SALT LAKE CITY, Utah Sept. 6, 2023 (Gephardt Daily) — With fall soon upon us, Utah wildlife officials want to point out it’s not just leaves that make an autumnal transformation to change colors.
Fish do it too, particularly kokanee salmon in their annual spawning run, changing from their usual silver to bright red in the upstream cycle of rebirth.
And the state Division of Wildlife Resources is sponsoring two trips this month to watch the spawning ritual.
The free viewing events to provide an educational opportunity to see the determined breeders during their unique transformation will be held at the following locations:
Saturday, Sept. 16 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the U.S. Forest Service visitor center at Strawberry Reservoir.
Saturday, Sept. 30 from 8 a.m. to noon on the west shore of Fish Lake, which is located about 40 miles southeast of Richfield.
“Their red color makes the fish easy to spot in the waters where they lay their eggs,” according to the DWR.
“The males also acquire humped backs, hooked jaws and elongated teeth during their spawning transformation.
“While the fish are exciting to see, note that you are not allowed to keep any kokanee salmon caught anywhere in Utah from Sept. 10 to Nov. 30, during the spawning season.
“Visitors should also not disturb the spawning fish by wading into the water, trying to pick the fish up or allowing their dogs to chase the fish. Violators could be cited.”
As to the Strawberry Reservoir event, the visitor center is located along U.S. Highway 40, about 20 miles southeast of Heber City. Though the visitor center will be closed, the restrooms will be open during the event. A food truck will be on hand.
Participants will be able to see a few salmon in the Strawberry River next to the visitor center. But, if you walk to the fish trap and egg-taking facility behind the visitor center, the DWR said, you’ll see hundreds of the bright red fish. DWR biologists will be at the facility to show you the salmon and talk with you about the peculiar life cycle of the fish.
“Kokanee are easily visible in the river at the visitor center,” DWR Central Region Outreach Manager Scott Root said. “Once you arrive at the fish trap, you can ask questions about the salmon and see them up close.”
While the event is free, participants are asked to register for it in advance on Eventbrite. For more information about the event, call the DWR’s Springville office at 801-491-5678. You will also be able to watch a livestream of the kokanee salmon at the fish trap on the DWR YouTube channel during September.
For the Fish Lake event, viewing will be held at the boardwalk near the Fish Lake Lodge, and participants will be able to see the fish swimming up Twin Creeks, a tributary to Fish Lake.
“Kokanee have only been in Fish Lake for a few years, but they have done really well,” Southern Region Outreach Manager Adam Kavalunas said. “The boardwalk provides a great view of the spawning fish. This can be a great location to take pictures or video clips of kokanee because the water is crystal clear in this area.”
The Fish Lake Lodge is located at 2 N. State Route 25, Fish Lake. Parking is available at the Twin Creek picnic area northeast of the lodge along SR-25. While the event is free, participants are asked to register for it on Eventbrite. For more information, call the DWR’s Cedar City office at 435-865-6100.
For those unable to attend one of the DWR events, you can still see kokanee salmon spawning at those locations until early October.
The DWR suggests other spots around Utah where you can see bright red kokanee as well. Visit wildlife.utah.gov for information or bit.ly/3qLMLJX
