Kokanee in Washington
Washington rules and water for kokanee.
- 10 dailylimit
- 6.25 lbsrecord
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kokanee in the Evergreen State
Washington freshwater rules place kokanee on the line labelled "Kokanee". Word for word, the row gives: No min. size. Daily limit 10. When fishing with bait, all kokanee that are lawful to possess and are equal to or greater than the minimum size are counted as part of the daily limit whether kept or released.
WDFW credits Clarence F. Rief with the record, 6.25 lbs out of Lake Roosevelt, Grant County in 2003. This guide links it to 66 Washington waters, beginning with Lake Roosevelt, Lake Chelan and Banks Lake. For 14 waters, the pamphlet prints a Special Rule about it. Its Latin name is Oncorhynchus nerka.
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| Pamphlet row | Waters | Limit as printed | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kokanee | all freshwater | No min. size. Daily limit 10. When fishing with bait, all kokanee that are lawful to possess and are equal to or greater than the minimum size are counted as part of the daily limit whether kept or released. | Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 (p.23 general rule for game fish) |
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026-2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules (WDFW pamphlet, in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), PDF page 27 (pamphlet PDF; eRegulations statewide freshwater page), read October 31, 2026.
Waters with their own kokanee rule
Labels like "kokanee" appear on 14 waters in the Special Rules tables.
Waters that break from statewide rules
Special Rules as printed in the 2026-2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules (WDFW pamphlet, in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), pamphlet page 26 (pamphlet PDF), read on eRegulations October 31, 2026.kokanee, every form together
- Kokanee (non-anadromous Sockeye Salmon)WDFW listing
WDFW species listings, grouped on one page here.
Record weight for Washington kokanee
| Listing | Weight | Angler | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kokanee (non-anadromous Sockeye Salmon) | 6.25 lbs | Clarence F. Rief | Lake Roosevelt, Grant County | June 26, 2003 |
WDFW sport fish records, read October 31, 2026; record list.
Lakes, rivers and sound with kokanee
Washington lakes with kokanee
- Lake Roosevelt83,988 acres
- Lake Chelan32,623 acres
- Banks Lake26,888 acres
- Lake Washington21,934 acres
- Rufus Woods Lake8,022 acres
- Lake Whatcom4,924 acres
- Lake Sammamish4,853 acres
- Baker Lake4,755 acres
- Lake Spokane4,748 acres
- Kachess Lake4,378 acres
- Lake Cushman4,015 acres
- Lake Merwin3,836 acres
- Yale Reservoir3,612 acres
- Alder Lake2,877 acres
- Rimrock Lake2,546 acres
- Keechelus Lake2,408 acres
- Rock Lake2,190 acres
- Osoyoos Lake2,062 acres
- Lake Shannon2,060 acres
- Palmer Lake2,032 acres
- Bumping Lake1,354 acres
- Sullivan Lake1,283 acres
- Deer Lake (Stevens County)1,146 acres
- American Lake1,091 acres
WDFW Fish Washington and high lake layer species lists, WDFW SWIFD distribution, record waters and 2026 trout plants; largest waters first.
Kin of kokanee in the WDFW tables
- Atlantic Salmonfreshwater
- Brown Troutfreshwater
- Bull Troutfreshwater
- Chinook Salmonfreshwater
- Chum Salmonfreshwater
- Coho Salmonfreshwater
- Coastal Cutthroat Troutfreshwater
- Lahontan Cutthroat Troutfreshwater
- Westslope Cutthroat Troutfreshwater
- Dolly Vardenfreshwater
Photographs of fishing water around Kokanee
Photo: PNWDawn, Public domain
Photo: Jonathan Miske, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Patrick McNally, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Tim Regan, CC BY 2.0
kokanee in Washington: questions anglers bring
What does WDFW allow for kokanee each day?
WDFW prints: No min. size. Daily limit 10. When fishing with bait, all kokanee that are lawful to possess and are equal to or greater than the minimum size are counted as part of the daily limit whether kept or released.
How big is the Washington record kokanee?
It weighed 6.25 lbs, out of Lake Roosevelt, Grant County in 2003; angler Clarence F. Rief.
Where do kokanee live in Washington?
It is on 66 pages, Lake Roosevelt, Lake Chelan and Banks Lake first.
Do Washington hatcheries release kokanee?
No hatchery plant of it is on file for 2026.
On which Washington waters does the kokanee rule shift?
On 14 waters the line changes.
Is the kokanee season open now in Washington?
The row prints: Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: year-round; rivers, streams and beaver ponds: Sat. before Memorial Day through Oct. 31 (p.23 general rule for game fish). An emergency rule may still close it.
Is a freshwater license enough for kokanee?
Anglers 16 and older need a Washington Freshwater license ($39.95 resident, $115.85 nonresident for 2026-27) or a Combination license; salmon, steelhead and sturgeon also take a catch record card.
Who checks a new Washington kokanee record?
WDFW verifies records at its offices after a certified-scale weighing witnessed by two people.
Pick Washington water for kokanee
Ramps, limits and maps sit on each page above.