Streams feeding Strawberry Reservoir are running with fish the color of autumn leaves right now, as kokanee salmon turn bright red and crowd into Northern Utah waterways to spawn. The Jensen family drove up from Salt Lake City to see the deep reds for themselves, joining a growing wave of visitors drawn to one of the state's most striking seasonal wildlife displays.
Kokanee salmon are a landlocked version of sockeye salmon and technically Utah's only true salmon, according to parkrecord.com. The fish flush from silvery to fiery red as their spawning season peaks, a transformation that plays out each fall in a handful of Northern Utah waters where the state actively manages the population. Utah maintains kokanee management goals in about 14 waters statewide, per the same report.
At Strawberry Reservoir, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources runs spawning traps near the visitor center, according to KSL.com. Visitors have also been able to see salmon in the Strawberry River itself and walk to the fish trap and egg-taking facility behind the center, per parkrecord.com's coverage of a free viewing event planned for the site. Scott Jensen told KSL the trip was an enjoyable one that gave his children something different to see, while his wife, Alyssa Jensen, said she hadn't known the fish turned red despite living in Utah her whole life. She and the Jensen children reportedly watched the color change for the first time during the visit.
A Coordinator's Read on the Run
Trina Hedrick, a cold water sportfish coordinator for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, described this year's color as being as bright as the autumn leaves, per KSL's report. She advised that people should observe the fish from a safe distance and said onlookers should stay out of creeks while kokanee are spawning, so as not to disturb the fish, their eggs or the DWR's traps. Hedrick also said the display is worth appreciating simply because the fish are beautiful, the outlet noted.
The kokanee attraction appears to be pulling in more visitors each year, KSL reported, and Hedrick said the spawning season may stay at its peak through the next couple of weeks. Some fish could still be spotted in streams at lower elevations as late as Nov. 1, according to her comments to the outlet. Peak spawning for most of Summit and Wasatch counties typically falls in mid-September, per parkrecord.com.
Where Else to Watch the Reds
Strawberry Reservoir isn't the only place to catch the show. Kokanee can also be viewed at Jordanelle Reservoir, the Provo River and several Summit County reservoirs, according to parkrecord.com. Sheep Creek in Daggett County holds an important kokanee population that feeds the state's hatchery egg production, per basinnow.com, and the Flaming Gorge kokanee population plays a similar role in statewide egg supplies, the outlet reported separately.
Wildlife officials keep a trap installed in Sheep Creek throughout the run to collect eggs and milt from spawning fish, according to basinnow.com's reporting on viewing guidelines. Once collection and spawning wrap up, the fish are released upstream of the trap, where they migrate toward more accessible viewing spots, the outlet noted.
Know Before You Go
Anglers should note that Utah bars possession of kokanee salmon statewide from Sept. 10 through Nov. 30, according to the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources' fishing guidebook. With the run expected to hold near its peak for weeks yet, wildlife officials are encouraging visitors to keep their distance, admire the color, and let the fish finish what they came to do.
