The kokanee salmon is one of the most iconic freshwater fish in the angling world. With its hooked jaw and beautiful scales, its hard to miss. They don’t get as big as some salmon relatives, but it’s fun to catch them and even more fun to cook and eat them.
Angling for kokanee is subtly different from angling for other fish. Since these fish mostly eat small zooplankton, tying a lure to something that looks like food that they like won’t help you catch them. The fisherman must use a loud, flashy lure, with or without an attractant, to get the kokanee to bite.
A blast to troll for and excellent eating, here are some more interesting details about the kokanee salmon.
Kokanee salmon are a popular game fish for anglers across the Pacific Northwest and beyond But one question often comes up – are kokanee good to eat?
In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about eating kokanee salmon. We’ll look at:
- What kokanee salmon are
- How to catch kokanee
- Difference between kokanee and sockeye salmon
- How to prepare kokanee
- Grilling, smoking, baking kokanee recipes
- And finally, we’ll answer the key question: are kokanee salmon good eating?
What are Kokanee Salmon?
Kokanee salmon are a freshwater version of the sockeye salmon. Unlike their ancestral sockeye cousins that migrate from freshwater to the ocean and back, kokanee spend their entire lives in lakes and streams.
Kokanee have green heads and silver bodies, but when they’re ready to spawn, their bodies turn a deep red color. The largest one weighed over 9 pounds. Most of them weigh between 1 and 3 pounds.
While their range is limited kokanee have been introduced more widely across the U.S. and Canada. Popular fishing destinations include the Pacific Northwest Utah, Montana, and parts of the Northeast U.S.
How to Catch Kokanee for Eating
Kokanee aren’t known to strike bait matching their natural diet of zooplankton. Instead, anglers try to annoy them with flashy spoons, dodgers, and spinners to get them to strike hard.
The most effective way to catch kokanee is trolling with downriggers or lead core line. This allows getting lures down to the depths kokanee cruise. Often a flasher and wedding ring setup is used ahead of dodgers or spoons.
Bright pink, chartreuse, orange, and red lures tend to work well. Tip lures with corn, shrimp, or kokanee attractants for added appeal. Kokanee have sharp teeth so use a steel leader.
Focus on the deep basins kokanee hold in during summer. In fall, target creek mouths as kokanee stage for their spawning run.
Difference Between Kokanee and Sockeye Salmon
Kokanee and sockeye salmon are the same species – Oncorhynchus nerka. The difference lies in their life cycles.
Sockeye salmon live part of their lives in the ocean, migrating hundreds or even thousands of miles between ocean feeding grounds and inland spawning sites.
Meanwhile, kokanee remain in freshwater their whole lives, spared from the extreme migrations of sockeye. Kokanee also tend to be smaller than sockeye, which commonly reach 5-10 pounds.
While kokanee lack the rich omega oils from the ocean, they share the same delicate, rich orange flesh that makes sockeye a salmon favorite.
Preparing Kokanee Salmon to Eat
Let’s get to the good part – eating! Here’s an overview of preparing kokanee salmon:
- Bleed fish immediately and keep chilled.
- Remove guts and gills.
- Kokanee have small Y-bones – boneless fillets are ideal.
- For grilling, smoking, or baking, scales and skin can be left on.
- For pan-frying or poaching, remove scales and skin.
- Cook kokanee within two days of catching for best flavor.
The flesh of kokanee salmon is delicate with a mild flavor. Take care not to overcook kokanee, as the flesh can dry out.
Grilling Kokanee Salmon
A shore lunch of grilled kokanee is a treat after fishing! Some tips:
- Grill over direct medium heat. Avoid intense heat that can dry flesh.
- Lightly oil and season fish. Lemon pepper is a classic.
- Grill skin-side down first. Cook 4-6 minutes per side.
- Check thickness. 1-inch fillets take 6-8 minutes total.
- Cook until opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to overcook.
Grilling kokanee in a foil packet with veggies and lemon is delicious too. Cook over indirect heat with the packet open for 20-25 minutes until fish reaches 140°F.
Smoking Kokanee Salmon
The rich flesh of kokanee salmon takes well to smoking. Here are some tips:
- Brine fish for added moisture if smoking more than 2-3 hours.
- Dry fish well before smoking.
- Smoke around 150-170°F using alder, apple, cherry, or other fruit woods.
- Cook to an internal temp of 140-145°F.
- Smoke for 2-6 hours depending on thickness and desired doneness.
- Let rest before serving. Flake for sandwiches, dips, and spreads.
Smoked kokanee also makes excellent lox for bagels and cream cheese.
Baking Kokanee Salmon
Baking brings out kokanee’s delicate flavor. Try these tips:
- Heat oven to 400°F.
- Grease a baking sheet or line with parchment.
- Brush fillets with oil or melted butter.
- Season simply with lemon pepper, dill, thyme, salt, and pepper.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes until opaque and flakes easily.
