5 Great Places To Catch Kokanee Salmon In Colorado

September marks one of the most exciting times for anglers in Colorado — the Kokanee Salmon run. And, if you’ve never had the experience of fly fishing for these big, hard-fighting, excellent-tasting fish, now is the time. But where can you catch Kokanee Salmon in Colorado?

Well, in this article, I am going to cover five of the best spots.

Let’s dive right in!

Related Content:

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning we will receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you click through and make a purchase.

Table Of Contents hide

1. The Gunnison River

1. The Gunnison River

If you want to catch Kokanee Salmon, you need not look any further than the Gunnison. Seriously, every year, this beautiful river experiences one of the best Salmon runs in the whole state.

Typically, in late August and early September thousands upon thousands of Kokanee travel upstream to spawn. And as they do so, you will find yourself in fly fishing heaven. I’m talking cast after cast of 15-25 inch, hard-fighting fish.

And, unlike the traditional catch-and release lifestyle we fly fishermen typically promote, with salmon, you’re better off keeping them. (This is true for most rivers in Colorado, but as always, be sure to check local regulations before you keep any fish.) You see, after Kokanee Salmon finish spawning, they die. So, you might as well bring them home and enjoy a nice fresh salmon on the smoker or grill.

That said, if you catch a Kokanee with cloudy eyes, fading colors, or grayish spots on its skin, you should put it back. Those are signs that the fish has already started to decay, and you don’t want to eat that.

2. The Taylor River

Boasting 11 miles of public access, the Taylor River is a tailwater that flows out of Taylor Reservoir, down Taylor Canyon and eventually into the Gunnison. It is a beautiful stretch of water, full of big trout and plentiful Kokanee.

In fact, I have caught more Kokanee on the Taylor River than all the other rivers in this article combined. Now, I don’t know if that’s because the trip my dad and I take to the Taylor each year just happens to align with the salmon run, or because the population of Kokanee is bigger, but I’m not going to question it.

If you want to catch Kokanee, you need to fish the Taylor in early Fall. Though, if you don’t happen upon a nice pod of spawning salmon, you are just as likely to catch a massive rainbow. So, really, you win either way.

I recommend staying at the Three Rivers Resort, and if you are really hard-core, you should try fishing the Taylor at night. I can tell you stories of the obscene number of fish I have caught at night on the Taylor — fly fishing by the light of my headlamp — but the numbers are so big you probably wouldn’t believe me. You’re better off just trying it for yourself.

3. The East River

The East River also flows into the Gunnison, and therefore becomes an off-chute of the aforementioned salmon run. Though, in my experience, the East River tends to run a little low in September, so it can be hit or miss.

Though, if you happen to catch the East on a high-water year, you might just be in for some serious Kokanee glory.

4. The South Platte

If you are looking for an opportunity to catch big trout and Kokanee, the South Platte River between Spinney Mountain and Eleven Mile Reservoir should be high on your list. After all, there is a reason they call this short stretch of river “The Dream Stream”.

This beautiful stretch of Gold Medal water is home to some of the largest fish in the state of Colorado. But that in turn, comes with some challenges. Namely, the number of other fly fishermen you are bound to run into, and the smart, leader-shy nature of these veteran fish.

In other words, you will need to fish with lighter leader and tippet than you might be used to. Luckily, the slow, meandering flow of this stretch of water will allow you to get away with it. And if you are the kind of fisherman that likes to fish remote, secluded rivers, you might consider a different river.

Also, if you are fishing for Kokanee on the Dream Stream, I highly recommend wearing polarized sunglasses. You will have your best luck sight-casting to podded-up Kokanee, so cutting the glare on the water is essential. Oh, and if you have never sight-casted to Kokanee before, and you aren’t sure what to look for, just keep an eye out for the tell-tale red cluster of underwater monsters. They are hard to miss.

5. The Blue River

A significant portion of the Blue River is private, and with the quality of fish that can be caught, the public access points tend to get a little over-fished. However, if you are really interested in catching Kokanee, the run out of Green Mountain Reservoir can be pretty epic.

That said, if you catch the river when the flows are low, the overgrown moss and plant life can make the river difficult to fish.

The blessing and the curse about the Blue River is how close it is to Denver. Unlike the Gunnison, the Taylor, and the East River, it is only about 2 hours from the city. But, like I said, that can make for a crowded fishing trip, and leader-shy fish.

Final Thoughts

If you want to catch Kokanee Salmon in Colorado, you just need to know where to look. Whether you want to take a trip down to the Gunnison area to fish the Taylor River, East River, and, of course, the Gunnison River, or you want to stay closer to Denver and fish the Dream Stream or the Blue, there are plenty of places to catch some Kokanee.

Honestly, once you get to experience the tenacious fight of a big Kokanee Salmon, you are going to find yourself wishing it was September all year long. Just remember to bring your smoker, because these fish are about as tasty as it gets!

Have you ever caught a Kokanee Salmon in Colorado? Tell us all about it in the comment section below! We pretty much live for good fishing stories, and can’t wait to hear yours!