Fishing with Rod Discussion Forum

Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  

Author Topic: Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?  (Read 22336 times)

Zaphod

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 83
  • Amateur hook rinser
Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« on: August 31, 2004, 09:28:08 AM »

I caught what I think is a Kokanee (I'm not good at identifying fish) from Buntzen Lake.  Does anyone know if there are a lot of Kokanee in that lake?

Also, I've read that Kokanee are a special kind of land-locked salmon.  Is this true?  If so, does one need a salmon stamp to catch and retain them?
Logged

Koho

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 379
  • I'm an alpaca!
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #1 on: August 31, 2004, 09:31:26 AM »

Kokanee are sockeye salmon that don't go to the ocean.  They don't have much spots on their bodies.  
Logged
"I'm having fish tonight!"  -Bruce, the Shark in Finding Nemo.

The Gilly

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 985
  • Let equity be the rule of our actions
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #2 on: August 31, 2004, 09:33:01 AM »

Probably a cuttie or rainbow.  I have not heard of Kokanee in Buntzen.  Kokanee is a landlocked Sockeye salmon.  They do not grow as big because they dom not have the big food source.  Check your regs before you go out and it will tell you what species are present in the water.  Cutties have a red slash down by their neck.  Rainbows have a distinct "rainbow" down the centre line on their side and Kokanee are very Silver and no spots.

http://www.fishingwithrod.com/fish_profiles.html
« Last Edit: August 31, 2004, 09:35:18 AM by grumman »
Logged

The_Roe_Man

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 372
  • I like ROE!
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #3 on: August 31, 2004, 11:02:51 AM »

You bet there are kokanee in Buntzen.  Numbers are not that great as they don't stock it with them.  I catch them from time to time but the size is small, biggest I caught was around 11 inches.  You can tell they are kokanee by their big eyes and thin silver bodies with small scales.  The most I have caught in one day was 3.  
Logged
I like ROE

The Gilly

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 985
  • Let equity be the rule of our actions
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #4 on: August 31, 2004, 11:48:41 AM »

Stocked with Rainbows and Cutties.
Logged

Zaphod

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 83
  • Amateur hook rinser
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #5 on: August 31, 2004, 02:29:38 PM »

What I caught looked *exactly* like the bottom fish in the picture at this URL:

http://www.fishbase.org/Photos/PicturesSummary.cfm?StartRow=4&ID=243&what=species

According to the site's author, this is a Kokanee.  Do you guys agree?

Logged

Zaphod

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 83
  • Amateur hook rinser
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #6 on: August 31, 2004, 02:30:39 PM »

Also, about stocking -- do any of you know or know of a resource where I could find out what hatchery trout are fed in the hatchery before they're released?
Logged

Koho

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 379
  • I'm an alpaca!
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #7 on: August 31, 2004, 02:41:48 PM »

That looks like a kokanee.  The scales are real small, and the body has few black spots.  

Did you keep the fish?  The inside is a nice neon red colour too.
Logged
"I'm having fish tonight!"  -Bruce, the Shark in Finding Nemo.

Rodney

  • Administrator
  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 14761
  • Where's my strike indicator?
    • Fishing with Rod
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #8 on: August 31, 2004, 02:43:47 PM »

To find out stocking dates, stocking numbers and food information, visit Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery and give them a phone call.

The Gilly

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 985
  • Let equity be the rule of our actions
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #9 on: August 31, 2004, 03:20:39 PM »

Koho,
You scared the heck out of me!  I thought they were going to jump out of the screen and eat me ;D
Those are great pics of clean kokanee.  Notice the lack of spots and the distinct blue tinge on the back.
Zaphod,
Those are Kokanee, but they are about to spawn as they have gone dark and are starting to turn red.
A great spot to see Kokanee is in Antler Creek if you get to Peachland in Aug/Sept.
There are kokanee in Coquitlam Lake and I understand that the fisheries biologists think that they may be land locked
Sockeye from when the dam was put on the Coquitlam R.  There has been some talk of trying to use them to reintroduce
a Sockeye run to the Coquitlam R.  Apparently, the Coquitlam R. used to have one of the most prolific Sockeye runs in the
province at the turn of the 19th century.  That's you history lesson for today.
Logged

Koho

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 379
  • I'm an alpaca!
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #10 on: August 31, 2004, 03:25:00 PM »

Here's a pic of a couple of Kokes I caught this summer.  Sorry the image is too big, but you'll be able to see the detail up close (I've got real bad imaging software, will try to make the image smaller...)

<edit 1: erased first post before grummans and put new post after>
<edit 2: made the picture to fit the screen  ;D>

« Last Edit: August 31, 2004, 08:46:33 PM by Koho »
Logged
"I'm having fish tonight!"  -Bruce, the Shark in Finding Nemo.

Zaphod

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 83
  • Amateur hook rinser
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #11 on: August 31, 2004, 03:33:27 PM »

Fantastic information.  Thanks.

Yes, I did keep the fish.  I'm now looking for good recipies for Kokanee.  Any suggestions?  Should any good recipe for salmon also work great for Kokanee?

Also, I'm still wondering if a salmon stamp is necessary to retain Kokanee.  Does anyone know?
Logged

DragonSpeed

  • Old Timer
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2980
  • Less Computer Time - More fishing Time...yes YOU!
    • My Pictures
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #12 on: August 31, 2004, 03:40:21 PM »

Also, about stocking -- do any of you know or know of a resource where I could find out what hatchery trout are fed in the hatchery before they're released?

Google for "Fish Wizard"

Zaphod

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 83
  • Amateur hook rinser
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #13 on: August 31, 2004, 03:50:03 PM »

Well, I went to FishWizard, and there is all sorts of great information there about the lake, but no information (that I can find) about how the fish are fed before they're released.  I'm just curious to know what I'm eating if I catch one. :)
Logged

Koho

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 379
  • I'm an alpaca!
Re:Kokanee in Buntzen Lake?
« Reply #14 on: August 31, 2004, 04:32:18 PM »

Looks like that fish was caught in New Zealand.
Logged
"I'm having fish tonight!"  -Bruce, the Shark in Finding Nemo.