Kokanee Salmon
Kokanee are landlocked sockeye salmon that complete their entire life cycle in freshwater lakes. In British Columbia — where they're the second most popular freshwater target — they draw anglers who want salmon fishing without tidewater access.
They're also present in Yukon waters. Small by salmon standards but abundant, they're prized for their deep-red, oily flesh and the fast action a good school can produce.
Scientific Name: Oncorhynchus nerka
Also known as kokanee trout, little redfish, silver trout, kikanning, landlocked sockeye
- Bright silver sides with a blue-green back when not spawning; no distinct dark spots on the back or tail — the key difference from rainbow trout.
- Deeply forked tail and noticeably larger eyes than most trout; finer scales than other salmonids.
- At spawn, both sexes turn vivid red with an olive-green head; males develop a hooked jaw (kype) and a humped back.
- Typical catch runs 10–14 inches; well-fed fish in productive Interior BC lakes can reach 2 kg (roughly 4.5 lbs).
What to know
Habitat Distribution
- Native to BC's large interior lakes and reservoirs; the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC has expanded stocked populations to many additional lakes across the province.
- Also present in Yukon waters, where a licence covers landlocked kokanee as a recognized target species.
- Require cold, clear, deep lakes with a thermocline — the temperature boundary between warm surface water and cold deep water — and a healthy zooplankton base to thrive.
- Spawn over loose gravel and rubble in tributary streams or along lake shorelines; fry return to open water after emerging in spring.
Key Locations
- Wood Lake, BC — historically productive Interior lake known for large kokanee; subject to provincial management after a major fish kill in 2011.
- Big and Little Deka, Bridge, Sulphurous, Hathaway, Stump, Horse, Ruth, Purden, and Monte Lakes — consistent Interior BC producers with the depth and thermocline kokanee need.
- Large BC reservoirs throughout the Interior — wild kokanee populations exist in most major impoundments, with stocked fish supplementing many smaller lakes.
- Yukon — landlocked kokanee are a recognized target species under Yukon fishing licences.
Specific Spots
- Follow the thermocline — kokanee suspend in the 50–60°F (10–15°C) band, which sits at 20–50 feet in spring and can push to 50–100 feet by midsummer as surface water warms.
- During ice fishing, drill over 50–100 feet of water; kokanee hold in the mid-column where zooplankton concentrates, not near the bottom or the ice.
- In spring and fall, fish shallower as the thermocline rises or breaks down — kokanee spread more evenly through the water column during turnover.
- Pre-spawn fish stage near tributary mouths in late summer and early fall before moving into streams.
Kokanee Salmon FAQ
Answers from onWater's species guide.
What are the best lures and bait for Kokanee Salmon?
Attractor rigs, gang trolls, mini-flashers, or small dodgers trailed by 12–18 inches of leader, are the backbone of BC kokanee trolling. The flash and vibration draws fish from a distance; the small lure behind it closes the deal.
When is the best time to fish for Kokanee Salmon?
Spring (ice-off through June), kokanee are shallower as water warms from the surface down; lighter weights or snap sinkers get lures into the zone without downriggers.
How do you catch Kokanee Salmon?
Trolling is the dominant method across BC's Interior lakes, with anglers running attractor rigs behind downriggers or lead-core line to stay on the thermocline.
What do Kokanee Salmon eat?
Kokanee feed almost exclusively on zooplankton, tiny crustaceans like Daphnia and other micro-invertebrates suspended in the water column.
Where do Kokanee Salmon live?
Native to BC's large interior lakes and reservoirs; the Freshwater Fisheries Society of BC has expanded stocked populations to many additional lakes across the province. Also present in Yukon waters, where a licence covers landlocked kokanee as a recognized target species.
See it in the app
Most maps show you water.
onWater shows you Kokanee Salmon.
- 01 · Species map filter
Map every Kokanee Salmon water
Pick Kokanee Salmon and the map zeroes in on the waters they call home. No more guessing which lake holds them.
- 02 · Waterbody species
Tap any water. See what lives there.
Species, behavior and seasonal patterns for every lake, river and pond, before you leave the driveway.
- 03 · Angler Intelligence
Ask how to catch Kokanee Salmon
Tactics, gear and timing from onWater's AI fishing guide, tuned to the species and the water you're on.
Stop guessing where Kokanee Salmon are.
Open the map, filter by Kokanee Salmon, and head to water that holds them. Download onWater and plan your next trip in minutes.
- Species map filter
- Angler Intelligence
- Fishing journal
Explore other species
Trout, bass, salmon, panfish and everything in between. Each guide unpacks the behavior, seasons, and tactics that put fish in the net.
No species information available.
Smarter Fishing Starts in the App.
onWater Fish gives you everything you need to plan smarter, fish better, and own every trip from first cast to last.