2026 regulation year
Colorado Kokanee salmon 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules
Oncorhynchus nerka
Last updated
Colorado kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka — the landlocked, non-anadromous form of Pacific sockeye salmon) is CPW's flagship stocked coldwater salmon fishery — CPW stocks kokanee fry into roughly 26 reservoirs statewide, with Blue Mesa Reservoir (Curecanti NRA, Gunnison County — Colorado's largest body of water) serving as the primary brood + egg source: each fall mature kokanee run nearly 30 miles up the Gunnison River from Blue Mesa to the Roaring Judy State Fish Hatchery, where CPW collects eggs for the statewide stocking program + holds free spawned-salmon giveaways each Friday throughout the run. Kokanee live about 4 years, then turn brilliant crimson + the males develop a hooked kype as they stage for the fall spawn — dying after they spawn. CPW is one of the few state agencies that permits kokanee to be taken by snagging + archery in addition to conventional angling: the statewide bag is 10 / day (10 in possession) by angling, snagging, or archery. Snagging is restricted to the fall spawning-run windows on designated waters — Blue Mesa Reservoir November 1 – December 31; Lake Granby September 1 – December 31 (except Columbine Bay); Williams Fork Reservoir September 1 – December 31 — and provides much of the annual kokanee harvest. Major kokanee waters include Blue Mesa + Lake Granby + Dillon Reservoir + Williams Fork Reservoir + Wolford Mountain Reservoir + Eleven Mile Reservoir + Green Mountain Reservoir. CO state-record kokanee salmon (angling) 6 lb 13 oz (6.81 lb) Spinney Mountain Reservoir Park County (Will Arduino, 1986); the largest kokanee on Colorado record is a 7 lb 5 oz fish snagged at Blue Mesa Reservoir (Lee Cox, 2002). Angling open year-round; snagging only during the listed fall windows.
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Season
Open year-round Angling open year-round; snagging permitted only during the fall spawning run on designated waters — Blue Mesa Reservoir Nov 1 – Dec 31; Lake Granby Sept 1 – Dec 31 (except Columbine Bay); Williams Fork Reservoir Sept 1 – Dec 31.
Bag & possession
- Daily bag
- 10 / day by angling, snagging, or archery — one of the country's highest kokanee bags
- Possession
- 10 in possession
Size, slot, trophy rules
- Size
- No statewide minimum size
- Trophy rule
- CO state-record kokanee salmon (angling) 6 lb 13 oz (6.81 lb) Spinney Mountain Reservoir Park County (Will Arduino, 1986); the largest kokanee on Colorado record is a 7 lb 5 oz fish snagged at Blue Mesa Reservoir (Lee Cox, 2002); Blue Mesa is the primary statewide brood + egg source — kokanee run ~30 mi up the Gunnison River to the Roaring Judy State Fish Hatchery each fall
Gear restrictions
- Hook-and-line angling permitted year-round; trolling + downrigging the primary open-water method (kokanee suspend over deep, cold water)
- Snagging permitted only on designated waters during the listed fall spawning-run windows (Blue Mesa Nov 1 – Dec 31; Granby + Williams Fork Sept 1 – Dec 31)
- Archery permitted as a legal take method for kokanee on most waters
- CPW Habitat Stamp + Fishing License required ages 18+ ($11.97 res / NR Habitat Stamp + $36.08 res annual / $97.97 NR annual)
- CPW Second-Rod Stamp $5.31 required to fish with 2 rods simultaneously on most waters
- Confirm current-year CPW Fishing Regulations for water-by-water snagging-season dates
Named water-body overrides
Where statewide rules differ on specific Colorado waters:
Blue Mesa Reservoir
10 / day; snagging permitted Nov 1 – Dec 31 during the fall spawning run; primary statewide kokanee brood + egg source (run ~30 mi up the Gunnison to Roaring Judy SFH); largest kokanee on CO record 7 lb 5 oz snagged here (Lee Cox, 2002); Curecanti NRA NPS overlay — CPW License valid
Lake Granby
10 / day; snagging permitted Sept 1 – Dec 31 except in Columbine Bay; the kokanee + Mysis-shrimp forage base also drives the trophy lake trout fishery
Williams Fork Reservoir
10 / day; snagging permitted Sept 1 – Dec 31 during the fall spawning run
Dillon Reservoir
10 / day; angling only (no snagging authorization listed); high-elevation 9,017 ft kokanee + lake trout fishery
Spinney Mountain Reservoir
10 / day angling only (no snagging — Gold Medal trophy-trout water, artificial-fly-and-lure only); CO state-record kokanee (angling) 6 lb 13 oz / 6.81 lb (Will Arduino, 1986)
Official source
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) publishes the authoritative 2026 Coloradofishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.
The kokanee salmon rules on this page are sourced from Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW)'s official kokanee salmon regulation page.
Visit official Colorado fishing regulations →
Emergency-order channel
Kokanee salmon closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Colorado Parks and Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any Colorado trip during the active season.
Frequently asked questions
- When is kokanee salmon season in Colorado?
- Colorado keeps kokanee salmon open to fishing year-round for the 2026 regulation year — there is no closed season, though the daily bag and size limits below still apply every day.
- What is the Colorado bag limit for kokanee salmon?
- The Colorado daily bag limit for kokanee salmon is 10 / day by angling, snagging, or archery — one of the country's highest kokanee bags. The possession limit is 10 in possession. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
- What size kokanee salmon can you keep in Colorado?
- The Colorado size rule for kokanee salmon is No statewide minimum size. Trophy rule: CO state-record kokanee salmon (angling) 6 lb 13 oz (6.81 lb) Spinney Mountain Reservoir Park County (Will Arduino, 1986); the largest kokanee on Colorado record is a 7 lb 5 oz fish snagged at Blue Mesa Reservoir (Lee Cox, 2002); Blue Mesa is the primary statewide brood + egg source — kokanee run ~30 mi up the Gunnison River to the Roaring Judy State Fish Hatchery each fall.
- Do you need a license to fish for kokanee salmon in Colorado?
- Yes. Colorado requires a valid fishing license to fish for kokanee salmon, with the usual exemptions for young children, state free-fishing days, and some senior or disabled-veteran categories. A license is valid only in the state that issued it, so non-residents need a Colorado license — compare resident and non-resident Colorado fees on the state regulations page below.
- Are there gear restrictions for kokanee salmon in Colorado?
- Yes. In Colorado, kokanee salmon fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line angling permitted year-round; trolling + downrigging the primary open-water method (kokanee suspend over deep, cold water); Snagging permitted only on designated waters during the listed fall spawning-run windows (Blue Mesa Nov 1 – Dec 31; Granby + Williams Fork Sept 1 – Dec 31); Archery permitted as a legal take method for kokanee on most waters; CPW Habitat Stamp + Fishing License required ages 18+ ($11.97 res / NR Habitat Stamp + $36.08 res annual / $97.97 NR annual); CPW Second-Rod Stamp $5.31 required to fish with 2 rods simultaneously on most waters; Confirm current-year CPW Fishing Regulations for water-by-water snagging-season dates.
- Do specific Colorado waters have different kokanee salmon rules?
- Yes. 5 named Colorado waters carry rules that override the statewide kokanee salmon regulation, including Blue Mesa Reservoir, Lake Granby, Williams Fork Reservoir, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.