Kokanee

For the first time since 2014, Idaho Fish and Game has stocked kokanee salmon into Payette Lake in McCall in an effort to rebuild the kokanee fishery while maintaining a trophy lake trout fishery. 

Kokanee provide some great fishing opportunities across Idaho and can provide lots of action and a great-tasting fish, but they’re a little different than many other Idaho game fish.

Fisheries researchers estimated that over 2.5 million adult kokanee occupied Lake Pend Oreille in the fall of 2019. This is the highest count on record since the mid-1990’s. As summer heats up, reports are starting to roll in that anglers are reaping the rewards of a highly abundant kokanee population.

When people think of kokanee fishing, many envision big boats with state-of-the-art electronics and multiple downriggers. For anglers who haven’t fished for kokanee before, but are interested in trying, this perception can make the barrier to entry seem expensive.

While these tools used by serious kokanee anglers make it easier to find and catch fish, that doesn’t mean you need any of them to pursue these landlocked salmon.