Yes. You may keep 5 kokanee and 5 trout species per day.
Table of Contents
What time of year is best for kokanee fishing?
Late Spring In May and June, after rising shallow-water temperatures have forced kokanee to return to the deeper portions of a lake, you can catch them using gang trolls and dodgers trailing almost any kind of small lure (like spoons, flies, and hoochies). This is the time most anglers experience the greatest success.
Is Lake Berryessa good for fishing?
Lake Berryessa is a popular fishing spot for experienced anglers and beginners alike. This brochure provides information on the species of game fish common in the lake and some useful techniques to find and catch them.
Where is the best kokanee fishing?
Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Utah and Wyoming: The Holy Land… errr I mean Holy Water of Kokanee anglers. No other body of water is renowned for its big Kokanee than this giant desert reservoir straddling the border of Utah and Wyoming.
What time of year does kokanee?
Spawning begins in August and usually runs into early February but kokanee have been found spawning as late as April. Again genetic factors and environmental factors like temperature both play a role in this timing.
How deep do you fish for kokanee?
In mid to late summer, kokanee are often found at 30 to 60 feet or more in their search for cold water and the best supply of zooplankton. Getting your lure to the depth of the fish is best done with the aid of a downrigger.
What is the best bait for kokanee salmon?
Scent and Bait Popular Kokanee baits are Pink Maggots (real or synthetic), dyed-cured shrimp and dyed-cured White Shoepeg Corn. Be sure not to put too much bait on the hook as it will take away from the lure’s action. Once piece of corn or 2 small maggots on each hook is adequate.
Is Lake Berryessa stocked with fish?
Lake Berryessa has been stocked with trout for decades, and these fish offer incredible fishing opportunities.
Do you need a fishing license at Lake Berryessa?
Lake Berryessa Fishing Regulations If you plan on taking any fish or animal from inland or ocean waters, the state of California requires that you have a sports fishing license.
How do I target a large kokanee?
Usually a heavy one to three-ounce sinkers or lead core line is trolled slow and deep. A spinner rig tipped with a chunk of worm, maggot, or piece of corn is attached behind a large tandem flasher combination. This established method is excellent for catching small school kokanee in the eight to twelve inch range.
What kind of lures do kokanee like?
Think salmon lures but smaller. Popular lures include inline trolls and dodgers, which are becoming increasingly popular due to their low water resistance. Spinners, spoons, hoochies and other types of salmon lures work for kokanee, just in much smaller sizes since most kokanee don’t exceed 15 inches.
How do you rig for kokanee fishing?

What is the biggest kokanee ever caught?
Submitted photo Ron Campbell of Pendleton holds the 9-pound 10-ounce kokanee that he caught at Wallowa Lake June 13.
Is kokanee good to eat?
Kokanee is best eaten just before the spawning stage. Their flesh is the dazzling bright orange that many anglers long for, and it is richer in flavor than trout but softer than other salmon. If the fish is longer than 12 inches, you can fillet it.
Can you eat kokanee salmon raw?
After all, kokanee are salmon, and, as you may well know, sockeye flesh is the reddest of them all. And that flesh is richer than most trout, a bit soft like salmon is, and hates being overcooked โ although you cannot safely eat kokanee raw unless it has been frozen first for at least a week.
What size hooks for kokanee?
Hooks: Dropshot hooks (also called splitshot hooks) are much superior to the traditional Octopus style hook, said Black. He prefers sizes No. 2 or No. 4 and whether they are red or black does not matter.
What is the best line for kokanee fishing?
The most popular braided fishing line for kokanee is the KastKing 20 lb. The second most popular is the SpiderWire brand.
What’s the best speed to troll for kokanee?
Kokanee prefer slower trolling speeds than trout or walleye. 1.2 mph is the ultimate sweet spot and speeds ranging from 0.8 mph to 1.7 mph entice kokanee to strike in most situations. Kokanee may be aggressive but they sure can be picky about your tackle presentation.
What lures work best for kokanee?
Popular Kokanee baits are Pink Maggots (real or synthetic), dyed-cured shrimp, and dyed-cured White Shoepeg Corn. Do not put too much bait on the hook as it will take away from the lure’s action. Once piece of corn or 2 small maggots on each hook is adequate.
What scents do kokanee like?
The four most common scents used for kokanee are Herring Oil, Shrimp/Prawn oil, Fresh Water Shrimp Oil and Squid Oil. ProCure makes all of these scents and is well proven with kokanee. Some fishermen mix these scents with anise oil to get a combination scent.
What do kokanee salmon like to eat?
Kokanee feed almost exclusively on zooplankton, tiny aquatic animals from the size of a pinprick to the size of a small fish hook. They will also eat tiny plants, insects, and freshwater shrimp when available. They strain zooplankton from the water by means of many fine combs on the gills called gill rakers.
Is fishing with corn illegal in California?
Answer: Corn is permitted as bait for carp โ and any other species of fish and in any type of inland waters where bait is allowed.
Can you fish with 2 rods in California?
Yes, as long as you are actively using no more than two rods at any one time.
What fishing hooks are illegal in California?
(1) No person shall use any single hook with a gap greater than 1 inch or any multiple hook with a gap greater than 3/4 inch. (2) It is unlawful to use any hook which is directly or indirectly attached closer than 18 inches to any weight exceeding 1/2 ounce.
How full is Lake Berryessa now?
The lake level is now down to 398.3 feet โ 41.7 feet below Glory Hole. The official rainfall total at Monticello Dam is 18.73 inches for the 2021 – 2022 rainfall season. A “rainfall season” runs from July 1 through June 30 of the following year.) The Gamble Gauge shows the lake dropped to 54.9% capacity.