You can find general stocking info on our main home page for the previous years.

The life of Kokanee begins at the egg stage. Most Kokanee lay their eggs (spawn) in late summer to early winter. Spawning takes place along shoreline or suitable gravel's in streams draining into the lake. Once they spawn, the fish die. Eggs hatch between late march and early may. Alevin rely on the nourishment in their sacs. After a brief alevin stage, they work their way up through the gravel and are washed down to the lake. Normally only 5-10% of eggs survive to the fry stage. When reaching the lake, they group in schools to feed on the small aquatic organisms. Growth is slow the first years, but increases toward the second and third season. As they grow they feed on the larger zoo plankton. As young fish, Kokanee are brilliant silver on their sides and dark gray to blue on the back. Thus the name "Silvers". As they reach maturity after three to four years, the color of both male and female changes to crimson. Male fish develop a long, hooked snout with large teeth. Also, they become humpbacked with a greenish head. Although the females don't change their shape, the color of their bodies and heads resembles that of the males; hence the name "Red fish".

CALIFORNIA KOKANEE
Kokanee salmon were experimentally introduced into several lakes and reservoirs in western North America in the mid-1940s. The success of these introductions has since blossomed into a growing sport fishery in the west and has spread to many eastern waters as well. Continued planting and new introductions throughout California will see an increasing number of anglers pursuing these sporting, tasty, land-locked sockeye salmon.