Kokanee Salmon in Colorado
CPW limits, records and water for kokanee salmon.
- 10 a daylimit
- 7 lb 5 ozrecord
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Kokanee salmon in Colorado, the essentials
Colorado Parks and Wildlife groups kokanee salmon as salmon, covered by 1 chart row on the 2026 limits chart. For waters statewide the brochure prints daily bag 10, possession 10.
The weight record stands at 7 lb 5 oz, from Blue Mesa Reservoir in 2002. 33 lakes and streams on this site list it.
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| Chart row | Zone | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kokanee Salmon | Statewide | Daily bag 10, possession 10 | Open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation says otherwise |
2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (Colorado Parks and Wildlife), p. 10, retrieved October 25, 2026; the chart applies on every water not listed in the special regulations.
Colorado record weights and lengths for kokanee salmon
By weight
| Entry | Weight | Length | Angler | Water | County | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kokanee Salmon (Snagging) | 7 lb 5 oz | 27 in | Lee Cox | Blue Mesa Reservoir | Gunnison | 2002 |
| Kokanee Salmon (Angling) | 6 lb 13 oz | 27.5 in | Will Arduino | Spinney Mountain Reservoir | Park | 1986 |
Length records since 2020
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kokanee Salmon (Angling) | 23.13 in | Cody Hails | South Platte River | 2025 |
Heritage category
| Entry | Length | Angler | Water | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kokanee Salmon (Angling) | 28 in | Richard Eppard | South Platte River |
A new length record must beat the current one, or 20 inches where no record exists (the Master Angler qualifying length).
CPW Fishing Awards and Records and the 2026 brochure pages 6 and 7, retrieved October 25, 2026.
Other 2026 rules covering kokanee salmon
- 5. Snagging is permitted for taking kokanee salmon only, on specific waters listed in this brochure. Other species snagged must be returned to the water immediately.p. 8
- b. Crustaceans: The following crustaceans may be possessed east of the Continental Divide: virile crayfish, waternymph crayfish, calico crayfish, ringed crayfish and Southern Plains crayfish. The following crustaceans may be possessed on either side of the Continental Divide: freshwater shrimp …p. 8
2026 Colorado Fishing brochure (Colorado Parks and Wildlife),, retrieved October 25, 2026.
How stocking fits kokanee salmon
Stocking listings (2,425 from 2024 to 2026) record catchable trout of roughly 10 inches by water and date, not by species.
CPW Fish Stocking Report and its archive, retrieved October 25, 2026.
From the plains to the peaks: water for kokanee salmon
Reservoirs with kokanee salmon
- Navajo Reservoir15,753 acres
- Blue Mesa Reservoir9,087 acres
- Lake Granby7,046 acres
- McPhee Reservoir4,289 acres
- Eleven Mile Reservoir3,415 acres
- Dillon Reservoir3,345 acres
- Vallecito Reservoir2,472 acres
- Green Mountain Reservoir2,111 acres
- Taylor Reservoir2,041 acres
- Williams Fork Reservoir1,552 acres
- Wolford Mountain Reservoir1,548 acres
- Shadow Mountain Reservoir1,338 acres
- Queens Reservoir1,268 acres
- Ruedi Reservoir1,037 acres
- Ridgway Reservoir967 acres
- Morrow Point Reservoir755 acres
- Platoro Reservoir751 acres
- Lemon Reservoir641 acres
- Grand Lake486 acres
- Gross Reservoir421 acres
- Clear Creek Reservoir405 acres
- Williams Creek Reservoir332 acres
- Lake San Cristobal327 acres
- Crystal Reservoir254 acres
Rivers with kokanee salmon
- Blue RiverSummit County
CPW Boatable Waters and Quality Waters species fields and state record waters; largest waters first.
Fish CPW groups with kokanee salmon
- Chinook Salmonsalmon
Colorado shorelines within a drive of Kokanee Salmon
Photo: Jay Miller from Fly to Eleven Mile Canyon just outside Colorado Springs, CC BY 2.0
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Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0
Colorado rules and records for Kokanee salmon, answered
Which chart row covers kokanee salmon?
Daily bag 10, possession 10 (statewide); special regulations can change it on listed waters.
Which kokanee salmon holds the Colorado weight record?
7 lb 5 oz from Blue Mesa Reservoir, by Lee Cox in 2002.
Which Colorado waters hold kokanee salmon?
33 water pages here list it, starting with Navajo Reservoir, Blue Mesa Reservoir and Lake Granby.
Do local rules apply to kokanee salmon?
No special-regulation entry names it, so the statewide chart applies unless a water closes or limits all fishing.
How is kokanee salmon classed in Colorado?
Salmon on the CPW species list; the chart zones that apply are statewide.
During which months can Coloradans fish for kokanee salmon?
Colorado waters are open all year, day and night, unless a special regulation closes them; no entry names it.
What does a license to chase kokanee salmon cost?
Colorado sells no separate trout stamp; a CPW fishing license covers trout ($44.87 for adult residents, $124.01 for nonresidents), and anglers 16 and older need one.
What length qualifies a kokanee salmon for a record?
Photograph it on a measuring device with a witness and release it; it must beat the current record, or 20 inches where none exists.
Line up a kokanee salmon trip
Any listed water has access and limits on its page.