Kokanee in Idaho
IDFG region limits, recommended waters and 2026 record news for kokanee.
- 15 a daybag
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Kokanee across Idaho, at a glance
Idaho prints a bag figure for kokanee in 7 of its seven region tables. In the IDFG Panhandle Region, the line reads "Kokanee limit is 15".
The Fishing Planner recommends it on 42 waters with pages, starting with Lake Pend Oreille, Coeur d'Alene Lake and Cascade Reservoir. The newest of its 167 stocking rows is dated June 17, 2026. The Planner files it as Oncorhynchus nerka.
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| IDFG region | Line as printed |
|---|---|
| IDFG Panhandle Region | Kokanee limit is 15 |
| IDFG Clearwater Region | Kokanee limit is 25 |
| IDFG Southwest Region | Kokanee limit is 6 |
| IDFG Magic Valley Region | Kokanee limit is 6 |
| IDFG Southeast Region | Kokanee limit is 6 |
| IDFG Upper Snake Region | Kokanee limit is 15 |
| IDFG Salmon Region | Kokanee limit is 25 |
Region bag limits from Idaho Fishing Seasons and Rules, 2025-2027, as printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (the brochure PDF on idfg.idaho.gov was unreachable during site maintenance), read November 7, 2026.
Where IDFG has stocked Kokanee
| Water | Release as printed |
|---|---|
| Hayden Lake | Kokanee – Triploid, 20,395 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 17, 2026 |
| Horsethief Reservoir | Kokanee, 10,588 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 17, 2026 |
| Lake Pend Oreille | Kokanee, 52,941 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 17, 2026 |
| Lake Pend Oreille | Kokanee – Triploid, 121,097 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 17, 2026 |
| Payette Lake | Kokanee, 36,259 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), June 17, 2026 |
| Payette Lake | Kokanee, 114,706 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 17, 2026 |
| Upper Payette Lake | Kokanee, 15,882 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 17, 2026 |
| Lake Pend Oreille | Kokanee, 2,338,618 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 16, 2026 |
| Lake Pend Oreille | Kokanee, 3,311,965 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 15, 2026 |
| Deadwood Reservoir | Kokanee, 53,505 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), June 11, 2026 |
| North Fork Payette River | Kokanee, 231,991 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), June 10, 2026 |
| Mosquito Flat Reservoir | Kokanee – Triploid, 5,763 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 8, 2026 |
| Soldiers Meadow Reservoir | Kokanee, 13,680 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 8, 2026 |
| Palisades Reservoir | Kokanee, 69,190 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), May 27, 2026 |
| Arrowrock Reservoir | Kokanee, 201,217 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), May 21, 2026 |
| Lucky Peak Reservoir | Kokanee, 134,052 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), May 21, 2026 |
| Anderson Ranch Reservoir | Kokanee, 66,934 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), May 20, 2026 |
| Montpelier Reservoir | Kokanee, 8,715 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), May 20, 2026 |
| Ririe Reservoir | Kokanee, 179,036 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), May 19, 2026 |
| Lower Twin Lake | Kokanee, 25,200 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), May 13, 2026 |
| Hayden Lake | Kokanee, 82,200 fish, Fingerling (3-6 inches), May 11, 2026 |
| Lake Pend Oreille | Kokanee, 137,318 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 25, 2025 |
| Lower Twin Lake | Kokanee – Triploid, 62,260 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 24, 2025 |
| Hayden Lake | Kokanee, 78,750 fish, Fry (0-3 inches), June 23, 2025 |
Stocking rows as printed on the IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (date, species, number and size as listed), read November 7, 2026.
Finding kokanee in Idaho
Impoundments and lakes for kokanee
- Lake Pend Oreille92,764 acres
- Coeur d'Alene Lake27,911 acres
- Cascade Reservoir27,152 acres
- Priest Lake23,335 acres
- Dworshak Reservoir16,484 acres
- Palisades Reservoir15,949 acres
- Island Park Reservoir7,280 acres
- Payette Lake4,987 acres
- Anderson Ranch Reservoir4,608 acres
- Hayden Lake3,797 acres
- Arrowrock Reservoir3,015 acres
- Deadwood Reservoir2,997 acres
- Lucky Peak Reservoir2,766 acres
- Spirit Lake1,535 acres
- Redfish Lake1,505 acres
- Little Payette Lake1,440 acres
- Ririe Reservoir1,414 acres
- Upper Priest Lake1,340 acres
- Mackay Reservoir1,139 acres
- Alturas Lake836 acres
- Warm Lake412 acres
- Pettit Lake400 acres
- Lower Twin Lake390 acres
- Horsethief Reservoir258 acres
Forks and creeks for kokanee
- North Fork Clearwater RiverClearwater County
- Big Smoky CreekCamas County
- Clearwater RiverClearwater County
- Grimes CreekBoise County
- Lime Creek (Elmore County)Elmore County
- Little North Fork Clearwater RiverClearwater County
- Little Smoky CreekCamas County
- Middle Fork Boise RiverElmore County
- Mores CreekAda County
- South Fork Boise RiverBoise County
- Trinity CreekElmore County
IDFG Fishing Planner recommended game fish on each water page, read November 7, 2026; largest lakes and best-served rivers first.
kokanee in the special rules
- Anderson Ranch ReservoirIDFG Magic Valley Region
- Deadwood ReservoirIDFG Southwest Region (Nampa subregion)
- Deadwood RiverIDFG Southwest Region
- Little Payette LakeIDFG Southwest Region (McCall subregion)
- North Fork Payette RiverIDFG Southwest Region
- Palisades ReservoirIDFG Upper Snake Region
- Pettit LakeIDFG Salmon Region
- Priest LakeIDFG Panhandle Region
- Redfish LakeIDFG Salmon Region
- Salt RiverIDFG Upper Snake Region
- South Fork Snake RiverIDFG Upper Snake Region
- Spirit LakeIDFG Panhandle Region
- Upper Priest LakeIDFG Panhandle Region
- Upper Priest RiverIDFG Panhandle Region
Rule blocks printed on IDFG Fishing Planner water pages (2025-2027), read November 7, 2026.
Granite basins, sage benches and riffles near Kokanee, photographed
Photo: Intermountain Forest Service, USDA Region 4 Photography, Public domain
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Murray Foubister, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: Jeramey Jannene, CC BY 2.0
What Idaho anglers ask about kokanee
What does IDFG allow for kokanee per day?
It varies by region; the IDFG Panhandle Region reads "Kokanee limit is 15".
Any 2026 record news for Idaho kokanee?
No 2026 announcement covers it; check the IDFG record list.
Which Gem State water suits kokanee best?
42 Idaho waters, starting with Lake Pend Oreille, Coeur d'Alene Lake and Cascade Reservoir.
Are kokanee planted in Idaho?
Yes: 167 rows, last at Hayden Lake on June 17, 2026.
Which Idaho rule blocks mention kokanee?
Yes, 14: Anderson Ranch Reservoir for one.
What is the federal status of kokanee?
Not federally listed.
Is a plain fishing license enough for kokanee?
Fishing here takes an Idaho fishing license; Idaho Code 36-416 sets the annual statutory fee at $28.75 for residents and $106.25 for nonresidents, and steelhead or salmon fishing takes its own permit.
Where do I weigh a record kokanee in Idaho?
Weight records need a certified scale (IDFG keeps them at regional offices); catch-and-release records go by total length.