The DWR has launched an underwater livestream to watch the salmon swim upstream to spawn at Strawberry Reservoir.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says September and October are the best months to see kokanee salmon. The fish, which are silver most of the year, turn bright red before they travel up stream to spawn. The males also get humped backs, hooked jaws and elongated teeth during their spawning transformation.
The Utah DWR has two free viewing events coming up where people can see the fish during this unique transformation.
The first is at the Strawberry Reservoir in Wasatch County Saturday, Sept. 16. It’s from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the U.S. Forest Service visitor center.
DWR biologists will be at the fish trap and egg-taking facility behind the visitor center to give insight and explain the salmon’s life cycle.
Participants are asked to register in advance for the free event.
The other event is Saturday, Sept. 30, at Fish Lake in Sevier County.
If you can’t make it to one of those events, there are still several places in Summit and Wasatch counties to see the fish.
These include the Jordanelle Reservoir and Provo River, Smith and Morehouse Reservoir and Stateline Reservoir. Peak spawning time differs for each location but typically runs from mid-September to October.
The DWR said it is illegal to keep kokanee salmon caught in Utah during spawning season from Sept. 10 to Nov. 30.
For more information on peak spawning times and the best places to see bright red kokanee salmon, visit the Utah DWR website.
