When is kokanee salmon season in Utah?

Utah 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 Utah bag limit for kokanee salmon?

The Utah daily bag limit for kokanee salmon is Counted within the statewide combined trout limit — 4 trout, kokanee salmon and Arctic grayling (a combined total); no separate statewide kokanee bag; Flaming Gorge allows the 4 trout/kokanee combined limit with no more than 3 kokanee; NO POSSESSION statewide Sept 10 – Nov 30 (spawning-season protection). The possession limit is 8 in possession combined trout / kokanee / grayling; zero kokanee possession Sept 10 – Nov 30. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.

What size kokanee salmon can you keep in Utah?

The Utah size rule for kokanee salmon is No statewide minimum. Trophy rule: Strawberry Reservoir is Utah's flagship kokanee fishery; Flaming Gorge (Sheep Creek inlet) and Porcupine Reservoir host accessible fall spawning runs where kokanee turn brilliant red; Causey Reservoir is managed as a UDWR kokanee broodstock-source fishery; the statewide Sept 10 – Nov 30 possession closure protects staging spawners — a more protective framework than some neighboring states (Colorado, by contrast, permits a 10/day kokanee bag plus snagging + archery harvest in fall windows).

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

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

Are there gear restrictions for kokanee salmon in Utah?

Yes. In Utah, kokanee salmon fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling with downriggers permitted; ice-fishing jigging permitted in winter; Snagging and archery harvest of kokanee PROHIBITED (unlike some neighboring states); No possession of kokanee salmon at any waterbody statewide Sept 10 – Nov 30; Utah Fishing License required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $90 NR annual); Confirm current-year UDWR Fishing Regulations for reservoir-specific kokanee exceptions.

Do specific Utah waters have different kokanee salmon rules?

Yes. 5 named Utah waters carry rules that override the statewide kokanee salmon regulation, including Strawberry Reservoir, Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Fish Lake, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

2026 regulation year

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

Oncorhynchus nerka

Last updated May 30, 2026

Utah's kokanee salmon — the landlocked, non-anadromous form of sockeye salmon — are a UDWR-stocked still-water fishery on the state's cold, deep mountain reservoirs. Strawberry Reservoir (17,000-acre Wasatch Range reservoir — Utah's flagship kokanee + Bonneville cutthroat fishery), Flaming Gorge Reservoir (91 sq mi on the Green River straddling the WY/UT boundary under joint reciprocal compact), Fish Lake (2,500-acre natural lake in the Fishlake National Forest), Causey Reservoir (a UDWR kokanee broodstock-source fishery on the south fork of the Ogden River) and Porcupine Reservoir (Bear River drainage — known for its accessible fall spawning run) are the anchor waters. Kokanee turn brilliant red and stage in tributaries to spawn each fall — the Sheep Creek inlet at Flaming Gorge and the Strawberry River inlet at Strawberry Reservoir are well-known spawning-viewing sites. Because kokanee are vulnerable while staging, UDWR protects them with a statewide possession closure from Sept. 10 through Nov. 30 — anglers may not possess any kokanee salmon at any waterbody during that window. Outside the closure, kokanee count toward the statewide combined trout limit (4 trout, kokanee salmon and Arctic grayling combined) rather than carrying a separate bag, with water-specific tweaks: Flaming Gorge allows a 4 trout/kokanee combined limit of which no more than 3 may be kokanee. Kokanee are plankton-feeding specialists caught by trolling small flashers + squid/hoochie tipped with corn at downrigger depth, and by jigging through the ice in winter; Utah does NOT permit snagging or archery harvest of kokanee. Open year-round on listed kokanee reservoirs outside the Sept 10 – Nov 30 possession closure.

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Season

Open year-round Open year-round on listed kokanee reservoirs (Strawberry + Flaming Gorge + Fish Lake + Causey + Porcupine); statewide no-possession spawning closure Sept 10 – Nov 30 — anglers may not possess kokanee salmon at any waterbody during that window.

