When is kokanee salmon season in Idaho?

Idaho 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 Idaho bag limit for kokanee salmon?

The Idaho daily bag limit for kokanee salmon is 6 / day on Lake Pend Oreille, Dworshak, Coeur d'Alene + Priest Lake + listed kokanee waters; limit varies by water (confirm current-year reach rule). The possession limit is Twice the daily limit in possession (varies by water). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size kokanee salmon can you keep in Idaho?

The Idaho size rule for kokanee salmon is No statewide minimum. Trophy rule: Idaho is the country's premier kokanee state; Lake Pend Oreille kokanee recovery via IDFG lake trout suppression (Angler Incentive Program) is a nationally-watched fisheries story; Dworshak Reservoir produces fast-growing 14-17 in trophy kokanee.

Do you need a license to fish for kokanee salmon in Idaho?

Yes. Idaho 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 Idaho license — compare resident and non-resident Idaho fees on the state regulations page below.

Are there gear restrictions for kokanee salmon in Idaho?

Yes. In Idaho, kokanee salmon fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; downrigger trolling is the dominant open-water method; Ice-fishing tip-ups + jigging permitted during winter season; Snagging permitted only on listed waters during the fall spawning run — check the reach rule; IDFG Fishing Licence required ages 14+ ($30.50 res / $108.25 NR annual); Confirm current-year IDFG Fish + Game Rules for per-water kokanee limit.

Do specific Idaho waters have different kokanee salmon rules?

Yes. 4 named Idaho waters carry rules that override the statewide kokanee salmon regulation, including Lake Pend Oreille, Dworshak Reservoir, Coeur d'Alene, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

Idaho Kokanee salmon 2026 — Season, Bag Limit, Size Rules

Oncorhynchus nerka

Last updated May 30, 2026

Idaho is the premier kokanee salmon state in the country — kokanee (landlocked sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, that complete their entire life cycle in fresh water) are the keystone of Idaho's big-lake fisheries, both as a prized table fish and as the forage base that grows Lake Pend Oreille's world-class Kamloops + Gerrard rainbow trout. Lake Pend Oreille (148 sq mi, 1,158 ft deep) is the flagship: its kokanee population collapsed in the 1990s-2000s under non-native lake trout (Mackinaw) predation, and IDFG's aggressive lake trout suppression program (commercial-scale gillnetting plus the Angler Incentive Program paying cash for harvested lake trout) has rebuilt the kokanee run — a nationally-watched fisheries-recovery story. Dworshak Reservoir (16,800 acres on the North Fork Clearwater) is Idaho's premier trophy-kokanee reservoir, producing fast-growing 14-17 in fish. Coeur d'Alene Lake, Priest Lake, Lake Cascade, Anderson Ranch Reservoir, Deadwood Reservoir + Payette Lake round out the kokanee tier. Kokanee are managed separately from the trout limit and are a marquee ice-fishing + downrigger-trolling target. IDFG sets the daily limit by water — 6 / day on the marquee lakes (Pend Oreille, Dworshak, Coeur d'Alene, Priest) with more liberal limits on high-density reservoirs. The fall spawning run (September – November) pulls kokanee onto tributary mouths + shoreline gravel where snag-fishing is allowed on some waters; check the reach rule before fishing the spawn.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round on most waters; fall spawning run September – November on tributary mouths + shorelines; ice-fishing + downrigger trolling are the marquee methods on Pend Oreille + Coeur d'Alene + Dworshak + Cascade.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 6 / day on Lake Pend Oreille, Dworshak, Coeur d'Alene + Priest Lake + listed kokanee waters; limit varies by water (confirm current-year reach rule)
Possession: Twice the daily limit in possession (varies by water)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum
Trophy rule: Idaho is the country's premier kokanee state; Lake Pend Oreille kokanee recovery via IDFG lake trout suppression (Angler Incentive Program) is a nationally-watched fisheries story; Dworshak Reservoir produces fast-growing 14-17 in trophy kokanee

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; downrigger trolling is the dominant open-water method
Ice-fishing tip-ups + jigging permitted during winter season
Snagging permitted only on listed waters during the fall spawning run — check the reach rule
IDFG Fishing Licence required ages 14+ ($30.50 res / $108.25 NR annual)
Confirm current-year IDFG Fish + Game Rules for per-water kokanee limit

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Idaho waters:

Lake Pend Oreille
6 / day; kokanee recovered via IDFG lake trout (Mackinaw) suppression + Angler Incentive Program; forage base for trophy Kamloops + Gerrard rainbow trout
Dworshak Reservoir
Idaho's premier trophy-kokanee reservoir; fast-growing 14-17 in fish; confirm current-year limit
Coeur d'Alene Lake
6 / day; downrigger-troll + ice fishery
Priest Lake
6 / day; shares the water with native bull trout + lake trout (bull trout 0 / day catch-and-release-only)

Official source

Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) publishes the authoritative 2026 Idahofishing regulations. Always verify the current rule before fishing — emergency closures and in-season changes can override what's published here.

Visit official Idaho fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

Kokanee salmon closures, slot-limit changes, and harvest pauses are posted to Idaho Department of Fish and Game's emergency-order feed — check it before any Idaho trip during the active season.

Frequently asked questions

When is kokanee salmon season in Idaho?: Idaho 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 Idaho bag limit for kokanee salmon?: The Idaho daily bag limit for kokanee salmon is 6 / day on Lake Pend Oreille, Dworshak, Coeur d'Alene + Priest Lake + listed kokanee waters; limit varies by water (confirm current-year reach rule). The possession limit is Twice the daily limit in possession (varies by water). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size kokanee salmon can you keep in Idaho?: The Idaho size rule for kokanee salmon is No statewide minimum. Trophy rule: Idaho is the country's premier kokanee state; Lake Pend Oreille kokanee recovery via IDFG lake trout suppression (Angler Incentive Program) is a nationally-watched fisheries story; Dworshak Reservoir produces fast-growing 14-17 in trophy kokanee.
Do you need a license to fish for kokanee salmon in Idaho?: Yes. Idaho 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 Idaho license — compare resident and non-resident Idaho fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for kokanee salmon in Idaho?: Yes. In Idaho, kokanee salmon fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; downrigger trolling is the dominant open-water method; Ice-fishing tip-ups + jigging permitted during winter season; Snagging permitted only on listed waters during the fall spawning run — check the reach rule; IDFG Fishing Licence required ages 14+ ($30.50 res / $108.25 NR annual); Confirm current-year IDFG Fish + Game Rules for per-water kokanee limit.
Do specific Idaho waters have different kokanee salmon rules?: Yes. 4 named Idaho waters carry rules that override the statewide kokanee salmon regulation, including Lake Pend Oreille, Dworshak Reservoir, Coeur d'Alene, and 1 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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