When is kokanee salmon season in Oregon?

Oregon 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 Oregon bag limit for kokanee salmon?

The Oregon daily bag limit for kokanee salmon is 10 / day statewide (new for 2026 — kokanee are no longer counted within the trout daily limit); 25 / day at Odell + Suttle + Elk Lakes; unlimited at Crater Lake (NPS native-fish-removal policy). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size kokanee salmon can you keep in Oregon?

The Oregon size rule for kokanee salmon is No size limit. Trophy rule: OR state-record kokanee 9 lb 10.72 oz Wallowa Lake 2010 (Ron Campbell) — also the IGFA all-tackle WORLD-RECORD kokanee; Wallowa Lake's deep cold glacial water + rich Daphnia forage base grows the largest kokanee on Earth; Odell + Suttle + Lake Billy Chinook are the other marquee Oregon troll fisheries.

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

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

Are there gear restrictions for kokanee salmon in Oregon?

Yes. In Oregon, kokanee salmon fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted — downriggers + flashers + tipped hoochies / wedding-ring spinners near the thermocline is the standard kokanee method; ODFW Angling License required ages 12+ ($44 res annual / $116 NR annual); Combined Angling Tag not required for kokanee; Confirm current-year ODFW Sport Fishing Regulations for the lake-by-lake kokanee bag exceptions (Odell + Suttle + Elk 25 / day; Crater Lake unlimited).

Do specific Oregon waters have different kokanee salmon rules?

Yes. 5 named Oregon waters carry rules that override the statewide kokanee salmon regulation, including Wallowa Lake, Odell Lake, Suttle Lake + Elk Lake, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

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

Oncorhynchus nerka

Last updated May 30, 2026

Oregon kokanee salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka — the landlocked, non-anadromous form of the sockeye salmon) is a premier high-Cascade + high-desert reservoir + alpine-lake fishery. Wallowa Lake (1,508-acre glacial-moraine lake — Wallowa County northeast Oregon, at the foot of the Wallowa Mountains) is the most famous kokanee water in the country — OR state-record kokanee 9 lb 10.72 oz Wallowa Lake 2010 (Ron Campbell), which is also the IGFA all-tackle WORLD-RECORD kokanee, a freak of the lake's deep cold glacial water + rich Daphnia forage base. Odell Lake + Suttle Lake + Elk Lake + Wickiup + Crane Prairie + Crescent + Davis + Paulina + East Lakes (the Cascade + Newberry-caldera + Deschutes high-desert reservoir tier) + Detroit + Foster + Green Peter (Willamette Cascade reservoirs) + Lake Billy Chinook (Deschutes — a premier troll fishery) all carry stocked or self-sustaining kokanee. NEW FOR 2026: ODFW removed kokanee from the trout daily bag limit and gave them their own clearly-separate statewide limit of 10 / day (open all year, no size limit) — replacing the old confusing 'bonus bag' that counted kokanee within the trout limit; Odell + Suttle + Elk Lakes keep the higher 25 / day exception, and Crater Lake National Park stays unlimited under the NPS native-fish-removal policy (introduced kokanee must be removed — Crater Lake's only native fish are extinct). Kokanee are pelagic plankton-feeders taken by deep trolling with downriggers + flashers + tipped hoochies / wedding-ring spinners near the thermocline through summer; they turn brilliant red and run to spawn in the fall. ODFW stocks kokanee fry in dozens of Cascade + Deschutes reservoirs annually. Open all year.

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Season

Open year-round Open all year; statewide 10 / day kokanee limit NEW for 2026 (kokanee removed from the trout daily limit), with 25 / day at Odell + Suttle + Elk Lakes + unlimited at Crater Lake under the NPS native-fish-removal policy. Deep-troll fishery through summer; fall spawning run.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: 10 / day statewide (new for 2026 — kokanee are no longer counted within the trout daily limit); 25 / day at Odell + Suttle + Elk Lakes; unlimited at Crater Lake (NPS native-fish-removal policy)

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No size limit
Trophy rule: OR state-record kokanee 9 lb 10.72 oz Wallowa Lake 2010 (Ron Campbell) — also the IGFA all-tackle WORLD-RECORD kokanee; Wallowa Lake's deep cold glacial water + rich Daphnia forage base grows the largest kokanee on Earth; Odell + Suttle + Lake Billy Chinook are the other marquee Oregon troll fisheries

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling permitted — downriggers + flashers + tipped hoochies / wedding-ring spinners near the thermocline is the standard kokanee method
ODFW Angling License required ages 12+ ($44 res annual / $116 NR annual); Combined Angling Tag not required for kokanee
Confirm current-year ODFW Sport Fishing Regulations for the lake-by-lake kokanee bag exceptions (Odell + Suttle + Elk 25 / day; Crater Lake unlimited)

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Oregon waters:

Wallowa Lake
Kokanee 10 / day (2026 statewide limit); OR + IGFA all-tackle WORLD-RECORD kokanee 9 lb 10.72 oz Wallowa Lake 2010 (Ron Campbell)
Odell Lake
Kokanee 25 / day (lake-specific exception to the 10 / day statewide limit); also Oregon's premier lake trout / mackinaw water
Suttle Lake + Elk Lake
Kokanee 25 / day (lake-specific exception to the 10 / day statewide limit)
Wickiup + Crane Prairie + East Lake + Paulina + Lake Billy Chinook + Detroit + Foster
Kokanee 10 / day (2026 statewide limit, no longer counted within the trout bag)
Crater Lake National Park
Kokanee UNLIMITED under the NPS native-fish-removal policy (introduced kokanee must be removed); artificial-only, no live bait; ODFW Angling License is the controlling document

Official source

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) publishes the authoritative 2026 Oregonfishing 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 Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW)'s official kokanee salmon regulation page.

Visit official Oregon fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

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

Frequently asked questions

When is kokanee salmon season in Oregon?: Oregon 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 Oregon bag limit for kokanee salmon?: The Oregon daily bag limit for kokanee salmon is 10 / day statewide (new for 2026 — kokanee are no longer counted within the trout daily limit); 25 / day at Odell + Suttle + Elk Lakes; unlimited at Crater Lake (NPS native-fish-removal policy). Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size kokanee salmon can you keep in Oregon?: The Oregon size rule for kokanee salmon is No size limit. Trophy rule: OR state-record kokanee 9 lb 10.72 oz Wallowa Lake 2010 (Ron Campbell) — also the IGFA all-tackle WORLD-RECORD kokanee; Wallowa Lake's deep cold glacial water + rich Daphnia forage base grows the largest kokanee on Earth; Odell + Suttle + Lake Billy Chinook are the other marquee Oregon troll fisheries.
Do you need a license to fish for kokanee salmon in Oregon?: Yes. Oregon 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 Oregon license — compare resident and non-resident Oregon fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for kokanee salmon in Oregon?: Yes. In Oregon, kokanee salmon fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling permitted — downriggers + flashers + tipped hoochies / wedding-ring spinners near the thermocline is the standard kokanee method; ODFW Angling License required ages 12+ ($44 res annual / $116 NR annual); Combined Angling Tag not required for kokanee; Confirm current-year ODFW Sport Fishing Regulations for the lake-by-lake kokanee bag exceptions (Odell + Suttle + Elk 25 / day; Crater Lake unlimited).
Do specific Oregon waters have different kokanee salmon rules?: Yes. 5 named Oregon waters carry rules that override the statewide kokanee salmon regulation, including Wallowa Lake, Odell Lake, Suttle Lake + Elk Lake, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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