Bag & possession

Daily bag: Counted within the statewide combined trout limit — 4 trout, kokanee salmon and Arctic grayling (a combined total); no separate statewide kokanee bag; Flaming Gorge allows the 4 trout/kokanee combined limit with no more than 3 kokanee; NO POSSESSION statewide Sept 10 – Nov 30 (spawning-season protection)
Possession: 8 in possession combined trout / kokanee / grayling; zero kokanee possession Sept 10 – Nov 30

Size, slot, trophy rules

Size: No statewide minimum
Trophy rule: Strawberry Reservoir is Utah's flagship kokanee fishery; Flaming Gorge (Sheep Creek inlet) and Porcupine Reservoir host accessible fall spawning runs where kokanee turn brilliant red; Causey Reservoir is managed as a UDWR kokanee broodstock-source fishery; the statewide Sept 10 – Nov 30 possession closure protects staging spawners — a more protective framework than some neighboring states (Colorado, by contrast, permits a 10/day kokanee bag plus snagging + archery harvest in fall windows)

Gear restrictions

Hook-and-line; trolling with downriggers permitted; ice-fishing jigging permitted in winter
Snagging and archery harvest of kokanee PROHIBITED (unlike some neighboring states)
No possession of kokanee salmon at any waterbody statewide Sept 10 – Nov 30
Utah Fishing License required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $90 NR annual)
Confirm current-year UDWR Fishing Regulations for reservoir-specific kokanee exceptions

Named water-body overrides

Where statewide rules differ on specific Utah waters:

Strawberry Reservoir
Utah's flagship kokanee fishery; counted within the 4 / day combined trout limit; no possession Sept 10 – Nov 30
Flaming Gorge Reservoir
4 trout/kokanee combined, no more than 3 kokanee; WY/UT joint reciprocal compact; Sheep Creek fall spawning run; no possession Sept 10 – Nov 30
Fish Lake
Counted within the 4 / day combined trout limit; no possession Sept 10 – Nov 30
Causey Reservoir
UDWR kokanee broodstock-source fishery; counted within the 4 / day combined trout limit; no possession Sept 10 – Nov 30
Porcupine Reservoir
Accessible fall kokanee spawning run; counted within the 4 / day combined trout limit; no possession Sept 10 – Nov 30

Official source

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR) publishes the authoritative 2026 Utahfishing 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 Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (UDWR)'s official kokanee salmon regulation page.

Visit official Utah fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

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

Frequently asked questions

When is kokanee salmon season in Utah?: Utah 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 Utah bag limit for kokanee salmon?: The Utah daily bag limit for kokanee salmon is Counted within the statewide combined trout limit — 4 trout, kokanee salmon and Arctic grayling (a combined total); no separate statewide kokanee bag; Flaming Gorge allows the 4 trout/kokanee combined limit with no more than 3 kokanee; NO POSSESSION statewide Sept 10 – Nov 30 (spawning-season protection). The possession limit is 8 in possession combined trout / kokanee / grayling; zero kokanee possession Sept 10 – Nov 30. Some named waters set a different limit — check the water-body overrides above.
What size kokanee salmon can you keep in Utah?: The Utah size rule for kokanee salmon is No statewide minimum. Trophy rule: Strawberry Reservoir is Utah's flagship kokanee fishery; Flaming Gorge (Sheep Creek inlet) and Porcupine Reservoir host accessible fall spawning runs where kokanee turn brilliant red; Causey Reservoir is managed as a UDWR kokanee broodstock-source fishery; the statewide Sept 10 – Nov 30 possession closure protects staging spawners — a more protective framework than some neighboring states (Colorado, by contrast, permits a 10/day kokanee bag plus snagging + archery harvest in fall windows).
Do you need a license to fish for kokanee salmon in Utah?: Yes. Utah 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 Utah license — compare resident and non-resident Utah fees on the state regulations page below.
Are there gear restrictions for kokanee salmon in Utah?: Yes. In Utah, kokanee salmon fishing carries these gear rules: Hook-and-line; trolling with downriggers permitted; ice-fishing jigging permitted in winter; Snagging and archery harvest of kokanee PROHIBITED (unlike some neighboring states); No possession of kokanee salmon at any waterbody statewide Sept 10 – Nov 30; Utah Fishing License required ages 12+ ($40 res annual / $90 NR annual); Confirm current-year UDWR Fishing Regulations for reservoir-specific kokanee exceptions.
Do specific Utah waters have different kokanee salmon rules?: Yes. 5 named Utah waters carry rules that override the statewide kokanee salmon regulation, including Strawberry Reservoir, Flaming Gorge Reservoir, Fish Lake, and 2 more. See the named water-body overrides above for the exact rule on each.

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