokanee are the same species as sockeye salmon, which are anadromous, meaning sockeye live and grow in the ocean and spawn in freshwater streams. Kokanee also spawn in streams, but live and grow in landlocked freshwater lakes. Both feed mainly on zooplankton, which are small organisms that live in the water column. While sockeye have an ocean full of food, kokanee are limited to what their specific lake can produce for all the fish in it and don't grow as large as their sea-run counterparts. It's like having a pizza party - if you have too many people and not enough pizza, everyone will get a thin slice. In fisheries, we call this factor density dependence. Adjusting the number of fish invited to the party is a way we try to make sure kokanee are well fed and growing larger. The trick is maintaining a population with both good numbers and size. Fewer, well-fed kokanee are bigger, but bring down catch rates. Higher abundance of kokanee raises catch rates, but the fish are smaller.

So, where does lab science come in?

At FWP, we carefully assess how kokanee from our hatcheries perform in lakes. One way we do that is using a method of marking fish in the hatchery to identify them. An antibiotic is added to kokanee feed which makes a chemical mark on their bone structure. When FWP surveys them in our lakes, we take a section of the spine and can see a yellow mark using a black light in the lab if the fish was stocked. The ratio of marked to unmarked fish shows how many of the lake's kokanee are stocked versus naturally produced. This information, along with the sizes and numbers of kokanee seen in our netting surveys, helps make decisions on how many to stock the next year while making sure each fish is getting a big enough pizza slice.

Sounds simple, right? Not so much. It may look easy on paper, but mother nature often has other plans. For one thing, kokanee have variable spawning success which means the number of wild fish does not stay the same from year to year, changing the number of mouths to feed. Additionally, predatory non-natives such as northern pike eat kokanee, while perch and trout have overlapping diets with kokanee. Without knowing how many kokanee are naturally produced, how many are eaten and how much of their food is shared, management can become a moving target. But that doesn't stop us, and adjusting is just part of the challenge!

So, let's talk about fishing.

Despite the challenges, FWP manages five lakes in the Seeley area to provide kokanee fishing opportunities. These lakes include Lake Alva, Lake Inez, Seeley Lake, Salmon Lake and Placid Lake. Each lake has different opportunities in terms of kokanee number and size, reflecting management challenges in that specific lake. The largest kokanee we survey are found in Placid and Salmon lakes, with maximum sizes reaching about 12 to 14 inches. These lakes have somewhat stable wild reproduction and lots of food, making them easier to manage. In contrast, the smallest kokanee we survey are found in Seeley Lake due to very successful and consistent wild reproduction. This makes it hard to reduce fish numbers and increase growth, resulting in stunted kokanee that only reach around nine inches. Lake Alva and Lake Inez offer the middle ground in management challenges and size, with kokanee reaching about 10 to 12 inches. As with everything, kokanee fishing satisfaction will depend on your expectations.

So, how can you catch them?

A range of tactics are used. Probably most common is the use of fish finding electronics and trolling. Kokanee are schooling fish, and so finding a school with sonar and trolling cowbells or flashers through the water at their depth can attract them. A baited hook is attached behind the flasher and when they come near, they see the bait and may decide to bite, or not. Kokanee are known to be picky eaters, so it will be up to you to find out what they have a taste for that day! Less popular methods include fly fishing in open water and vertical jigging for them through the ice. Whichever way you try it, a successful day of kokanee fishing yields the perfect orange meat for the smoker or grill.

In addition to lake fishing, kokanee can be caught during fall snagging seasons where there is an excess of fish. If you remember from the biology section, kokanee migrate to streams to spawn. In the stream, they turn bright red, and males form a hooked jaw called a kype. For a few weeks they create nests in the gravel called redds which they aggressively guard before dying in the stream. You can take advantage of their aggression by casting bright colored lures with snagging hooks to catch them. It can be easy and fun, but the meat quality may be very degraded because they are slowly dying at this time. If you plan to try your hand in snagging, be sure to look up where it is allowed in the fishing regulations.

In the Clearwater chain, kokanee can provide a great day of fishing and a delicious meal. Although they can be hard to manage, the Seeley area offers a range of experiences to be had fishing for kokanee. Hopefully you now know more about these scrappy little sockeyes and have some pointers on where to try your hand at catching the prized kokanee salmon.