Baked kokanee pairs beautifully with rice pilaf or roasted potatoes.
Are Kokanee Salmon Good to Eat?
Now for the big question – how do kokanee salmon taste? The consensus is clear…
Kokanee salmon have excellent table fare! Their delicate, rich orange flesh has a mild flavor compared to sockeye salmon. The texture is often described as buttery.
Kokanee offer a nice change of pace from trout and other freshwater fare. Their salmonid pedigree shines through in the rich flavor and omega oils.
While kokanee lack the funky fish oils sockeye build up in the ocean, they avoid any overly “fishy” taste. Their mild flavor makes kokanee an approachable fish for those new to salmon.
So if you’re lucky enough to hook some kokanee this season, keep a few for the dinner plate! Kokanee salmon are definitely good eating.
Follow the tips in this guide to successfully catch and cook your kokanee. Grilled, smoked, or baked – kokanee salmon won’t disappoint.
What Are Kokanee Salmon?
This landlocked fish is a very close relative of the sockeye salmon. They are so close that they are almost indistinguishable, except for one key difference. There is a myth that kokanee salmon go to the ocean and then come back to a river or lake to spawn. This is not true for this species of salmon. Instead, the kokanee spend their whole life landlocked in a freshwater system.
They have a limited range and are endemic to the northwest of the U. S. , in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Alaska, and British Columbia. Like other game fish, kokanee have been brought into a few other states. There are now populations of them in Utah, Montana, and New York.
The kokanee dont grow very large, topping out at six lbs. For most of their lives, they are silver, and some places call them silver salmon or silver trout. Once they reach 3-5 years old, they mature and are ready to spawn. After that, this silver fish turns bright red with a green and black head, and the males get a hump.
When they hatch, kokanee salmon are especially at risk because eagles, bears, and anglers can easily spot their bright red color. To spawn, they go to both deep water and shallow streams. For kokanee, spawning is one of the last things they will do. After the salmon spawn, they die.
How Do I Catch Kokanee?
Because they are so much fun to catch and taste great, these game fish have become one of the most popular types to fish for. However, there are some things to be aware of to help you catch this landlocked fish.
These fish get most of their food from zooplankton, which includes plants, insects, and freshwater shrimp that are as small as a pinhead. They use special combs on their gills, called gill rakers, to strain zooplankton from the water.
Most people who fish for kokanee think that you should irritate the fish enough so that it strikes your lure out of anger instead of as a way to catch something. This is one reason why most kokanee lures are bright colors like hot pink, magenta, and yellow.
Dodgers, spinners, spoons, and even plain red hooks are all successful lures using this technique. Some fisherman use corn or an attractant on the end of their spinners and spoons to get the fish’s attention. A lead is required, as this salmon has plenty of sharp teeth with which to cut a line.
Some even use unique corn dyes to add even more attractant and flash to the kokanee lure. For people who want to fish for kokanee, there are specific poles and reels, most of which have light to medium action.
Along with bright colors and plenty of attractants, the most popular method to catch this fish is trolling. Use a fish finder to locate a school and troll right through the middle of it.
Another more challenging way to catch this salmon is fly-fishing. When the kokanee are spawning in streams is the best time to fish for this species because the fish aren’t eating when they’re spawning, so they’re more aggressive.
You can cook these fish on the grill for hours after you catch them in the river. Just make sure you store it the right way after you catch one so it doesn’t go bad before you can use it in a meal.
CATCH N’ COOK Kokanee Fishing | TOP 2 Ways To Cook Kokanee SALMON!
FAQ
Do kokanee taste good?
Are kokanee salmon really salmon?
What is the difference between kokanee and chinook salmon?
Can you eat kokanee when they turn red?
Is kokanee better than fresh salmon?
There are two important things to note. 1. Fresh Salmon tastes better than store bought salmon, especially if you buy farm salmon. Because of that you can work more with the fish flavors, rather than against them. Kokanee is a delicacy, and the best recipes treat it like it is. You need to be careful though and not turn your salmon into mush.
Is smoked salmon safe for kidneys?
Smoked salmon is safe for the kidneys, as long as it does not exceed the renal load, that is, the amount of recommended daily protein.
Do kokanee salmon eat trout?
Trolling for kokanee salmon with multicolored lures is a major thrill, and they also make an incredible meal. Whether you throw it on the grill whole, butterfly it, broil it, or poach it, this beautiful fish is reminiscent of its larger cousins but also has ties to the trout, with which it shares its habitat.
Is kokanee a good fish to eat?
Kokanee is indeed a good fish to eat. Kokanee is a type of salmon, and can be used in any recipe involving salmon. It has a light, mild flavor and can be served in raw fish dishes (such as sushi) or cooked and seasoned. There are some tips and tricks for eating Kokanee, especially when it comes to catching and cooking them.