Best places to see bright-red salmon this fall
Trees aren't the only parts of Utah that turn a brilliant shade of red in the fall: so do kokanee salmon.
In September, kokanee — which are a shade of silver most of the year — change to a fluorescent red prior to traveling up rivers and streams to spawn. Their bright-red color makes the salmon easy to spot in the waters where they spawn.
To celebrate the annual spawn, the Division of Wildlife Resources is holding free viewing events. If you'd like to see kokanee on your own, two additional sites are great places to visit.
Free viewing events
Oct. 9
East-central Utah
Electric Lake
Upper Huntington Creek and Boulger Creek are two major tributaries to Electric Lake where kokanee salmon may spawn each year. These creeks are typically shallow, making the bright-red salmon easy to see.
DWR biologists and outreach staff are hosting a viewing event at Electric Lake on Oct. 9 from 4 to 6 p.m. Please meet them at the boat ramp on the north end of the reservoir, where they'll answer your questions and direct you to the best areas to see the salmon.
"The annual kokanee salmon spawn is a special wildlife viewing opportunity that many residents of east-central Utah aren't aware of," says Morgan Jacobsen, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR. "We hope wildlife enthusiasts will come enjoy the fall colors at Electric Lake, including the red salmon."
Electric Lake is 54 miles west of Price and 22 miles east of Fairview, along Highway 264 in the Manti-La Sal National Forest. If you have questions about the event, call the DWR's Southeastern Region office at 435-613-3707.
See salmon on your own
Two places in northern and southern Utah are great places to see salmon on your own.
Northern Utah
Causey Reservoir
The best place to see kokanee at Causey Reservoir is the Right Hand Fork of the Ogden River. You can paddle to the spot after launching a kayak or canoe on the reservoir, or you can hike to the spot from the Skull Crack trailhead on the south side of the reservoir. After leaving the trailhead, hike about two miles to the viewing site. Be aware that rattlesnake sightings are common along the trail.
"If you paddle to the viewing site," says DWR Regional Conservation Outreach Manager Phil Douglass, "make sure you wear shoes that you don't mind getting a little muddy. You'll have to leave your kayak or canoe, and do a small bit of walking, to reach the site."
Douglass says the kokanee spawn starts in early September and reaches its peak by the middle of the month. "About 10 days after reaching its peak," he says, "the spawn ends."
Causey Reservoir is 11 miles east of Huntsville. For more information, call the DWR's Northern Region office at 801-476-2740.
South-central Utah
Fish Lake
Twin Creeks is the best tributary at the lake to visit. The stream is located near the Fish Lake Lodge on the lake's west side. "Good parking is available in a paved parking lot just north of Twin Creeks," says Phil Tuttle, regional conservation outreach manager for the DWR. "The best time to see salmon is from about mid-September through October."
Fish Lake is about 17 miles northeast of Koosharem. For more information, call the DWR's Southern Region office at 435-865-6100.
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