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Kokanee Salmon are fast becoming the most popular gamefish in Utah. The list of lakes that hold them seems to grow every year, as does the average catch size in the waters they currently inhabit.

Spending a day trolling for kokes on Flaming Gorge with its majestic canyon walls and incredible scenery is second to none. Strawberry Reservoir is right up there with panoramic mountain views and almost overly eager kokanee waiting to jump in your net.

Introduced in 1922 in Bear Lake, kokanee flourished as a sports fish and have since been stocked in several waters throughout the state. There are nine main lakes to choose from in your hunt for kokanee in Utah, though the DWR is always planning more expansions in the future. 

Kokanee Techniques

Kokanee feed on zooplankton, meaning they aren’t likely to chase after live bait or worms as a trout would. The techniques to catch kokes are more like harassing them into biting than tempting them with a tasty treat.

First and foremost, you’re going to need a boat for kokes. Sorry bank anglers, there’s almost no way around it. Kokanee spend their lives in deep, cool water. The only way to get access is on a boat (in most cases). 

Once you’ve procured a boat, it’s time to set up some downriggers and get ready to troll. Lead core line works as well and will get the bait to the proper depth. Lead-core has the drawback of being heavy and taking the fight out of the catch.

Use your fishfinder to locate a school and drop your lures to the target depth, generally just above the schooling fish.

Downriggers are great because they get your lure right at the target depth and keep it there. Once the fish is on, you fight it from the rod without the hindrance of the weighted line. 

Some areas provide perfect jigging opportunities for kokes. Flaming Gorge comes to mind here. Along the rocky canyon walls and deeper drop-offs where you see fish schooled on the fish finder is a perfect opportunity to try out your jigging skills. 

Use an aggressive up/down jigging motion in the target zone. Kokes tend to strike on the drop, so pay close attention to sudden slack or twitching.